Lifestyle – The Western Howl

Jan. 28, 2026 | Belen Ponce Leal | Lifestyle Editor

Retail is the type of job that many dread to think about working. A very underappreciated type of work, retail is described by Indeed as a type of job that involves “selling products to customers.”

From a small business to a large corporation, there are many different types of retail jobs. While there are admittedly a lot of negatives to working these types of jobs, I thought it would be interesting to write about the benefits of being a retail worker. As of June 2025, I have been working in a retail job at a popular phone service company. This is the first retail job that I’ve done in my life, and I thought about writing about the benefits that come along with this unique kind of job.

Most retail jobs are at places that involve interacting with the public quite often. Whether it be a large fast food chain or a small coffee shop, retail jobs involve interacting with customers who are interested in food, services or products.

One benefit that retail workers have is being exposed to many different types of people. As someone who works at a phone store where anyone who has enough money can buy a piece of technology that fits in their pocket, many different people come into the store. People of color, people with disabilities, people who are kind, some who are unfortunately not and some who are just looking for some help with an issue.

Aside from the background of customers, many fit into four different types: direct, emotional, expressive and analytical.

Customers who are direct prefer to have all the facts laid out in front of them immediately so that they have a clear image of what is happening. They want to feel like they are in control of the situation and don’t want their time to be wasted.

Then, there are the emotional types of customers who enjoy getting to know the person they are working with. Conversation is valued with these patrons, and they appreciate wanting to be included in whatever transaction they are doing, whether it be speaking about their day when waiting for items to be scanned or wanting to know how the product will help them.

Expressive customers enjoy connecting with people and will often speak about things aside from the items in front of them. It’s important for the worker to acknowledge their desire to connect with them and get to know them.

Lastly, there are analytical customers. Similar to the direct types of consumers, analytical people are less likely to want to engage in small talk and want to get accurate information from the person. They want their concerns or questions to be acknowledged properly and to be taken seriously.

All these types of customers teach the retail associate how to interact with them, what will make them happy and what will potentially upset them. This can be a very eye-opening experience for those who may not have been exposed to different types of people. This allows retail workers to develop customer service skills, confidence, empathy and sales knowledge.

Another strength that comes from retail work is the variety there is in it. Entry-level jobs include cashiers, people who collect payments for the items that customers buy and customer service representatives, who are responsible for speaking with customers about any questions, concerns or complaints they may have about purchases or services. There are also sales associates, which is what I am. A sales associate is a mix of the previous two, where they are responsible for greeting customers, answering questions and using cash registers to process payments. These jobs can be done throughout fast food places, supermarkets, coffee shops, pottery shops and phone retailers.

For those who do not like interacting with the public very much, there are a few retail jobs that can at least limit the number of people that need to be seen by the worker. There are the obvious ones, such as inventory specialists or those who package products for delivery. These types of jobs involve storing and tracking supplies that are needed for the business. They can help people learn organizational, technical and logistical skills. There are also visual merchandisers, who are the ones who create appealing displays to attract customers to their products. They need visual design skills as well as a creative mind to do their job properly.

However, it’s important to acknowledge that there are some negatives that come with this type of job. It’s well known that those who work in retail are incredibly underappreciated. Working in this type of environment that involves working with the public and always maintaining friendly mannerisms can be exhausting. It can also be difficult if someone were to encounter customers who were rude or demanding. However, I will say that it is rare to deal solely with terrible people. There are usually some good customers that will help balance out the day.

Another negative that can come with this type of work is irregular scheduling. A lot of different customer service industries, in particular, can have special hours outside of a regular work week, such as holidays or weekends. There can also be a variety in the hours of a shift that a service worker can be scheduled to do every week. While it could be seen as a flexible work schedule for some, for those who enjoy consistency in their hours, this type of scheduling can be annoying.

Retail work has been underappreciated for way too long now. While there are definitely a lot of complaints I can make about working the job I have currently at the phone service company, I will say it has been the most character-building experience I’ve had in my life. Patience has been tested, coworkers have been bonded with, scheduling has been flexible enough to attend university and I have spoken to many kinds of people in the six months I’ve worked there.

To anyone who works a retail job — I appreciate you.

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

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Living in the shadows

A photo of a child standing alone while a crowd of soldiers stare at them. | Photo from @35awards on Instagram

Jan. 21 2026 | Belen Ponce Leal | Lifestyle Editor

The topic of mental health has been a controversial topic for some. Despite the progress that has been made with the depiction of it in movies and shows, there are many who have negative thoughts about those who have mental illnesses. There are a lot of negative stereotypes or beliefs about these disorders in the public eye. Whether it be certain cultures’ view on it or the spread of inaccurate information about various mental conditions, our health in the mind has always had a stigma surrounding it.

Stigma is defined by Oxford Languages as “a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person.” Stigma originates from a lack of understanding or fear of a subject. In the case of mental health, a lot of people do not understand it, leading to many misconceptions being spread about it. According to the American Psychiatric Association, more than half of people with a mental illness are not receiving help for their disorder. People actively avoid seeking treatment for their mental health due to stigma surrounding the subject that could make people around them treat them differently. Stigma, prejudice and discrimination against those with mental health issues could be subtle or obvious. An example would be having a get-together with friends, but excluding one of the friends who has told them that they suffer from a mental illness; another would be using derogatory labels on them, such as “psycho” or saying that they’re “crazy.”

There are three types of stigma that should be understood. First is public stigma — these are the negative attitudes that the public has about mental health, which leads to discriminatory thoughts for individuals who have them. Second, self-stigma is the destructive thoughts that someone who has a mental condition will have. This can lead to shame or suppression of their problems, which is self-destructive in both ways and will not aid the person in their situation. Finally, there is structural stigma, which is a systemic type of bias that involves policies in the government or other organizations that either intentionally or unintentionally place limits on people with mental illness on what they can and cannot do. An example of this would be unequal insurance coverage. Some insurance companies are more likely to cover physical injuries than treatments for mental health, like therapy or prescription medication.

Recently, I was beginning to wonder why mental health is seen so terribly in the first place. I knew why, from a Hispanic background, as in many Latin American cultures, it is viewed as a sign of weakness. Many people who are part of this culture take pride in their ability to manage themselves and work for everything they have. So when someone admits to having an issue, they can be shamed for being unable to take care of themselves. In other cultures, it is viewed similarly.

In Asian societies, mental illness is viewed as a sign of personal weakness or failure of maintaining self control. Saving face is significant in this culture, as honor is an incredibly valuable social aspect to have. Being associated with a mental illness in this culture could be seen as bringing shame to the family name.

In Arab cultures, mental illnesses are viewed as a form of divine punishment. They are attributed to the person who suffers from the condition doing something to displease the higher power, which will not only bring them potential accusations of wrongdoing, but also stigmatization from their community. Those who struggle with this may also seek out religious or spiritual interventions to treat their illnesses. While it could work for some, it will not work for everyone.

In African cultures, they ascribe spiritual or supernatural causes, such as possession by evil spirits, as the cause for mental conditions. There is also a historical context when considering that many African Americans were denied freedom on the basis of false mental illness diagnoses.

According to Mental Health America, a physician named Samuel Cartwright created racist and false mental diagnoses. The purpose of this was to create a reason not to let enslaved people be free, as they were seen as unable to take care of themselves. “Even in the early 1900s, leading psychiatrists thought Black and African American people to be ‘psychologically unfit’ for freedom.” Their trauma from being enslaved was used against them to keep them oppressed.

Poor depictions of those who have mental illnesses have also spread harmful messages that people who suffer from various disorders are likely to have random bursts of violence or to be labeled as crazy. In reality, someone who has a condition is more likely to be victimized instead of being the cause of other people’s suffering. Mental illness has become overgeneralized, with many media portrayals showing the same kinds of things. A lot of the time, it is depicted as being an incurable condition that no one can recover from. Yet, according to the Centennial Mental Health Center, “as many as 80 percent of people suffering from mental illnesses can effectively return to normal, productive lives if they receive proper treatment.”

On a more personal note, my family had never acknowledged mental health. It was never spoken about, never discussed. It was a completely foreign concept in my very old-school, very Hispanic household. So, when I began having issues with my psychological well-being, I was told that it was all in my head and that I needed to stop feeling sad. I wish it were that easy. Naturally, I was starting to act out as a preteen and my mother decided to send me to counseling. She wanted to know why I was such an angry kid. Eventually, I was diagnosed with depression. I then became the topic of my aunt’s gossip.

A lot of the time, the stigma itself is worse than the actual illness. I certainly feel that way. Those who suffer from mental health issues only want to be seen as a person, not a nutcase or a weak individual. Struggling with the condition itself is difficult and the stigma only makes people feel more isolated. So, when meeting or becoming friends with someone who has a condition — don’t be quick to judge.

Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu

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The great divide

Jan. 14 2026 | Belen Ponce Leal | Lifestyle Editor

I am not a very tech-savvy person. Granted, I know my way around most types of phones and computers. Yet that is mostly due to growing up with this kind of technology around. However, as someone who also works for a cell phone service provider, I have had to interact with, set up and attempt to fix a lot of issues with various devices. If there is anything that I have learned during this time, it is that there are stark differences between iPhone and Android phones.

Growing up, Android phones were what was given to me by my predominantly Apple device-loving family. So here’s what I noticed.

Strengths — Android phones have a much simpler operating system that is easy to use and convenient. It typically has three buttons on the home screen: one to go to the home screen, another to see all apps that are open and the last to go back to the previous screen. Android smartphones also come in many different versions. Samsung alone has three different series of phones, each very starkly different from each other. One is fast, one is foldable and the last is cost-effective while still being a decent phone. Another popular Android phone is Google Pixel, which is well known for its camera quality and sturdy design. Motorola phones are known for being budget-friendly, but are reliable and simple.

Weaknesses — A lot of people with Android phones come into the store to tell me that their phone is full of pop-ups. The most common cause of those is “bad apps” being downloaded. Essentially, any kind of “phone cleaner” app is not actually cleaning the phone. Instead, it is slowing down its performance, and some can cause ads to pop up at random times. The battery life is also a major issue I’ve seen, with many getting new phones due to faulty batteries. There are also the constant updates that are done to the system that some may find annoying.

I recently became an iPhone user. After having the phone for a while now, here’s what I’ve observed.

Strengths — Apple’s phones are incredibly fast, with their chip processors able to have many apps open at once without slowing down the smartphone. For newer models, the iPhone battery life is often incredibly good, being able to last an entire day. They also switched their charger from the Lightning cable to a USB-C to become more compatible for Android users who want to switch to iPhone. Furthermore, iPhone’s have their own Apple ecosystem of apps that allows for a much stronger privacy shield compared to Android. iMessage, FaceTime, Apple Cash, etc., are all iPhone-exclusive applications for these types of phones. The Apple App Store is also much more strict with what apps are allowed to be downloaded from it, making it much less likely for any bad apps to affect iPhone users.

Weaknesses — I believe that iPhone’s main weakness is the lack of variety in their phones. While over time the screen size has gotten bigger and the camera positioning has changed, there isn’t a difference between the models. Obviously, if someone compares the first iPhone to the newest one, they look very different. However, there isn’t a huge change between the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 17. Another issue with Apple is that, due to the strictness of the App Store, many apps are not available to download. There isn’t a variety of different types of apps to get, while Android app stores allow for more options. There is also the fact that iPhones are not as customizable as Android phones. While their display options are sleek and clean looking, I’ve seen much more be able to be done with Androids, whether it be their shortcuts or widget flexibility.

In my opinion, the other differences are minuscule. The keyboards between the two phones look and feel different from each other. Android phones still have “buttons” to control the screen, while iPhone users need to swipe up to navigate the phone.

However, these smaller things are like comparing different fonts. If one is a person who likes consistency, I recommend an iPhone. If variety is preferred, there is an array of different Android phones from many companies that may be the better choice.

Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu

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Work for fun

A sketched comic of a woman complimenting a girl’s sweater. | Photo from @juliehang.art on Instagram

Jan. 14 2026 | Belen Ponce Leal | Lifestyle Editor

According to the Oxford dictionary, a hobby is an activity that is done by a person for the sole purpose of enjoyment or relaxation. Hobbies can range from hiking in the mountains to playing video games at home. I personally don’t have a lot of hobbies. The main hobby I have, writing, has become something I do for school and work. While I still love it with a passion, I have been wanting to take up a new one that doesn’t involve me trying to spell things correctly.

I haven’t had the opportunity to really explore activities to do in my free time. Yet during

break, when I had all the time in the world, I came to the realization that I had no idea how to get a new hobby. I’ve usually just stuck to the ones I had growing up. I can only imagine that a lot of other students feel the same way. Therefore, I have created some tips on how to discover a hobby.

Something simple that anyone can do is create a list of things they like. The list doesn’t have to be concrete. It could range from things done as a child that were fun, like playing tag or building things with LEGOs. Some things to consider would be topics that are engaging and that aren’t tiresome for oneself.

There’s also scheduling that should be considered when taking up a new hobby. As someone with a busy schedule, I would want a hobby that is easy to do anywhere and can be done wherever I go. For someone who would prefer to do something with their hands, crafting and sculpting would be good ideas.

Something that discourages a lot of people from starting new hobbies is the lack of perfection at first. Obviously, no one is going to be good at something from the start, and if they are, they are not human.

Stuart Brown once said, “Life without play is a grinding, mechanical existence organized around doing the things necessary for survival. Play is the vital essence of life. It is what makes life lively.” I’ve thought about trying to start crocheting because the thought of creating my own things sounds awesome. However, I’ve been hesitant to do so because I know for a fact that the first thing I make will look horrifying. Still, that shouldn’t dissuade me or anyone else searching for something new to do in their spare time.

Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu

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Art prompts for aspiring artists

Written by: Jude Bokovoy

In the mood to make some art but lacking inspiration? The brainstorming has been done so one doesn’t have to. Follow or take another path with any of the prompts below. All of these were accumulated to be used with any art medium — photoshop, clay or watercolor — anything under the sun, go for it.

What does it look or feel like to be underwater?

Hypothetical mountain with colorful unrealistic scenery.

A dessert that reminds one of a beloved family member.

A really complex rock.

Xylophone — that’s it.

What it feels to make something out of clay.

Rain — the sound, appearance, feeling.

Recreate an art piece one made 10 years ago.

Grass stains.

Describe how a flower smells through your art.

Cloudy — mentally, emotionally or a cloudy day.

A valley full of completely made-up flowers.

A snack that reminds one of childhood.

Paw prints in the sand.

A pink lake, what would inhabit it?

An animal in their element.

What it feels like to lay in the sun.

A good hug.

Shadows from direct sun.

Summer’s first sunburn.

Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu

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Creating chore charts

Written by: Mikayla Coleman

Whether one is a college student with multiple roommates trying to maintain a clean apartment, a spouse sharing the load with their partner or a lone ranger holding down a studio, most can agree that completing chores is a universal struggle. To organize and conquer one’s chores, use the tips listed below to create a customized chore chart tailored to one’s personal living situation and needs.

Consider one’s space. What chores one needs to complete will differ based upon the space in which one lives. Some questions to consider include:

Does one live in a dorm, apartment or house?
Does one have multiple roommates, a spouse or family members? If one shares a space, it is a good rule of thumb to split chores evenly among each individual.
Does one or any of the space’s inhabitants have pets or service animals? Animals that live indoors come with their own set of cleaning responsibilities that need to be completed each day.
Does the space have carpet or hardwood flooring? Depending on the floor type, one may need different tools in order to keep the space clean, such as a broom, vacuum or mop.

Consider how much time one has. Look at how one’s schedule fluctuates. Some time commitments to consider include:

When does one have class?
When does one have appointments?
When does one have shifts or time set aside to work?
When does one plan to go to the gym?
When does one plan to rest?
When does one need to set time aside for self-care?

Consider how often a chore needs to be completed. It is very likely that one does not have the time to deep clean their space every single day. To ensure chores are completed and repeated as much as one desires, consider:

What chores need to be completed daily? Some examples include making one’s bed, washing dishes, picking up one’s mail, wiping down kitchen or bathroom counters or taking out the trash.
What chores need to be completed weekly? Some examples include doing one’s laundry, vacuuming and sweeping all floors, throwing out old food from the refrigerator and thoroughly cleaning one’s toilet and shower.
What chores need to be completed monthly? Some examples include wiping down baseboards, wiping down windows and mirrors or cleaning out one’s dishwasher or garbage disposal.
What chores need to be completed seasonally? Some examples include cleaning out closets and dressers, organizing one’s hygiene or cosmetic products and cleaning under bigger furniture.

Contact the author at howleditor@wou.edu

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Seeking fear-giveness

A photo of an artwork depicting a woman caressing her cheek in the mirror. | Photo from @alev.neto on Instagram

Jan 7. 2026 | Belen Ponce Leal | Lifestyle Editor

Special thanks to copy editor Kiera Roedel for being the inspiration to write this article.

I have a habit of saying “sorry” a lot. Like, a lot. While apologizing is an important behavior that everyone has hopefully done throughout their lives when needed, I usually do it to the point where it isn’t. It isn’t something that I thought would be such a big problem. After all, I don’t want to be seen as someone who doesn’t take accountability for their actions.

Yet, I can recognize that a lot of the time, I don’t need to say sorry as much as I do. I am an overapologizer. Overapologizing is the act of apologizing so much that it becomes more of a defense mechanism rather than an actual apology. It is not something that a person will wake up with one day and begin doing. It is usually a learned behavior. It is something that has been developed throughout someone’s life without realizing it. Another term for overapologizing is “the anxious sorry.”

Definition — The anxious sorry is a type of safety behavior. A safety behavior, according to Psychology Today, is a type of “short-acting relief technique” that people use to calm their fears or anxiety. They can involve both avoidance and escapism responses, such as procrastination, reassurance-seeking or even stonewalling. Safety behaviors aren’t necessarily a problem for those who do them, but they can become an issue when they have become the only coping mechanism that someone’s used their entire life. Healthy coping mechanisms like learning from mistakes, problem-solving and learning to accept things are all good ways of coping with issues or dramatic changes. Yet, when the automatic response someone has when facing an issue is “sorry,” it can be a clue into a much deeper problem developing in the mind of the apologizer.

What sorry means to an overapologizer — Overapologizers don’t usually say sorry all the time to be polite. It’s often because they fear something. Fear usually ties into all sorts of things, such as being scared of conflict, anxiety, low self-esteem and people-pleasing tendencies. The word “sorry” then becomes a replacement for feelings that a person may not have the capability of confronting or skills to cope with. Constantly apologizing can cause overapologizers a momentary feeling of relief from whatever bad feeling was giving them the need to apologize, whether it be fear of rejection or anxiety. It is that relaxing feeling that can make a person use the word as a strategy in maintaining relationships.

Potential problems — While saying sorry a lot may not seem like such a big deal, it can become harmful. It is incredibly diminishing to the apologizer’s self worth. It reinforces the thought that they’re wrong, that they are “too much” and that the person is responsible for the emotions of others. Apologizing a lot can also be confusing for those who are around you. Saying sorry often can make the word lose its sincerity, and then the person who you are apologizing to doesn’t understand what it is that is actually needed from the apologizer. There is an irrational fear of upsetting others or being uncomfortable when others around them are upset. Despite knowing that the problem didn’t come from them, overapologizers have this compulsive need to try to diffuse the situation before being able to feel comfortable again.

The signs — One overapologetic behavior would be apologizing for things that the person themselves didn’t do. Situations such as schedule conflicts, apologizing for someone else’s behavior, not carrying cash when it’s needed, etc. Oftentimes, it’s things that the person had no control over or prior knowledge of needing to do that they end up taking responsibility for. Another sign would be saying sorry instead of expressing a need. A good example of this that I personally have lived through would be saying sorry to a partner instead of telling them what it is that I want from them. There was a time that my spouse and their family wanted to go eat at a sushi restaurant. I was the only one who didn’t want to go, but I lied and said I wanted to because I didn’t want to be the reason they didn’t get the food they wanted. I tried to prevent a conflict between them and compromised my own wants to do so.

Likely Causes — Some causes for saying sorry frequently could involve the background of the overapologizer. If they were surrounded by people who were caring and understanding one minute and furious the next, they often have to learn early on how to anticipate the needs of others by minor things such as expressions, tone, hand movement and body language. That could explain the need to want to “diffuse the bomb,” despite not being the cause of it. Trauma is another major factor in apologizing often. A lot of people who experience traumatic events will often blame themselves for it in an attempt to feel in control of the situation. Yet, it can often make the trauma worse and make them perform people-pleasing behavior to feel safe. For people who think less of themselves or have low self-image, feelings of self-resentment can cause them to say sorry for things that often don’t need it. Having low self esteem can also make a person much more likely to be in codependent relationships. Being in a codependent relationship means that the person’s value is tied to their ability to keep the other person in the relationship happy. Taking the blame for whatever conflicts may arise between the two can often be a way to keep the peace to satisfy the other.

Like most problems that we as humans face, the first thing overapologizers need to do is be aware of the issue and try to combat it more. It’s important to become self-aware of how often they say sorry and what situations it tends to come up in more. Try to recognize the feelings that are being felt in that moment and replace the word “sorry” with healthier language. Something I did when coming into work late due to a car issue was apologize for not being on time, despite the fact that I provided a warning and had no control of the situation. Something else I could have said was “thank you for waiting.” Small changes like this can make a big impact on breaking the cycle. Therapy can also be a very good way to combat the action and try to work through what it is that the word “sorry” is replacing. It can be difficult to do, even uncomfortable.

However, I want to remind anyone who reads this that it’s okay to not be perfect. It’s okay to exist and take up space. No one is inconvenient.

Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu

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Hidden texts

A photo of the FedEx logo which shows the hidden arrow in the “Ex.” | Photo from @creatorspark on Instagram

Dec. 3 2025 | Belen Ponce Leal | Lifestyle Editor

One of the greatest shows of all time, in my opinion, is “Gravity Falls.” In the 17th episode of the first season, one of the characters gets brainwashed into staying with her boyfriend by a song. When one of the main characters, Dipper, plays the song backwards, a message is heard: “You are now under my control. Your mind is mine.” It is unknown where the character got the cursed tape, but that nevertheless opened my mind to the idea that some try to put hidden messages into various types of media.

Definition — The word subliminal, according to Oxford Languages, means “below the threshold of sensation or consciousness.” Subliminal messaging is the act of spreading messages or ideas that fall below the threshold of our conscious awareness. In small terms, it’s a method with which someone could communicate an idea in a barely noticeable way. Some think of it as brainwashing, a way to get people to do or crave something that they wouldn’t normally want. It’s most associated with advertisements as companies try to find a way to make their products more appealing in a subtle way.

History — The history of subliminal messaging can be traced back to the 1940s. They were occasionally inserted into radio, film and television. One example of this was back in 1943, in a Looney Tunes cartoon featuring Daffy Duck, the words “BUY BONDS” flashed on screen. At the time, no one knew whether or not these messages would have an influence on the general public or not. They were just thrown into things to see what would happen.

Then, in 1957, a market researcher named James Vicary declared that flashing the words “Eat Popcorn” and “Drink Coca-Cola” in movies for a fraction of a second would generate more sales of these snacks. After a few years, though, he admitted that he lied about the study. That incident led many to be concerned that people could use subliminal messaging in a manipulative way. The next few decades were then spent trying to figure out if subliminal messaging had any effect at all, with many claiming that the effects of it were completely fabricated. Yet, as more time passed, researchers concluded that there is an effect — it is simply much more subtle than previously believed.

The science — In order for a subliminal message to work its way into one’s brain, it is all about perception. Sometimes, a message can be very straightforward without even being noticed by the person witnessing it. Other times, the intention can only be seen after a second look. Subliminal perception is a field that focuses on the thorough examination of how individuals register information that is beneath the threshold of their conscious awareness. This is a difficult thing to study, as it’s hard to observe what people are unconsciously processing in their minds.

For instance, there are some who believe that the McDonald’s logo was carefully designed to be appealing to customers. Yellow is associated with happiness, while the color red is believed to make a person hungry. When thinking about other food chain coloring, it’s notable that many of them have those two colors somewhere in their logos. A much more extreme claim was that the arches of the logo appear like female breasts, which were intended to attract customers in a subtle, sexual way. While I’m unsure if I believe this claim, it is certain I will never look at the golden arches the same way ever again.

According to an article from the Association for Psychological Science, while subliminal influence on the behavior of people seems theoretically possible, it is only “among people who were already motivated to engage in a particular behavior.” During a study conducted by Johan Karremans, Wolfgang Stroebe and Jasper Claus, they found that they were able to influence what kind of drink the people in their study would attempt to get after they were shown various pictures of Lipton Ice. However, they found that the effects mostly worked on those who were already thirsty.

Modern uses — It is no surprise that the main source of subliminal messaging in the modern age is from advertisements. When subliminal messaging was first introduced in certain ads, it was mostly through flashing images for a split second. Yet, this is hardly used anymore, as most agree it doesn’t have very much of an effect on consumers. Fast food chains, grocery stores, factories and even sponsors use even smaller ways to get a message across to a large group of people. A popular example of a subliminal message would be a barely audible message heard in the background of an ad. It could be something as simple as “Buy now” or “This offer is only available for a limited time.” It drives a sense of urgency, which makes individuals more likely to impulse buy. There is also the way that a certain image is designed that can more lightly influence the way a person looks at it. For instance, the Wendy’s logo has what appears to be an “M” at the collar of her dress, which can look a bit like the word “mom.” This is supposed to make the customers think of home and comfort, the days when we used to rely on our mothers to make the home-cooked meals we loved growing up. It’s intended to play on our nostalgia. The FedEx logo is also another good example. If an individual were to look between the letters “E” and “X,” they would be able to notice the small arrow pointing to the right. It implies that they are quick and will get their packages out to their customers fast.

Honestly, it’s a little impressive how our brains are capable of picking up such minuscule things that we don’t process directly. While subliminal messaging can be ethically questionable, the effectiveness of the actual attempts at doing so seems limited. Still, it is important to really study the advertisement and see if it is really a needed purchase. Don’t let the fear of missing out be the reason to impulsively buy something that’s unnecessary.

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

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Telepathy

A graphic of a brain | made by Mina Clower

Nov. 19 2025 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

Dr. Diane Hennacy has been one of a few scientists who have worked to test the theory that non-verbal individuals can use telepathy when communicating with those they’re closest to. Many professionals in the field believe her attempts are futile because she’s trying to prove a pseudoscience — science that isn’t based on the scientific method. In response to this, Hennacy claimed that many individuals around the world have proved telepathy to be true, but the number will never be enough to prove something that is labeled as impossible. Whether this theory is true or not is up for debate, but I’m going to dive into her research and findings.

Hennacy predicted that the group most likely to show signs of telepathy were non-vocal, autistic children with savant — exceptional abilities in memory, music, math or art — skills. She believed that these individuals were highly likely to feel more motivated in finding an alternative method of communication with their caregivers, starting at a very early age. She even argues that telepathy isn’t that much harder to believe than savants themselves, because savants know a multitude of information without any history or exposure to it, something that can also feel impossible. The examples she provides for this include twins who could provide prime numbers up to 20 digits without knowing basic math, and children spontaneously drawing the periodic table without previously being exposed to it.

Families who heard of her work reached out to her because they felt their children were exhibiting signs of telepathy. Hennacy tested three children in the United States from families that reached out, and found results that she felt pointed towards telepathy. She tested each child with randomized words, letters, numbers and pictures, and each child was able to identify them with astoundingly accurate results. While her conclusion is that telepathy, or something similar, must be going on, she acknowledged that her testing protocol was not optimal.

Hennacy’s working theory for how telepathy works has to do with how autistic brains function. When these groups of people engage in cognitive tasks, their cortex is relatively quiet, while that of a neurotypical individual is very loud. Because of this, those with autism are often extremely detail-oriented and able to perceive very subtle changes that a neurotypical person may not catch. Hennacy predicts that if telepathy has anything to do with separating signals from background noise, these individuals’ high sensitivity would make them more likely to experience this. Additionally, savants have high accuracy in sensory perception, and those with autism are often not limited by beliefs about what is possible, while neurotypicals only see what they expect to see.

Another aspect that makes proving her theory difficult is the fact that a lot of these individuals use facilitated communication. This means that, while the child would type out an answer, their parent or someone close to them would be supporting their movements through physical touch. Many skeptics of Hennacy’s theory speculate that these children just have their parents putting in the correct answer, or nudging them in the right direction, since they’re being supported with touch.

One of the individuals Dr. Hennacy tested was a 9-year-old mute and autistic girl named Haley. She does not use facilitated communication, and instead she communicates by pointing to letters and numbers, or by typing into a device called a talker that provides text-to-speech. Initially, Haley’s parents thought she was a math savant because she could solve complicated equations with no prior knowledge. At one point, her therapist gave her an exponential equation, and she typed the answer into her device unprompted. Her therapist had accidentally switched the calculator only the therapist could view to display the answer. Shocked, the therapist asked how Haley knew the answer, and Haley typed, “I see the numerators and denominators in your head.” To follow this, Haley would type in answers to things only her therapist knew, such as her landlord’s name, the exact words her therapist was thinking when looking at a picture that wasn’t visible to her and even novels that her therapist knew word for word, some even in foreign languages.

Bo, an 11-year-old boy, showed similar traits to Haley. His mother said he would often tell her words or numbers that she hadn’t outwardly expressed. Like Haley, Bo could tell the answer to any math equation he was given as long as his mother knew the answer or was looking at the answer. If his mom didn’t know the answer, he could no longer solve the equation. Bo’s ability to correctly say a word or number his mom was thinking of was tested. He received a blindfold and went to the opposite side of the room, facing away from his mother. With these restraints, Bo was tested on 25 different answers 14 times, and ended with an average of 84% correct.

Ramses, a 5-year-old boy with autism, could read seven languages out loud by 2 years old and could solve algebra problems from age 4, both signs of a savant. His mother reported him to Dr. Hennacy as being telepathic with her. Hennacy used a random number generator to test Ramses by generating a number, giving it to his mother in secret, and asking him what the number was. His overall accuracy was 90%.

The scientific method is tried and true, so it can be hard to be open to such a far-out topic that isn’t supported by it yet. Who’s to say, though, that we won’t have the information someday to fully support the idea of telepathy in nonverbal individuals. I believe that furthering scientific advancement involves looking at things that feel impossible, and what feels more impossible than the idea of telepathy?

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

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‘Fake news’

A photo of a book wall. | Photo from @northportbooks on Instagram

Nov. 19 2025 | Belen Ponce Leal | Lifestyle Editor

In February of 1998, a research paper was released linking autism to vaccinations. This paper has long been proven to be false, with multiple factors in the experiment being questionable at best. Unethical decisions and “callous disregard” for the children that participated in the study are just a few reasons why people questioned these findings. Then, 12 years after the paper was released, one of the doctors who worked on this study admitted that several elements of the paper were incorrect. Despite this, there are still a small number of people who wholeheartedly believe these vaccines are harmful.

The definition of a fact, according to Oxford Languages, is “a thing that is known or proved to be true.” Yet, we live in a world where it is getting harder to distinguish what is true and what is partially true. Even with the accessibility of information at our fingertips, there are many who will believe a video they watched on social media to be fact, despite the very real possibility that it may not be true. Or it may have been misconstrued — it may be factually correct, but lacking context. However, after researching this subject, I’ve come to the realization that facts by themselves don’t usually convince people to change the way they think. It’s often tied to emotion and community.

We as humans are a species that needs a semi-accurate understanding of the world in order to live in it comfortably. We are also very social creatures. Since the dawn of the species, humans have traveled in tribes, working together to survive. Accuracy and truth aren’t the only things that are important to the human mind. We also have a desire to belong. Humans have always had the desire to bond and have relationships with others. We want to be people who fit in and have the approval of others. It is difficult to think of a feeling worse than rejection or disapproval by the person you want it from the most.

In a lot of people’s minds, social connection is more helpful to us in our daily lives than it is for us to understand the truth of a certain idea or fact. We sometimes compromise the truth to make ourselves look better to certain people or a certain community. False beliefs might not be useful in a factual sense, but they are in a social one. James Clear, who wrote an article called “Why Facts Don’t Change Our Minds,” calls this way of thinking “factually false, but socially accurate.” When it comes to choosing being right over friends and family, the latter usually wins. This is why we, as people, tolerate things that might offend us. It is why a person will bite their lip and turn away if a family member says something that offends them.

Another thing to consider is motivated reasoning. This is when people go to great lengths to try and persuade others that the facts are incorrect or that sources are unreliable. Humans are hard-wired to have an emotional response faster than our conscious thought. Information that supports a person’s preexisting view on the world or thoughts on a subject will be accepted a lot faster than something that completely contradicts it. A lot of the time, people do this to make themselves feel better about new information that contradicts their beliefs.

That also ties into the misinterpretation of facts. A lot of facts are taken completely out of context to be used to support an argument that the fact wasn’t intended to be used for. Some usually do this, not necessarily to tell the truth, but to “prove” their point of view or attack another.

So, if facts can’t change a person’s worldview, there has to be another way to do it. After all, we are all constantly evolving and changing our beliefs. The best way to change someone’s mind is by giving them a new view of what a community looks like. If someone were to completely abandon their beliefs, they would lose their family and their ties to the community that embraced them. James Clear put it best: “No one wants their worldview torn apart if loneliness is the outcome.”

However, like the vaccine belief, these ideas can hang around for a while. A reason that they do is because people continue to discuss them. Ideas are remembered when repeated — that’s also the only way they can be believed. A person is more likely to believe a crazy concept if it comes from someone they know. The train of thought is usually something along the lines of “I know this person. I like them, I share some beliefs with them, why should I not consider this one too?”

One way to combat this is to let the ideas rest; let them die out and be forgotten. This isn’t to say not to speak up for people who are attacked. However, maybe we as people need to change our strategy in dealing with these situations. Being ignorant is a lot harder to do when the person has friends who think differently than they do. Befriending them and being kind to them is the best way to give someone the opportunity to change their beliefs. As Selena Gomez said, “kill ‘em with kindness.”

Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu

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