Mount Hood

BonnaWOU brings the beat back to Western

Caity Healy | Editor-in-Chief

The year was 1969. While everyone else was cooling off from the summer that would act as a pivotal moment for music and the core of the counterculture generation, Western, which was then known as the Oregon College of Education, was still heating up. Likely inspired by Woodstock’s three days of peace and music that took place just a month before, from the start of Fall Term, the Wolves were ready to keep the beat going.

A number of concerts took place within that academic year. Headlining at Homecoming was the Grass Roots. Between the years 1967 to 1972, the Grass Roots set a record by being on the Billboard charts for 307 straight weeks, according to their website, the-grassroots.com. At the time, the band was comprised of Creed Bratton — who is now known for his work as a character by the same name on “The Office,” Rick Coonce, Warren Entner and Rob Grill. In the late ‘60s and into the ‘70s, they released many hit singles, including “Midnight Confessions” and “Wait a Million Years.” This was the band that would kick off a series of concerts that would only be remembered by the yearbooks.

Also appearing in 1969 and the year following were bands such as “The Happenings,” which is known for their hit “See You in September,” and is also known for their member David Libert, who went on to manage artists such as The Runaways and Alice Cooper; Gary Lewis & the Playboys, which is known for their hit “The Diamond Ring,” and is also known due to their frontman, Gary Lewis, being the son of comedian Jerry Lewis; and, to top it off, was the Cowsills — a band comprised of all family members, who, according to their website, cowsill.com, were the inspiration behind “The Partridge Family.”

Exactly 50 years later, the year is 2019 — and Western is ready to bring the music back to campus. On May 23, Student Activities Board will be hosting “BonnaWOU,” a play on the annual Bonnaroo festival. Spearheaded by SAB member Helen Goodyear, the event was brought about for a specific reason.

“As far as anybody that I have talked to can remember, they don’t remember seeing a concert on campus. And I would love to bring that back,” Goodyear said. “I want to hit it with a bang … I want people to remember that this is a Western thing.”

To do this, Goodyear decided to look locally for some bands who might be interested. And in asking, what she found was that not only were these bands interested, they’ve been waiting.

“Every single one of them was like, ‘this is something that should’ve happened a long time ago,’” Goodyear added.

Although she had several options, Goodyear rounded her choices down to just three bands that she felt would best relate with the styles Western would enjoy: Jimmy Wolfson, The Ferenjis and Chromatic Colors. All of these are local bands, all have ties to Western and all were more than willing to help out. But aside from the fact that Goodyear knew students would enjoy these bands, she chose them for a few other reasons.

“I want to show (Western) that this is part of our identity as students. This is part of our identity as Oregonians. This is a part of us, and it’s a community that doesn’t get showcased that often. And I want to expose people to that and I want people to try something a little bit new,” Goodyear explained.

To make an event like this happen, there are a number of obstacles that Goodyear has had to cross — the largest being budget.

“When the budget was allocated at the beginning of the year, nobody was thinking that this was going to happen. And then I came in half way through year, and I was like, ‘Okay. We’re doing this,’” said Goodyear. Using only the small amount she was given, she was able to find “the cheapest options and the best quality options,” they could possibly get, as she explained. But due to her connections with the music department and those she knows, as well as her support from the rest of SAB, she was able to pull it off.

As for what students can expect, Goodyear was very transparent on her goals.

“I want people to be able to lay out on the grass, and bring hammocks,” Goodyear said, “If they feel they want to, I want them to be able to get up and dance. I want them to be able to enjoy the music however they want.”

The event is free to anyone interested in a night of music and relaxation. Running from 5-9 p.m., it will be located in the Grove. For any questions, contact Helen Goodyear at hgoodyear16@wou.edu.

 

Contact the author at howleditor@wou.edu

Photos courtesy of  WOU Archives

Guest Opinion: Save the birds, act now

[fruitful_alert type=”alert-info”]Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in guest opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Western Howl.[/fruitful_alert]

Kaylin LaClair | Guest Contributor

Let’s take a moment and put the politics aside. The fact is, we currently have a leader who is not prioritizing the environment and that is drastically having an impact on our world. When we know that we are negatively impacting the environment around us we must take that responsibility and hold ourselves accountable.

I regularly go to the gym every day and on this particular day, I walked upon a little olive green bird. I almost stepped on the little guy, but then it managed to skitter off and I paid no more attention to it. After about an hour at the gym, I left and walked outside to find this same bird on the ground dead. It had hit the window twice in such a short span of time. A young woman walked out, saw the bird and commented that there were two more on the ground just the day prior. Unfortunately, two men were walking by and threw the bird in the trash with no regard. When looking at the windows I saw a clear reflection of the sky, clouds, and trees in front of the parking meters. I can distinguish the reflection, however, the birds cannot and in the United States alone close to one billion birds die each year due to window collisions, according to abcbirds.org.

I contacted the gym personnel and informed them of what had happened and they agreed that action needed to be taken. One of the employees even followed up with me about a week later and said that there were two more casualties. It is heartbreaking to know that we are directly impacting our environment around us with such little regard and with this kind of issue, there is an easy and fast solution. I emailed the director and the response I received was on April 23 and was assured something would be done in the coming couple weeks.

For birds, they are unable to distinguish the reflections on the glass from reality. In order to remedy this, the reflections need to be broken up and this can be done a number of inexpensive and effective ways. Two methods that Western should be able to accomplish with ease is utilizing tape on the outside of the windows meant for birds, or use decals. Utilizing decals would be a great way for Western to advertise its clubs, its fitness center and community amenities. Western could use this as another selling point for prospective students by demonstrating that we care about our environment and our impact.

Every life in this world matters; it is important that we do the best we can to live in harmony with the other animals and species around us. Without them, the world we know would not be possible. It is incredibly important that we as humans take responsibility for the impacts that we have with our surrounding environment. If we know that we are directly having a negative  impact we need to act on that accordingly and swiftly.

 

To publish a response, contact the editor of The Western Howl at howleditor@wou.edu

Photo by Ashlynn Norton

Recognizing and dealing with burnout

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

College students are constantly working towards both new and old goals, some of which are personal and some of which are external pressures to be successful. It seems like there’s always post after post on social media about how constant hustle is the most important thing. Just the other day, I saw a tweet about how “rich people don’t sleep eight hours a day.” I also recently happened to come across a BuzzFeed article called “How millennials became the burnout generation.”

While a good chunk of the students at Western, particularly underclassmen, are Gen Z rather than millennials, the problems both generations face stem from similar sources and have been known to cause burnout.

According to psychologytoday.com, burnout is generally a combination of long hours, lack of control over the amount work one needs to get done and lack of work that a person finds meaningful. These are all common things that an average student faces on a regular basis. We often work long hours to pay for rent and tuition, we are assigned hours of work outside of class, we have other time commitments and we are usually required to take at least one class we have little to no interest in. Additionally, technology makes it so that work and school are able to contact us at any time, often putting us on edge even in our leisure time.

With these factors considered, I asked Craig Wimmer of the Student Health and Counseling Center how they are affecting Western students.

“I don’t think I would say burnout is common, but feeling overwhelmed and stressed is definitely a common experience, especially at the end of a term or the academic year,” Wimmer explained. “In a survey we did last spring of 2018, the National College Health Assessment, 93 percent of our students indicated that in the last 12 months they had ‘felt overwhelmed by all they had to do’. 89 percent indicated they ‘felt exhausted’ (not from physical activity).”

Unfortunately, burnout can result in “cynicism, depression and lethargy,” according to psychologytoday.com, which are the last things a college student needs to be able to focus on their goals. To counter burnout, it’s important to recognize when these symptoms start appearing. If they do appear, there’s a few ways of dealing with them. Wimmer noted some things to look out for are “Disengagement, lack of motivation, and isolation.”

If you feel these are problems you’re experiencing, Wimmer made something clear: “It’s not too late. Talk with professors, reach out to support services for academics and personal care,” he said.

Wimmer also had some advice for how to avoid burning out.

“Plan ahead. Look through your syllabi and map out when projects and tests occur and how you can spread out the workload … Find a strategy that works for you, whether that is a calendar, list, phone reminders.” Wimmer added, “Make sure that you are taking breaks, and dedicating some time for you to do things that you enjoy and are social.”

For mental health information and counseling services at Western, visit the Health and Counseling Center on campus or online at wou.edu/health.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo by Ashlynn Norton

Tips for long distance relationships

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

As it turns out, some of that technology that our parents kept complaining made us antisocial can actually be used to be keep in contact with people in many new ways. One big example is long distance relationships, which tend to rely on methods of communication like texting and video chat. These still can’t quite make up for missing the real thing, however, and because of this many are skeptical when it comes to making long-distance work. The good news is that these relationships can work just fine as long as both people are committed to making it work. Stephanie Franco, a senior business major, is just one example of why this is true — she’s been in a long distance relationship for about five years. Her reason why come down to a few simple tips.

“You gotta put in the work, and you gotta communicate,” Franco said. Any relationship requires some work put in, but the distance adds a little extra. Even if you’re in the same time zone, coordinating the best time for face to face communication takes a bit more effort. Also, though it is constantly repeated in relationship advice, it’s still worth remembering that communication is important, even more so when it’s restricted.

“You have to be confident and trusting,” Franco added. One side effect of the skepticism surrounding long-term relationships is that people often feel like there’s pressure to make every communication or interaction count. The reality is that this is not necessarily the case for any other couple, so dropping these high expectations can have a relieving effect on partners who might feel they need to spend their limited time together a certain way. Embracing any quality time will ultimately strengthen the relationship.

Another main thing to keep in mind is to make sure you’re both on the same page about when, how and if you’re going to continue their lives together. Otherwise, someone might end up putting some of their life on hold in order to make things work out, only to find out they want different things. It’s important to still feel like your life is still progressing, or at least that there’s a plan you can depend on to make things work out in the end.

In the end, it’s up to each person to decide whether long-distance relationships are for them. Like any relationship, there’s a potential for it to end poorly, but there’s also great potential to be closer than ever thanks to having stuck it out together. As Franco pointed out, “If you’re both committed to making it happen, it will work out.”

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photos by Ashlynn Norton

On campus to off campus

Karlene Curtin | Staff Writer

Finally — it’s time to have your own personal space that is finally not a dorm in the residence hall. That means lighting candles, a full kitchen, no strictly enforced quiet hours nor resident assistants. As exciting as it was to move into my first apartment, there were a couple things I wish I was more prepared for. Here are a few things I wish I had known when I moved into to my first apartment.

 

I missed campus dining

Trust me, this surprised me more than I expected. But with budgeting and going out adds up. Cooking becomes the alternative to save money. It is fun for a little bit, but on those days when the motivation to cook is just not there, taking a small trip to Valsetz Dining Hall seems to be the better alternative.

 

I didn’t realize how much furniture and kitchenware cost

Sometimes there are other alternatives to finding furniture, like posting an “SOS” to Facebook in hopes to score some free couches or even pots and pans. I suggest saving some money after every paycheck to put towards necessities.  

 

Budgeting is key

Food, gas, water, garbage, rent and school expenses add up and sometimes can feel impossible to budget out. I saved money by working extra hours and putting a portion of my paycheck into savings. Also by making smart purchases at the store instead of impulse buying can help save.

 

I have to deal with real adult problems with no third party

Turns out when the neighbors begin to get rowdy at 2 a.m., there’s no R.A. to tell the neighbors to cork it. And let’s be real — confrontation can be awkward. Maybe ask if they can give a heads up before they have another party.

 

Contact author at kcurtin14@mail.wou.edu

Photo by Ashlynn Norton

Daniel Sampson’s capstone presentation on “Kaleidoscope ‘85”

Cora McClain | Copy Editor

May 10, in Smith Music Hall, senior music major Daniel Sampson gave a presentation on the journey of his album “Kaleidoscope ‘85.” He began work on the album in the summer of  2018, after being thoroughly inspired by the music of the 1980s, specifically that of George Benson’s “20/20” album that he heard growing up. After explaining why he decided on an ‘80s inspired album with a focus on his major instrument, the clarinet, Sampson dove into how he created it.

Taking the audience right into his production software, FL Studio, Sampson played a track that did not end up on his album. “Timeless Lover” played out over the theater, but had a few crackling issues. Sampson kept in good spirits despite these hiccups and broke down the track by each of the samples he took.

Sampson even explained how he chose specific samples to use.

“When I heard the track, I was like, ‘I’ve got to use that,’” he said in reference to the sample DX7 Electric piano. He concluded stating that it can be found somewhere in every track on the album. He also highlighted using electric guitar samples, stating “it is the poor man’s way of not hiring a guitarist.” He highlighted another two tracks, “Warrior” and “Remember When,” to illustrate how he stacked these sounds.

Explaining the recording of his clarinet tracks, Sampson said that he did so in “WOU’s very own recording studio.” Sampson continued by stating the gear that he used to do such recording. Later he explained how he used different preamps to change the sound of the clarinet, often using vocal synth to add depth and sparkle to the sounds. He even explains using a guitar preamp to create the sound of an electric guitar.

Then Sampson transitioned into the production side of the album, covering copyright and his difficulties with that, as well as having to change his mastering engineer, who finishes out the sound of the album. “It didn’t sound like an album” he said. But he soon found another mastering engineer who fulfilled on his vision.

He finished off the presentation with a little Q&A, answering more technical questions such as one on where he wants to see his music go.

“Out into the world? … Move down to LA?” he joked.

When asked about what advice he would give to others putting together a capstone presentation, Sampson answered, “You should get started on it as early as possible. Also, make use of your strengths when preparing the presentation.”

“Kaleidoscope ‘85” will be released on iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, and Amazon on July 2, which is Sampson’s birthday. He will also be releasing physical copies, but still has to work out the kinks with things such as shipping.

 

Contact the author at howlcopyeditor@wou.edu

Photo by Cora McClain

Review: “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile”

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

Ted Bundy is one of the most notorious serial killers in the United States according to history.com. Aside from his trial being the first televised in history, Bundy’s trial was unique in many ways. Bundy acted as one of his own defense attorneys, escaped twice and even gained an immense fan-base.

Released on Netflix on May 3, “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile” was released not long after the docu-series “Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes” was strategically made public by the same streaming site on January 24.

While “Extremely Wicked,” whose title is too long to say naturally in conversation and is therefore always referred to as “that new Zac Efron movie,” could be seen as a complementary fictionalization of “The Ted Bundy Tapes,” it watches as a slightly fuzzier iteration of the same show. It seems as though nothing much happens that watchers familiar with the case wouldn’t have already known about the Bundy case.

Every event was predictable, and the liberties that were included weren’t shocking — to me, this film really didn’t shine a new light on the case or the characters involved. The film often flip-flops between painting Bundy in a sympathetic light and trying to make him out to be the manic killer that he was. In my opinion, we really didn’t need another “slightly-sympathetic serial killer” story in the world.

I did appreciate a look at the ways in which Liz Kendall, played by Lily Collins, was affected by her long-term relationship with Bundy, but it all felt like a glorification of Bundy thinly veiled through a “different” perspective. I would’ve been more intrigued with a story from the point of view of Carol Daronch, the woman who successfully escaped Bundy’s attempted kidnapping.

Arguably the most disappointing aspect of the movie was Zac Efron’s performance. Efron, I believe, embodied Bundy in an extremely believable way, but “Extremely Wicked” overall was an underwhelming film and I feel like Efron’s performance was wasted. I was honestly surprised at how effectively creeped out I was at the actor whose breakout role was Troy from the “High School Musical” franchise. I believe this could’ve been a breakout role for Efron, if only it wasn’t an overrated, over-told story.

 

Overall Rating: I would not recommend this film.

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of voltagepictures.com

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