The Western Howl, Author at The Western Howl

Written by: Nicholas Sarysz

Be it at a dining hall, or one’s own dining room, dinnertime routines vary drastically for everyone. While eating at a dining hall every evening is a unique situation, those that live with friends or family off campus are more likely to have a set routine, though that is not always the case. Those that do have family or friends that they live with should consider carving out time to eat with one another.

The ritual of having dinner together with family and friends has persisted for many years. With our hectic modern lifestyles, it can be easy to neglect this significant ritual, but there are a number of advantages to sharing a meal with friends or family for our mental, emotional and physical health.

A meal together with loved ones might be a chance for deep dialogue and greater communication. It provides a space for everyone to express their opinions and experiences, listen to one another and learn from one another while eating together. Over a meal, individuals can increase their understanding of one another and develop our bonds with each other, fostering a sense of connection and community that can have a positive impact long after the meal is finished.

Togetherness over dinner can also promote healthy eating practices. When we eat by ourselves, we could be more likely to select convenient food or eat without paying attention to the foods or portions we consume. In contrast, Yet, eating with others can inspire and hold people accountable for their food choices. Sharing a meal with others can also motivate us to adopt mindful eating practices, such as slowing down and savoring each bite.

After a stressful day, sharing a meal with people can also help us relax and reduce stress. We can be more in the present and concentrate on appreciating the company of those around us when we take a break from devices and other distractions.

Contact the author at howlstaffwriter@wou.edu

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Western now has its own student-run Filipino American Club

Written by: Mirella Barrera-Betancourt

Western is home to over 70 clubs and organizations. One of the newest clubs on campus is the Filipino American Association at Western Oregon University. Established in Nov. 2022, FAAWOU is Western’s first and only student-run Filipino American organization.

The first meeting of the club was originally scheduled for Feb. 23. However, due to adverse weather conditions, the meeting was postponed to Feb. 28.

The agenda of the first meeting was to provide students the opportunity to meet the executive committee and learn more about the future and aspirations of the association.

According to Presence, FAAWOU’s purpose is to encourage the learning of the customs and culture of the Philippines among Filipinos and advocates, as well as promote friendship and coalition amongst Filipinos and Filipino Americans.

Carl Joseph Garon, senior interdisciplinary studies major, is president of FAAWOU. When asked why the establishment of the club was important, Garon said, “I think we, Western, have a diverse community and we often don’t see that enough … Oregon (specifically), is not known to have a lot of Filipino Americans, and not a lot of the Filipino Americans get to see themselves out there, so having this association makes them feel like they’re welcome.”

FAAWOU provides Filipinos and Filipino Americans with a “shoulder to lean on.” The club’s contact information can be readily accessed via Presence or Instagram, which is a great service for students to utilize in the situation where they could use support.

According to Garon, FAAWOU’s “Konseho” — executive committee — largely consists of upperclassmen. The executive members are willing to help fellow Filipino Americans — who may not have the support to find nor access certain services at Western — by pointing them in the right direction.

The biggest month for FAAWOU is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, to which they are currently in discussion with the Residential Housing Association regarding future events.

FAAWOU has made it clear that everyone is welcome to join their meetings, regardless of race or ethnicity.

Junior criminal justice major and Vice President of FAAWOU, Marione Corpus said,

“It’s not limited to Filipino Americans, not limited to minority groups, not limited to anyone at all. I really want anyone who is interested in learning about our culture or heritage to join us.”

Garon added, “Filipinos are welcoming people. We’re known to welcome everyone. We’re known to, like, be able to make friendships with everyone. So anyone who’s wanting to join … they’re welcome to join our small little family here (at) Western.”

Because the association is still in its development stage, the organization’s recurring meeting dates and location are yet to be announced. However, according to Garon, Tuesdays operate as the agreed and available arrangement for committee members involved.

For more information, and to stay updated on future developments regarding FAAWOU, follow their Instagram at @faa.wou or check out their organization on Presence.

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

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Interamural Tournaments

Written by: Gretchen Sims

Interested in participating in competitive sports, but don’t want the commitment or stress of a school or club team? Campus Recreation is hosting several intramural tournaments for students

and is hoping to drum up participation for their events in the spring. Associate Director of Campus Recreation, Andy Main, noted that they currently have had quite the turnout for winter term and hope to cater to just as many or even more students in the spring — as many as 40 students attend the nights for basketball, futsal, volleyball and table tennis, and the typical turnout for the pickleball and badminton night can be upwards of 20 students.

Although most intramural sports for winter term have already come to a close, here are a few that are still open and some different options to consider for the spring.

Winter Term 2023

Drop-In IMs — Drop-in leagues are a good way to participate in sports commitment free. Sign up at imleagues.com

Basketball and Futsal — Wednesday from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m., Basketball in the Peter Courtney Health and Wellness Center, Futsal in the Old PE Gym

Pickleball and Badminton — Tuesdays from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. in the Peter Courtney Health and Wellness Center

Volleyball and Table Tennis — Thursdays from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Peter Courtney Health and Wellness Center

Spring Term 2023

Drop-In Volleyball, Futsal, Pickleball, Badminton, Table Tennis and Basketball — same times as winter term

Rec in the Grove — lawn games will be held in the grove, time and date TBD

Futsal League — Old PE Gym, time and date TBD, keep updated by checking out the listing on imleague.com

Bowling Tournament — Starlite Lanes in Dallas, OR, time and date TBD, keep updated by checking out the listing on imleague.com

Volleyball League — Peter Courtney Health & Wellness Center, time and date TBD, keep updated by checking out the listing on imleague.com

Golf Tournament — Cross Creek Golf Course in Dallas, OR, time and date TBD, keep updated by checking out the listing on imleague.com

These activities are subject to change. Stay up to date by signing up for imleagues.com

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

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Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Written by: Gretchen Sims

Content warning: contains spoilers and may offend Marvel fans

Morale was low for Marvel fans when “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” the third installment of the Ant-Man franchise, was released on Feb. 17. The plot line follows Scott Lang, played by Paul Rudd, as he tries to make up lost time with his now teenage daughter, while simultaneously getting the whole crew trapped in the Quantum Realm.

Hopes were not high among Marvel fans after recent disappointments from the past several Marvel installments — particularly “Eternals,” with a 6.3/10 from IMDb, and “Thor: Love and Thunder,” also with a 6.3/10 from IMDb.

As fans are repeatedly disappointed by sequels, the question of whether or not sequels are really important to the storyline, or whether they are a cash grab for producers has been raised repeatedly by the public. In the past year and a half, with the exception of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” it feels like Marvel is producing movies and shows simply to keep the franchise going — like there is no heart behind the films anymore.

Some loyal fans might chalk this up to the fizzling out of the original cast, but this really is not the case. Marvel has simply lost its spark and originality. Anyone can do superhero movies and fans are moving on — seeing Marvel as something that stayed in the past instead of evolving with the industry.

And while I would like to say that “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” was another exception to this trend, I would be lying.

Ant-Man was only enjoyable because of the nostalgia attached to the original movies.

Marvel must stop relying on nostalgia, cute cliches and snippy humor in their movies. In order for Marvel to stay relevant, it must go back to its roots and pull some creative plot lines.

Maybe sequels are not the way to go.

6.5/10

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

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“Words from the Window Seat” review

Written by: Jude Bokovoy

Whether it was a post from her blog, an Instagram post, TikTok, Youtube video or on an American Airlines flight, most people have come across Taylor Tippett. In case one doesn’t know, Tippett is in her mid to late 20’s, recently married, a bookworm, thrift store connoisseur and an outgoing flight attendant based out of Los Angeles, California. She is also one of the first successful influencers that has not let fame cross her mind.

Tippett published her book, “Words from the Window Seat: The Everyday Magic of Kindness, Courage, and Being Your True Self,” on Oct. 12, 2021.

She started the book by introducing her project; Tippett wanted to find a way to spread kindness to the next passengers joining the aircraft, her followers and to act as a reminder for herself. She wrote a simple note, reading “be kind to yourself,” and taped it up on a passenger window, snapped a picture and posted it. She went on to paste many notes with affirmations, reminders for self love and words to help during a hard time as well as things to reflect on.

Tippett starts each chapter with a doodle of one of the notes that she has pasted on an airplane window. Each note segues into a story from her childhood, a problem that she’s learned from, her travels, her blogging/influencer journey and how Jesus has helped her along the way. A few notes included in her book are “remember your courage,” “grow BETTER because of hurt,” “you don’t have to be fully fixed to live fully free,” “you’re actually wonderful,”“always to love, not to understand,” “celebrate every victory, big or small” and “you didn’t WASTE your love, ever.”

Taylor instructs her readers to take time to heal, find beauty in the ordinary and to spread love among one another and oneself just as Jesus did.

As a reader, I found myself feeling refreshed, reflecting her words onto my life and shedding a few tears. Her book is full of beauty, heartbreak and wisdom without wasting a single page. I highly recommend purchasing this book to read or give to a friend. It goes for only $10.17 on Amazon.

10/10

Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu

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TikTok faces more privacy concern

Written by: Nicholas Sarysz

TikTok is a wildly popular social media platform that has taken the world by storm, surpassing over one billion active users worldwide in 2021. The app allows users to create and share short, looping videos of themselves or their environments TikTok has a variety of filters, special effects and music tracks, making it easy for anyone to create content that is both entertaining and engaging. It has become a cultural phenomenon — especially among younger generations— and has been credited with launching viral trends, dance challenges and even chart-topping music hits.

Within the past couple of years, the app’s parent company, ByteDance, has been hit with a wave of criticism in regards to user privacy. Specifically, the app has been accused of collecting a wide range of personal information from its users, including their location, browsing history and even biometric data such as facial recognition. Critics have argued that ByteDance’s close ties to the Chinese Communist Party may also be an issue in regard to the safety of Americans.

Most recently, Texas universities have banned TikTok from their networks and restricted access to the social media app on their internet networks. Several state governors, including Greg Abbott, issued executive orders that served as the impetus for the recent wave of campus TikTok bans. The Texas bans were some of the biggest to gain national media attention, as more than half of the U.S. states had already banned the use of the app on government devices and networks, to some degree.

In Congress, there is a large push to ban the use of the app nationwide to some capacity, which could include banning it solely from all government devices, to banning it outright for everyone within the nation’s borders. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, has stated that they have been reviewing the potential risks of data-sharing by TikTok since 2019. On the other hand, ByteDance has spent over five and a half million dollars on American lobbyists for the company in 2022 alone and is looking to do whatever it can to convince the United States government that it is not a security threat.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

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Melody Barrett’s senior art exhibit

Written by: Gretchen Sims

The latest addition to the senior art exhibits in the Werner University Center is blowing viewers away with its stunning colors and cohesive designs. Artist Melody Barrett is the mastermind behind these breathtaking works that currently grace the second floor of the WUC.

When discussing her series, titled “Finding my Artistic Voice,” Barrett addressed the following topics:

Q: What does art mean to you?

A: This is a complicated question, and honestly I’ve been struggling to find an answer because art means many things to me. It’s the act of creating, and also the act of observing something others have created, or that mother nature has created. I can see the art of a tree or landscape as easily as that of a painting or sculpture or other medium. Art is something that touches my soul, makes me stop and pause and really look and feel. It’s one of the things I’ve loved about being here at WOU and working in the Galleries. I love seeing what other people create, what they are giving voice to and how they express themselves and the world around them.

Q: What first got you interested in art?

A: Two things really influenced me. The first of which was my mother. She sewed and crocheted and made a myriad of drawings and crafts throughout her life, yet never thought of herself as an artist. She looked at what she created as being ‘crafty’. It wasn’t until very late in her life that she painted just a few paintings and I was amazed at her talent. I think that is why I viewed my early artistic endeavors as ‘just playing’. I’ve always been creating something but thought ‘being an artist’ was something others did, not me. The second was when I was about 12 years old and my family went to Seattle. At the public market I bought two posters for 25.00 each which was an outrageous amount of my allowance to spend at the time. The first was a surreal image by Dominique Appia entitled Entre Les Trous De La Mémoire. In English Between the Holes in the Memory. It captured my attention and I felt it spoke directly to me. The second poster was a copy of an art exhibit poster, I can’t remember what city now, but it was a pink vase with pussywillow branches out of the top and the faint image of a bird in the center of the vase. Those were my first wall art type purchases, and they went with me everywhere for 20 years.

Q: What would you like others to take from your art?

A: I hope that everyone who sees my art can find something in some piece that they like, that touches them.

Q: What inspires you?

A: Nearly everything! People, places, events, definitely other artists!

Q: What is your “why”? (what makes you the artist you are today)

A: So many things, but it might just boil down to curiosity and the desire to continually try new things. My art is an expression of thoughts, feelings, ideas I have kicking around inside me in an external form.

For the month of February, Western students and members of the community can come to see this display themselves. Be sure to check it out before it’s gone.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Western Oregon University’s Land Acknowledgement
Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

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Mealtime should be spent together

Western now has its own student-run Filipino American Club

Interamural Tournaments

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

“Words from the Window Seat” review

TikTok faces more privacy concern

Melody Barrett’s senior art exhibit

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