Mount Hood

Bringing senior prom to the Monmouth community

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Sparkling prom dresses and classy tuxedos paid a visit to the Monmouth Senior Center on May 26. The second annual sock hop, hosted by Western’s Psychology Club and Gerontology Club, gave seniors the opportunity to dress up and hit the dance floor.

The theme for this year’s dance was ‘Spring Fling Senior Prom,’ encouraging community members to break out their prom attire and join in on the fun. Of course, a prom is incomplete without the crowning of prom king and queen, as well as tiaras and crowns for the winners.

Haley Morris, Psychology Club president, was involved in planning the Valentine’s Day sock hop in 2017. The organization was looking to get more involved with the senior center and jumped at the opportunity to help the Monmouth community.

“It’s cool getting more college students in the community and not just on campus,” Morris commented. She explained that many students go through college focusing on how their education will benefit themselves and not necessarily how they can help others.

“Maybe they see Monmouth as being pretty small and they don’t see a way of benefiting the community, but there’s a lot of different ways that people can reach out and the senior center is one of those ways,” said Morris.

Last year’s sock hop was such a success that the Gerontology Club decided to get involved in the event. Lila Gardner, co-president of the Gerontology Club at Western, is a gerontology major, herself, and has always enjoyed working with older adults. When elected president of the club, she had several goals that she wanted the organization to accomplish.

“I wanted us to be really involved with the Monmouth community,” Gardner explained. The club hosted Careers in Aging Week in April and several events educating the community about aging and working with older adults. Since then, the organization has been focused on outreaching to the Monmouth community.

“This term has been really focused on interacting with our older aging community and really making sure that we’re creating a better quality of life,” said Gardner. “There’s some places in Oregon that doesn’t have a senior center and (don’t) focus on quality of life for older adults and that’s something I think our club officers are really adamant about.”

The sock hop is just one way that the Psychology and Gerontology Clubs are reaching out and using their fields of study to benefit the community.

Morris expressed, “I think it’s becoming a community event and people are looking forward to it so I really hope it continues.”

 

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

An ongoing quest for confidence

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

Previously, for this publication, I described the struggle I had with finding self-confidence. After ups and downs, and years of self-discovery and finding faith within myself, I was finally able to come to an acceptance of who I am, who I want to be and who I will choose to be. I was able to find techniques that made this an easier task, such as exercise. Working out greatly improved my self-esteem. I thought I had figured it out. However, this wasn’t necessarily true.

After publishing my original article “Searching for self-confidence” in issue 2, I reached a new obstacle: my workload was so heavy that finding time to work out was almost impossible. Again, my confidence plummeted. It was then that I realized: confidence cannot be rooted from only my actions, but from my perception of myself. Of course, actions are a large reflection of who a person is, but ultimately, I wanted to be confident in myself without having to justify it with my actions.

My confidence is something that is now greatly improving with a simple act: reassurance. Telling myself that I am able and that I am worth it can be greatly useful. It can feel uncomfortable to speak this way, or to have to reassure yourself of these things, but by forcing myself to repeat it, I slowly began to believe it.

By no means is confidence something that comes easily to me. It’s a daily struggle. However, it’s a struggle that I grow from everyday. Slowly, I can feel myself becoming more confident in situations where I normally don’t feel this way.

I know that I am not the only student at Western who can relate to this feeling. It’s overwhelming, daunting and can make the simplest tasks feel difficult. Clearly, I don’t have an exact, specific answer for anyone who is in need of one, but I urge those in need of answers to look for it through your own experiences. No two journeys to self-confidence are going to be identical; each person will have their ups and their downs.

My advice to anyone struggling with this is to look to those they care about for support. Sometimes, moments of reassurance can be found from those we love, if it’s too much of a difficulty to find it in yourself. For many, there’s nothing easy about getting to a point of high self-confidence, but with the help of others, it can certainly ease the hardships.

 

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

Review: “Solo: A Star Wars Story”

Simson Garcia | Sports Editor

“Solo: A Star Wars Story,” is its own movie. Yes, it follows along with the linear plot of, and connects to, the larger Star Wars universe — something us fanatics love. But the characters — new and old-droids — Wookies and warp speeds into the next galaxy make it original and a worthwhile ticket.

I had expectations — don’t we all, when it comes to Star Wars — that were mostly met. Alden Ehrenreich, who acts as Han Solo, was someone I honestly didn’t care for when I watched the trailer. However, I set my expectations low prior to my viewing and the only thing I looked forward to was how he would portray his version of Solo. His embodiment was exceptional. I’m glad I wasn’t too much of a fan of the warm charisma that Harrison Ford invested in Solo and, although that performance won’t ever be matched, Ehrenreich holds his own quite well.

Donald Glover is the exception and best actor in this movie. As Lando Calrissian, captain of the Millenium Falcon, Glover exceeds Billy Dee Williams’s past performances of Calrissian. This is unfortunate because Williams was the original who personified Lando, but Glover did such a phenomenal job mirroring Williams’s acting — and eventually bringing his own flavor — that I’ll give him the benefit. One thing I looked forward to was the chemistry between Glover and Ehrenreich. This didn’t match the chemistry between Ford and Williams exactly, but the pair clicked.

Of course, these two on screen would not be if not for their quarrels over the Millenium Falcon, like in past films, and I’m so satisfied they got into the backstory of their constant negotiations over the beloved light-speedster.

And let’s not forget about Chewbacca and Solo’s relationship. Kudos to the filmmakers for including so many highlight moments in their relationship. It was awkward when they first met in a mud-filled jail confine, but that’s the beauty of their pairing — something die-hard fans have always loved about the franchise.

I’ve always loved Star Wars films, but the major thing that annoyed me was the constant unnecessary CGI makeover that was dominant in the prequels of the last decade. Everybody prefers sock-puppet-Yoda over the computerized version and so I’m thankful “Solo” retained the classic looks of weird looking creatures and droids.

I will continue to love Star Wars movies like “Solo” as long as they keep reinventing. “Solo” gives a new look while still maintaining the old-fashioned Star Wars we know and love.

 

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of: starwars.com

 

Oppression in the name of ‘patriotism’

Lake Larsen | Digital Media Manager

On May 23, Roger Goodell, Commissioner of the National Football League, announced a new policy for the next football season; it is now required that all players must stand for the national anthem or face a penalty and fine. If anyone objects to the anthem, they may choose to stay in the locker room. This change is in response to league-wide protests of the anthem due to racial injustice. But are the NFL’s actions overstepping their bounds?

The political statement of taking a knee for the national anthem has sparked great controversy over the last two NFL seasons. Many see the kneeling as disrespectful to the flag and those who fought for it, while the protesters began the kneeling as a way to show disapproval with the systematic racial injustice in modern day America. Regardless of how you view this act, the NFL passed a rule that says this is no longer allowed on the field. This shows that the NFL, in my opinion, is more worried about their image than they are about social change.

Thanks to far-right commentators such as Tomi Lahren, the meaning of the protests during the national anthem have been twisted and bent. Far-right advocates saw peaceful protest of racial injustice as nothing more than black players disrespecting our troops. These extremist voices rang loud enough in the ears of the NFL to pass a rule saying players are no longer allowed kneel for the flag and must act in a respectful manner.

If you simplify the kneeling for the anthem into just the act of protesting, you will see that the NFL is not allowing players their first amendment right. By saying the players need to “act respectful” for the flag, the NFL and those who oppose the protests show that their feelings matter more than facts. The national anthem and American flag represent freedom from the oppression of tyranny. Forcing a player to stand for the anthem and flag is not freedom; it is saying a player cannot be free to think and act how they feel.

Saying a player should leave politics out of the workplace is a gross misunderstanding of the situation. An NFL workplace requires players to listen to the national anthem before work. Does a normal workplace do that? The NFL is telling an athlete not to be political while forcing them to be political and patriotic. If it is so hard to watch players kneel for the flag, don’t sing the anthem before games. If it hurts the feelings of the NFL so much to see players exercise their American rights, don’t put them in a situation to need to in the first place.

The NFL’s move to disallow a player’s right to peaceful protest is not only wrong but unpatriotic. Nationalism is standing for a flag because that’s where you were born. Patriotism is choosing to stand or kneel because our flag represents freedom. Stripping players of their constitutional rights by forcing them to stand shows that the NFL does not care about their players. If the NFL wanted their players to be respectful to the flag they would allow them to peacefully protest however they please because, after all, the national anthem stands for freedom, not oppression.

Contact the author at llarsen13@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of: Dallasnews.com

 

Volleyball digs for gold, Soccer takes the shot

Simson Garcia | Sports Editor

Western’s intramural teams went after the nets in both volleyball and soccer as men’s, women’s and co-rec leagues all played for titles from May 15-21.

In women’s volleyball, the Gold Diggers, undefeated at 6-0, rematched with the 4-3 Sushi Burritos for the final. Both teams were quick toward the net and sharp in reaction for digs, but it was the former who succeeded in the end: two sets to zero.

“This is like the first team that I’ve been on that went undefeated,” said senior outside hitter Breayna Webster. “It was definitely a great feeling. I’m happy we got to win a shirt on my last year.”

Tournament champions in each sport won a t-shirt.

Also winning a t-shirt in co-rec volleyball was Rough Sets who defeated Dalls Beep, 2-1. The first set was a rotation of games with Dalls Beep winning 25-19. Dalls Beep’s Mia “Felicia” Medina, senior, said their team looked to their strong advantage in communication to help them prevail. It helped them win past matches and the first set, but Rough Sets were also communicative with their rotations. Rough Sets also never lost a match at 7-0, and they kept it that way winning the remaining sets, 25-17 and 15-9.

In men’s soccer, We Probably Won’t Win didn’t win as Take the Shot’s protection at the post by goalkeeper Keegan McMurry, senior, and junior striker Hatim Alhamdin’s offensive push helped rally their team for the 5-1 win.

Alhamdin also plays in co-rec soccer where his team, Bella Ciao, out-maneuvered team Chaos, 6-0 on May 15. In the closing minutes of the first half, the team started right in with a goal that screamed past the hands of Chaos’s goalkeeper Peter Puettmann, sophomore. Chaos’s back line could not match up with Bella Ciao’s constant attack for the remainder of the game.

Bella Ciao stands at 4-1 and is involved with compact competition. Big Baller FC and Ballkickers are also at 4-1, after having picked up victories on May 15.

All three teams will play in the co-rec championships which concludes on May 24.

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

Photo by: Simson Garcia

Studying tips to help material stick

Rebecca Meyers | Freelancer

Students may have just finished midterms, but finals are fast approaching. The last few weeks of the term can be the most stressful — even more so when feeling underprepared. Having a study system can not only help combat this stress, but also ensure that students don’t sit down to a test and find themselves staring blankly at the first question.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind as students countdown to summer break.

 

Repetition

Repetition works wonders for retaining information. For those who look over notes every day, even if it’s only for five minutes, it will help information stick much better than cramming the night before. For those who find it difficult to read their notes without their mind wandering: try writing the important parts out again, as the act of writing forces the brain to process the information again. This works for memorizing anything: from vocabulary words and definitions, to formulas and equations.

 

Note Sharing

For those not feeling confident about the thoroughness of their notes and the lectures aren’t on Moodle: invite other classmates onto a Google Doc so everyone can compile notes. This allows students to go over them when they have time, rather than trying to coordinate a study group. Google Docs allows for comments to be made in the margins, and can be used to ask questions if someone needs clarification on a certain topic.

Of course, studying in a group in person works best for some people. However, everyone has different schedules to work with and if meeting before a test is not possible, it’s still an option to help each other out.

 

Environment

Students should be aware of the environment they study in and whether it’s helping or hindering their efforts. When studying at home, sometimes students don’t realize that a cluttered desk is adding to their stress. Those like me probably have trouble keeping everything nice and organized. This means that every so often it’s helpful to make a reminder to do some simple adjustments, even if it’s just tidying up a bit. It will relieve a bit of stress that some students carry without even realizing it.

 

Contact the author at rmeyers17@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

Fostering support, progress and hope

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Teal blue ribbons adorn the trees around Western’s campus, bringing to light a community that is often overlooked: foster students. The WOU Fostering Success initiative is hosting Foster Care Awareness Month throughout May to help inform the campus community about foster students and provide support for individuals that have been a part of the foster care system.

Senior Sean Stephen is a foster youth peer mentor with WOU Fostering Success. With a personal history in the foster care system, Stephen strives to reach out to prospective Western foster students and ensure that current students have the resources they need to be successful.

“Coming from a foster care system into college is a pretty big transition for most students, and for foster care students it’s a really big transition because a lot of foster care children don’t have the support that they need,” explained Stephen. “That’s one area that I want to be there for them where they have, if they need it, support and advocate to what they need to help them be successful.”

The initiative was established in 2015 by Dr. Emily Plec, a professor of communication studies. She was impacted by students at Western that had experienced the foster care system and felt that there was more she could do to support them. Teaming up with a representative from Polk Youth Services and the previously established Wolves Fostering Hope club, Plec introduced one of the first initiatives to provide resources for foster students on campus, help them navigate financial aid and give general support that they may not get from other people in their lives.

“We tend to assume that everybody’s got a family,” Plec acknowledged, whether that’s someone to provide emotional support, financial stability or just a place to stay during holidays. “There was a group of students that that just wasn’t the case for.”

Help with advising, learning about federal financial aid benefits and even putting together finals week survival kits can enhance a foster student’s life at Western. Plec commented that the initiative is “just trying to do the things that families do that are the intangible parts of just getting you through.”

WOU Fostering Success planned several events during May for Foster Care Awareness Month including a socks and shoes drive for foster youth in the community, educational tabling and a duffle bag and suitcase collection, as part of the No More Trash Bags movement.

“In the foster care system, usually when you’re being transitioned from home to home, all you have is a black trash bag full of your stuff,” Stephen explained. “We’re trying to give foster kids backpacks and luggage and suitcases and duffle bags so they don’t have to be carrying around a black trash bag because that’s really dehumanizing.”

One of the most recent accomplishments of the initiative is creating a Preview Day focused on high school foster youth in Oregon. The event on May 25 is open to all foster youth interested in attending Western and includes a campus tour, assistance from the Student Success and Advising Office on transfer articulations and a luncheon featuring a panel of foster students sharing their experiences at Western.

“It’s just a whole day to meet students who are making the dream of college happen,” Plec expressed. And, for the first time ever, graduating foster students will be presented with graduation honor cords during the luncheon. Stephen, who is involved in the Wolves Fostering Success club that made this possible, believes this is a big achievement for foster students.

Stephen explained the difficulties that he faced coming to Western as a transfer student from the foster care system and not knowing anyone in the school. He encourages everyone to reach out to people that may need a hand.

“If you see somebody and you know that they might be struggling, just reach out and say ‘hey, how are you?’” Stephen suggested. “Don’t let somebody slip into the cracks.”

To learn more about the WOU Fostering Success initiative and Foster Care Awareness Month, visit wou.edu/foster.

 

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

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