Mount Hood

How to protect yourself from measles

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

In the first month of 2019, 79 cases of measles have been confirmed across 10 states in the U.S., according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Amongst these states, both Oregon and Washington have had confirmed cases.

Before attending school at Western, students are required to have two documented doses of the measles vaccine, which must be reported in the health history form that is submitted to the Student Health and Counseling Center. This requirement can be waived if a student has a medical reason, such as pregnancy or breastfeeding, or a religious or personal conviction.

However, Beth Scroggin, the director of the SHCC, sent out an all-student email on Feb. 1 explaining that this waiving of the requirement could impact students if there were to be a local outbreak.

“Please be aware that waived students may be removed from classes if an outbreak of the disease occurs,” stated the email.

If students are unsure of their vaccination status, they can go to the SHCC and check their immunization records. There are also vaccinations there for students who would like to get one.

“(We) encourage you to be vaccinated not only protect yourself but to protect others that are unable to receive the vaccine as well,” said Scroggin.

For any who are unaware, measles generally starts out with a high fever, cough, runny nose and irritated eyes, according to the CDC. Furthermore, within a few days, tiny white spots may appear inside the mouth, and later on a rash develops and spreads throughout the body.

“Measles is a serious respiratory disease (in the lungs and breathing tubes) that causes a rash and fever. It is very contagious. In rare cases, it can be deadly,” said Scroggin.

Although measles is most dangerous for younger children, the CDC reports that one in every four people who get measles will be hospitalized, so it is something that ought not to be taken lightly.

If anyone has questions about measles and how it could affect them, visit www.cdc.gov/measles or call the SHCC at (503) 838-8313.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Opinion: Only YOU can avoid highly-preventable disease

Caity Healy | Editor-in-Chief

As of Tuesday, Feb. 5, the list of confirmed cases of the measles in Washington since the first day of 2019 reached 50, according to doh.wa.gov. Of those 50, 34 were between the ages 1 to 10. And, of those 50, 42 were unvaccinated. On Jan. 25, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency. If only there were some way this could have been widely prevented.

The Measles Mumps Rubella (MMR) vaccine is about 97 percent effective after receiving both doses, per cdc.gov. Despite this statistic, people are still choosing not to receive the vaccine. And, in some cases, these people are also choosing not to vaccinate their children.

The measles are highly contagious; it can be contracted by entering a room that someone with measles left up to two hours prior, according to cdc.gov. As the list of exposure locations continues to grow and grow, I can’t help but worry. I worry for the child who had no choice. I worry for the infant who is not old enough to get their vaccine yet. I worry for those who are already ill who, if infected, could face serious complications. I worry for those who are pregnant, who, if infected, could also face serious complications. I worry for those who simply cannot afford the vaccine for themselves or their child.

I might sound like I’m being dramatic, but let’s be honest. This is ridiculous. It’s 2019, the MMR vaccine has been around since 1967. How this is still a problem, especially to this extent, blows my mind. While it’s uncommon to die from the measles, it can lead to other serious illnesses, such as pneumonia, which could be deadly for children or those with compromised immune systems.

When I heard of the outbreak, my first thought went to my sister Meagan Hess, who has an 11-month old baby — too young for the MMR vaccine.

“I have to constantly check the exposure sites to make sure it wasn’t somewhere I’ve been with my daughter,” Hess said. “Anytime we go anywhere, out to dinner for example, it’s in the back of my mind — what if someone with the measles is here and we just exposed our daughter because we wanted to go on a family date?” Among the list of exposure sites: Hess’s workplace. She couldn’t even go to work without worrying that she or someone else had been exposed.

Hess explained what she wished she could tell someone who chooses not to vaccinate: “Everything has risks … but think about the greater risks of not getting the vaccine … think about how this will impact your child.”

Hess’s final thought on the situation was, “Yes, it’s your choice. But when your choice is impacting all those babies whose parents don’t yet have the option to give their child the vaccine, it becomes a greater responsibility than your own choice for your child.”

Personally, I can’t understand why someone would choose to not vaccinate their children. I have yet to hear a single reason why this would be okay.

Another mother I know explained that she didn’t want to “infect” her child through the vaccine. And, instead, said she would rather risk them getting the disease and dealing with that afterwards. I was in awe. She added that she didn’t trust the hospital. If you don’t trust them to give your child the vaccine, are you going to trust them to save your child’s life when they contract a highly-preventable disease?  

Other people choose not to vaccinate because of a fraudulent study that linked vaccinations to autism. This study has been disproven. No links have been found between the ingredients in vaccines and autism. Yet, people still make this connection. Based on their own experiences or by coincidental occurrences? Maybe. But still not worth risking a life over. And, even if this were true, using this as your reasoning would mean that you would rather your child contract deadly diseases that could literally kill them than have them get a life-saving vaccine that you believe could lead to autism.

For those who are considering the vaccine but haven’t received it yet, don’t just take my word for it. Do your own research. What you’ll find is that it is incredibly rare for a vaccine to cause any complication.

As of Feb. 5, the number of confirmed cases in Oregon still sits at one. But even that is one too many. On Feb. 1, an email was sent out to all Western students from Beth Scroggins, the Director of the Student Health and Counseling Center, stating that waived students could be removed from classes if an outbreak occurs. Let’s hope it doesn’t actually reach this point.

Please vaccinate. I know I sound like a Bob Barker “spay and neuter” PSA, but it’s true. Vaccinations can and do save lives.

For the most current list of exposure sites, visit clark.wa.gov, which is updated frequently.

 

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Western hosts annual Chinese New Year celebration

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

The final year in a 12-part cycle, 2019 marks the Year of the Pig in Chinese culture. In order to commemorate this occasion, the WOU Chinese Students and Scholars Association and the Office of International Education and Development hosted Western’s annual Chinese New Year Celebration on Jan. 31 in the Pacific Room of the Werner University Center.

Having thoroughly packed the room and fed their guests an authentic Chinese dinner, the organizers of the event started off the night’s performances with a lion dance by visiting performers from White Lotus Crew in Portland. Emerging from the back of the room, the two lions made their way into the room while dancing and interacting with the crowd. They launched oranges and lettuce out at the audience, and their performance concluded with confetti and banners saying, “Happy New Year” and “Best Wishes To All.”

With the audience engaged, the emcees then took the stage and introduced themselves as Jenny Yang, Ankit Shrestha, Jingxiong Soh and Qiong Luo.

While sharing the traditions she remembers of celebrating the new year in China, Luo said that her experience involves eating, spending time with family and one other notable thing.

“The fun part is the younger kids can get a red envelope which is always filled with money from their parents or relatives,” said Luo.

Before the other performances would begin, the emcees introduced President Rex Fuller, who made a few remarks about the significance of this particular year.

“This year, 2019, is especially important that we take a moment and really thank and welcome our visiting students and scholars from China and Nepal and other parts of the world,” said Fuller. “You make our lives brighter, you make our campus better and you portray a global atmosphere for all our students, faculty and staff.”

Dr. Fuller also went on to talk about the personalities of people who were born in pig years: 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007 and 2019.

“What are some of the characteristics of those born in the years of the pig? They may not stand out in the crowd, but they are very realistic,” said Fuller. “Others may be all talk and no action — pigs are the opposite. Though not wasteful spenders, they will enjoy life. They love entertainment and will occasionally treat themselves. They are a bit materialistic, but this motivation for them is to work harder.”

Fuller then concluded his description of those born in pig years by highlighting the harmony that pigs strive for, which is also something he also emphasized that our world needs.

“Pigs are gentle and rarely lose their temper, and when they do, it’s never dramatic. They’ll always try to compromise and settle things quickly because their goal in life is for everyone to live in harmony,” said Fuller. “What a nice thought, everyone living in harmony.”

After this speech, the main entertainment of the night began. Moving through the program, there were fourteen different songs and dances that were performed, ranging from Beijing Opera to a modern hip-hop routine. And, while many of the performers were traditional college-aged students, there were also a couple of routines that featured Chinese women of a variety of ages dancing together.

Another highlight of the performances was a dance called “The Journey of Chasing Dreams,” which was accompanied by an artist creating Chinese calligraphy onstage. As the dancers moved around her, the artist wrote out four Chinese words which she said could be translated to say “better wishes for all in the pig year” in English.

“As you know, the calligraphy is a very big part of Chinese culture,” said the artist. “The words I write today is called official script. This is a very well-known and classic style of words, but in China most people now write with regular script — from left to right — but in ancient times people would write their names in right to left.”

One dance which had a familiar story for many was titled “Butterfly Lovers,” a dance with a story that was similar to one very well-known in America.

“I heard it was like the Chinese version of Shakespeare’s tragic classic Romeo and Juliet,” said Soh.

As a finale to the night, a number of Western’s current Chinese students and scholars came together to sing “Love My China,” donning matching Western t-shirts.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

From the archives: Classic knee-slappers

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

After pouring through some old copies of “The Norm”, Western’s old yearbook, I came across a section filled with jokes from 1927 and 1928. Most of these jokes made our staff go, “wait — what was the punchline?” So, naturally, we had to share them with our readers.

Here is a taste of comedy from the 1920’s… I’m sorry.

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Opinion: Should everyone be involved in team sports?

Recently, a staff member mentioned that they believe every student should be involved in a team sport. Some staff members decided to follow up by adding their arguments for or against this opinion.

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

Before speaking about the benefits of sports, it’s important to keep in mind that athletic side of intramurals or club sports might not be an option for everyone. Whether it be a disability, injury or something else that impedes a students ability to perform on a team athletically, this does not exclude them from participating. Coaching or managing are both options that most can take advantage of.

There are many major lessons that sports teaches that a student cannot learn in a classroom. The most valuable of these lessons — how to effectively work with a team. Obviously you can learn this outside of sports, but the teamwork within a sport is a very unique trait that every student needs to learn.

Competitive intramurals and club sports can bring people to their mental and physical breaking point. Hard fought games against more talented opponents can bring a team closer than any school assignment could. From the star player to the team manager, every person on the team is given a lesson on how to keep fighting no matter what the odds.

The competitive nature of sports puts the team into an environment where the only way to be successful is to trust each other. Due to unpredictability of every game, the team has to learn to adapt both mentally and physically to their environment. By joining sports in school, no matter what level, students can learn how to adapt and overcome.

 

Contact the author at llarsen13@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

I would not disagree that participating in a team sport can be a positive experience for some. But I would argue that declaring that everyone should participate in an intramural or club sport in some way or to insulate that a person’s experience is somehow lacking if they do not play a sport in college is painting with too broad of a brush.

As a person who lives with a disability, I do not feel that my interpersonal skills or social fulfillment are in any way impeded by the fact I do not play/manage/coach a club sport. I do not mean to state that sports teams do not have their own specific dynamics, but to say that everyone “must” play a team sport in order to truly understand how to work and play well with others is an oversimplified and narrow way of thinking, in my opinion. I would dare to say that anyone with a disability who isn’t involved in sports either because of their disability or because their interests lie elsewhere is not, in any way, “missing out.”

Looking back on the period of my life that I played sports, I do not feel as though I learned something so profound about teamwork or group dynamics that I haven’t also learned by being involved with other, non-sports-related groups. To say that the only environment that demands a physical and mental adaptation is one that is explicitly linked to sports, is simply untrue.

 

Contact the author at cweedon16@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

My perspective on this issue comes from a place of someone who likes to be active, but who has never really considered herself an “athlete” — at least in the regard that I didn’t grow up playing on sports teams. With that said, I do see tremendous value in trying something like intramural sports here at Western.

Although I acknowledge that it isn’t for everyone, I believe intramurals can be a great way for students to engage in a low-pressure activity and bond with a group of people that they may or may not already know. As a senior, I have been on three different intramural sports teams during my time here, and I can attest to the fact that it is a supportive, low-risk environment. Both as a first-year student and as a Resident Assistant, being a part of intramural teams with my residence hall communities was a great way for our whole hall to bond and get involved. So, even though some groups choose to be more competitive than others, people who consider themselves “beginners” can still feel comfortable and have fun.

My advice to anyone who is contemplating joining an intramural team: try it. While it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, it can be a fun and easy way for a wide variety of people to come together, laugh, be active and enjoy some friendly competition.

 

Contact the author at bthompson15@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis

Cora McClain | Copy Editor

As a person whose teenage years were defined by the year-round sport I played, I can attest to the fact that sports can help develop important leaderships skills and encourage camaraderie between players. However, high pressure situations and the need to win can also do a number on a person’s mental health. All too often athletes struggle under the detrimental effects of continually being told that they’re not good enough across the spectrum of sports.

For those athletes, intramurals can be a good outlet to get out on the court or field again, without having the looming pressure. On the other hand, intramurals can also fall a bit short for an athlete who played so competitively for so long. For instance, most intramural teams don’t want any freelance players; so, if you don’t personally know any experienced players, you can end up playing games that don’t let you properly demonstrate your skill. Without proper practices and a coach’s guidance, the league to feel a bit slow and unstructured compared to the fast paced lifestyle surrounding high school and year round sports.

If you still want to play, but feel the intramural league lacking, then I would highly suggest looking into joining a club sport. Most of them meet on a regular basis for practices and have a coaching staff to help you continue to grow as a player and even have a league that they compete in without the looming obligation to play. They simply offer a more competitive and structured way to itch the metaphorical sports scratch.

 

Contact the author at cmcclain17@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Paul F. Davis | Managing editor

Although I agree with what is being said, I think all able-bodied people can benefit from sport. But the previous responses are missing the real point of why a person should get involved in sport — the actual exercise that is involved. If a person who doesn’t currently exercise but enjoys playing sports starts to move because of sports, it will help them in so many facets of life. According to American College of Sports Medicine, they will not only see an increase in mood but they will also experience intangible benefits such as reduced stress and reduced chance of heart disease, as well as increased self confidence and quality of sleep.

Once the person gets over the initial struggle that is becoming physically fit they will see how wonderful it feels to be able to compete at your highest level for a prolonged period of time and how wonderful it feels to be free to do whatever you desire to do in your body. When you experience such a freedom it can have such a positive domino effect. But that domino effect isn’t just reserved for a person participating in sports. Rather, it’s reserved for anyone who routinely moves. So if you take anything from all of this writing, find what you enjoy to do that makes you move so you too can be free in your own body.  

 

Contact the author at pfdavis14@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

An interview with one of Western’s YouTubers

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle editor

Western on Instagram is full of posts of school spirit, friendships and everyday life in Monmouth. It’s also where to find first-year Melinda Ortega, who goes by Mel on social media.

On @makeupbyymel_ and @hennasbymel, Ortega showcases her makeup and henna skills in short tutorial clips and photos. Ortega also has a YouTube channel where she vlogs. In a time where social media is so saturated with people making content, I was curious to hear about the process from a Western student.

Talking with Ortega, I learned that she is from a small town in California.

“Most people don’t know where it is,” she explained with a laugh, saying she usually had to explain its relativity to Los Angeles. She got to Western through her sport, soccer, and is deciding between being an education or a communications major.

Her content, however, is something she’s more sure about.

“I’m less comfortable talking at a camera,” she explained in relation to the style and presentation of her content. This is largely why her makeup tutorials are shorter and posted on Instagram rather than YouTube.

For Ortega, her activity on social media began just for fun during her senior year of high school. She drew inspiration from famous YouTubers like James Charles and PatrickStarr. However, as she developed her filming and editing skills, she said she began to think, “maybe this can go somewhere.”

For now, her following is small.

“(The comments) are mostly my friends and family encouraging me right now,” she told me. However, she’s preparing for the opportunity to grow her brand and her presence on social media. So far, one success she’s had is that some lash brands have asked her to promote them. She’s also slowly developing her filming and editing skills.

“At first it took me three hours to edit a one minute video,” she revealed.

However, if she does gain more of a following, she knows the internet trolls will inevitably come as well. That doesn’t mean she intends to slow down, though: “I’m curious and nervous to see what the mean comments say.”

To any others who are considering starting their own channel, Ortega advised, “Just do it! They always say to just do you, so that’s what I try to do and what my advice is.”

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Melinda Ortega

Students give advice on preparing for midterms

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle editor

Armed with caffeine and study guides, students of Western are starting to take on their first midterms of 2019. If anyone made new year’s resolutions to study more, they will be tested starting this week.

In order to help everyone breeze through their midterms, or maybe just survive them with minimal panic involved, some of Western’s students offered their advice.

Grad student group Tanya Stanley, Mackenzie Gallo, Sara Chavez and Jonathan West-Gray had an abundance of tips from years of experience.

Chavez: “Don’t panic. Get organized, set up a schedule.”

Stanley: “It may seem obvious, but sleep. And eat. It’s important.”

Gallo: “Use the rentable study rooms in the library.”

West-Gray: “Use a planner; space out your studying.”

Keith Macadangdang, a business major: “Persevere! Power through, even when all you want to do is watch Netflix.” Macadangdang, who is minoring in dance, has five finals this term.

Rebecca Chadd, a Western alumna: “Actually write out the practice essay questions on the study guide. Don’t just read over the questions and assume you know it all. Writing it out will help you find gaps in what you know and make you more confident.” Chadd graduated with a double major in dance and Spanish, and is still active in Western’s community.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Rebecca Meyers

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