Mount Hood

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

No superstar needed, baby steps for the Blazers

Simson Garcia | Sports Editor

The big debate over the Trail Blazers’s offseason activity is in the process. Help’s sorely needed after the previous playoff outing. But one change that doesn’t hold is bringing over a superstar, like Kevin Durant.

The last markee guy to sign with the Trailblazers? Scottie Pippen in ‘99 when he was traded for six players.

But who wants to come to Portland right now? A sweep in the first round is a bad look, especially after the team was highly touted for a run. If Portland does move players, it’ll be difficult to trade for an elite with how players like the overpriced Evan Turner underperformed.

Also, wonder why no big name has wanted to join the team over the years? It’s simply because no star wants to live in a city like Portland. Compared to metropolis’s like Los Angeles, Miami, Houston? Portland isn’t alluring to a guy like LeBron James.

The best thing Portland can do is to not panic and shake everything up — but, rather, to continuously improve through the NBA draft. Damian Lillard, 2012 draftee, and 2013 draftee, CJ McCollum are still young: build around them. The 2006 draft and how they acquired Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge is a quintessential example. They traded fourth pick Tyrus Thomas, who had a subpar career, for second pick LaMarcus Aldridge — but didn’t stop there — and moved up one spot to get Roy for Randy Foye.

Coaching changes I can go for — a slight shift in play style, most likely — but let’s not look in the wrong places. The Trail Blazers almost went for Paul George on a one-year deal. Portland for him wasn’t alluring, and redirected to Russell Westbrook’s Oklahoma City team and look at how that panned out. The best example Portland can take note from is Golden State. For years, they were terrible, but Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, are all draftees. They improved and finally lured Kevin Durant. Let’s try that formula.

 

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of: Trailblazers.com

Latino culture takes the spotlight at Western

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

The sound of Latin music and the smell of tacos filled the air outside of the Werner University Center on May 18. Multicultural Student Union’s annual event, Nuestra Fiesta Latina, encouraged students and community members to come together and experience Latino culture with a variety events and activities throughout the week.

The union’s collaboration with several organizations around campus transformed the typical day-long event into a week-long celebration. The week’s events kicked off with dance lessons instructed by members of the Omega Delta Phi fraternity, a Lip Sync Battle hosted by the Kappa Delta Chi sorority and stand-up comedian Jesus Trejo was sponsored by the Student Activities Board for a Thursday night of laughter.

Friday brought the traditional Nuestra Fiesta Latina day event with food, music, piñatas and a jalepeño-eating contest on the WUC plaza. The celebration continued during Freebie Friday with Lotería — a traditional Latino game similar to bingo — and pan dulce. The evening brought dinner and entertainment by Karol Posadas, a tribute artist that portrays the popular Mexican-American artist, Selena.

Sophomore early childhood education major Blanca Miranda-Aguilar worked behind the scenes to plan for Nuestra Fiesta Latina as MSU’s Public Relations officer. Miranda-Aguilar experienced the festivities of Nuestra Fiesta Latina in 2017 and was eager to step up as co-coordinator this spring.

Miranda-Aguilar noted that MSU strives to represent various cultures with annual events such as Women of Culture, Out and Proud, Dia de los Muertos and the Pow Wow.

“It’s just a way to show respect toward that culture,” said Miranda-Aguilar. She explained that many people view cultures through a stereotypical lens, and events like Nuestra Fiesta Latina aim to break those stereotypes and educate the community about a diverse array of cultures.

As a part of the Latino culture herself, Miranda-Aguilar is excited to have an event like this on campus.

“We’re being seen and recognized,” she expressed.

Miranda-Aguilar encourages everyone to venture out of their comfort zone and explore all the events and activities planned by MSU.

 

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

Showcasing creativity

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

Savannah Kumar, Biology Major

“It comes from the show ‘Parks and Recreation.’ It is one of my favorite shows and I feel like the quote is really applicable to anyone who is graduating, myself included. The things that we achieve in life are not only a testament to our own hard work, but also to the people who support us, love us and root for us along the way, and I really wanted to make sure that I highlighted that in my cap.”

Photo by: Savannah Kumar

Victoria Edwards, Biology Major
“I chose to decorate my cap with the iconic statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse at Disneyland and one of Walt Disney’s famous quotes. My parents have been bringing me (to) Disneyland since I was a little girl, so it has a special place in my heart. And I find Walt Disney’s story very inspirational, so I thought it would be the perfect representation of myself and my college experience.”

Photo by: Victoria Edwards

Jessica Freeman, Community Health Major

“There are a few reasons why I decorated mine the way I did. First, I have always been fascinated by the human heart, and my career will be based around cardiothoracic surgery — open heart surgery and the chest cavity. Also, while at (Western), it was the first time that I was willing to accept that I have very high anxiety … I learned that mental health is a very real and very important aspect of life. I have spent the last four years accepting that notion and working  on finding ways to manage my anxiety as I get closer to adulthood.”

Photo by: Jessica Freeman

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

 

Getting crafty with grad caps

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

When taking the step from being a Western student to a Western graduate, adding flair to a graduation cap to display during commencement can be the ideal way to stick out from the rest of the class. It gives graduating students one last opportunity to showcase who they are, whether it be through humor, a memorable quote or simply a design they think represents them well.

For those considering adding some style to their caps, it’s not too late. Designs can be intricate, simple or anything in between. Here is a quick description on how to form an idea and get going on making yours look distinguished from everyone else’s.

 

Find inspiration:

For some, their caps are a dedication to those who helped them get to this point; for others, it can simply be a statement of pride they have in themselves; and, of course, for some, graduation caps are based on a show, movie, book or other quotable material. To get inspiration on what to base a graduation cap on, students should think of what would best represent them. For those struggling to come up with something, a good idea would be to watch a movie that has meaning for them or to speak with someone of importance to them.

 

Purchase supplies:

The basics for decorating a graduation cap include colored or designed paper and cut out letters. This will ensure that it looks well put together and the letters are evenly sized. Anything beyond that depends on the cap; sparkles, studs or other fun flair are worth looking at to see if it might add to the look. Head to a craft store such as Michael’s or JOANN stores to look at all of the options.

 

Putting it together:

It’s important to take time on the project. Keep in mind, this is the cap that will be featured in every graduation photograph; when thinking back to commencement, this will be an image that will reappear. Take the time to fix up the small details, and have fun with it. Ultimately, all that matters is that the one who is wearing it is happy with the final product.

 

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

Review: “Deadpool 2”

Stephanie Blair | Copy Editor

Let me start by saying that I liked the last Deadpool film — I really did — but I felt immediately upon seeing it that it didn’t have the potential to be a good series. I also knew that Marvel would make it one anyway and so, over two years later, here we are. I went into this film with low expectations and they were met exactly.

I could spend a lot of time complaining about how mediocre this film is, even though I can already feel my friends’s angry tweets being typed out as I write this. So, instead of going on at length, I’m going to quickly run through my biggest problems with the film and then we can move on to the enjoyable bits. Here we go.

The first 20 minutes or so of setup were insufferable. The title sequence was funny as I realized what they were referencing, but quickly became overdone. The plot, overall, was simple, dumb and was almost asking for a cop out ending — which it then gave. Any instance of visual humor, rather than a funny line, was ruined by characters in the scene heckling the moment. The biggest laughs in the showing I attended went to gags that were simply call backs to the biggest laughs of the first movie.

To be honest though, it’s still fun. It’s the same brand of humor, with slightly different twists. The new characters aren’t very fleshed out, but I want them to be. The soundtrack is excellent, making it a tradition of the Deadpool films, now. Simply put, it’s not as good as the first film — but if you liked the first one, you’ll like the second.

There’s nothing groundbreaking here, like there — arguably — was in the last film. There just isn’t. But if you like light body horror, penis jokes and ‘80s tunes, you’re in for a good time.

 

Contact the author at journalcopy@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of: www.foxmovies.com

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