Lifestyle – Page 3 – The Western Howl

Tips for making social media pages professional

Sarah Austin | Lifestyle Editor

We live in a time where social media is used by almost everyone for anything from communicating with friends or family, storing photos, promoting businesses, to much more. When applying to a new school, program or job, it is important to check one’s social media presence beforehand.

Students have experienced employment rejection based on posts they may have forgotten about or did not think about when uploading. People may be unaware that prospective employers check our pages, and they do it for many reasons such as gauging personality, professionalism, if a resume matches and so on. Here are some tips for cleaning up social media that can help protect oneself in the future.

Go through old posts and status updates searching for any unprofessional things such as derogatory comments, confidential information from a prior job, drama and inappropriate photos.
Photos holding alcohol, partying or otherwise inappropriate activity should be archived.
Make accounts private in settings, and on Facebook, choose “Friends” for activity, or “Just me” for posts that would be best kept personal.
Double check resumes and what is listed on social media for any inconsistencies on dates, volunteer work or jobs.
Deactivate or delete old profiles that are no longer in use. This will give a clean search and also keep emails free of spam.
Google oneself to see what potential employers will see.
Check personal following lists on all accounts, removing any controversial or inappropriate pages.

This does not mean a person has to censor their life and have no control over their accounts. It is a word of caution to be aware of what is being put on the internet and who may see it. A rule of thumb is if it would be uncomfortable to show a supervisor, do not post it.

Contact the author at lifestyleeditor@thewesternhowl.com

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DIY pore strips

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

For many, using pore strips is a satisfying experience that results in softer and smoother skin. By pulling out the existing oil and dirt from your pores, it can give the illusion that you’re removing the blackheads — this isn’t entirely true. What you’re actually removing is called a keratotic plug; this is comprised of dead skin cells, dirt, hair and oil. The removal is entirely surface level and the deeper blackhead isn’t entirely removed.

Nonetheless, it can still make your skin feel amazing and silky smooth. While it may not be removing the entire blackhead, you’ll still feel that confidence boost that comes with healthier skin.

An easy addition to any facemask night, using this DIY pore strip will get you an exceptional result that comes at little cost and is hassle-free.

Instructions:

In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of unflavored gelatin (this can be found at Walmart), 1 tablespoon of any kind of milk and an optional 1 teaspoon of any essential oil.
Heat the mixture over a double boiler until it is warm. Using a double boiler helps to make sure it’s not too warm to apply to your face.
Wash your face with warm water to open your pores and remove any oil and dirt.
Spread this mixture on the areas you deem necessary. For many, target areas are often the bridge of their nose and their chin. Just make sure to avoid the eyes, nostrils and mouth.
Allow this to dry for about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how thickness. It’s important that it’s completely dry before removal for optimal results.
Once dry, remove the mask starting from the side or the bottom, and slowly pulling it away from your face.
Rinse your face with cold water to remove any of the leftover mask and close your pores. Then, finish by applying a fragrance-free moisturizer.

Instructions based on diynatural.com

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

The Western Howl

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Hiking trail recommendations

Written by: Quinlan Elise | Photo Editor

The weather is getting nicer, and it’s time to go on some hikes while the trails aren’t too muddy. Here are some recommendations for good local hikes to go on, with friends or solo.

Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge — About 20 minutes away in Dallas, there is a system of walkable trails, filled with a variety of beautiful wild plants and animals. Baskett Slough is a great place to go to birdwatch, but be sure to wear sunscreen because shade can be hard to find.

Silver Falls — An Oregon staple, Silver Falls State Park is 50 minutes East of Monmouth. The highlight of the trails is a wide arched walk behind a 177-foot waterfall curtain. A visit to the Trail of Ten Falls is a must, bringing hikers to the base of ten waterfalls along a 7.2-mile loop with shortcuts, if needed. As a more popular site, a parking permit must be purchased.

McDowell Creek Falls — About 70 minutes from Monmouth, Lebanon has a beautiful three miles of hiking trails alongside clear water. There are four layers of waterfalls to find, with lookout points and benches to rest, and a beautiful bridge system perfect for photos.

Abiqua Falls — A short but steep hike with a rewarding view, Abiqua Falls is an 80-minute drive to Scotts Mills. The route to the trail may require a car that can handle big bumps, and the hike is difficult, but the secluded and magical waterfall is worth the trek.

Dog Mountain — Located two hours away in the Columbia River Gorge, the Dog Mountain trail lines the Southern border of Washington alongside the Columbia River. The trail is one of the most popular, but also one of the most strenuous in the Gorge, and the steep hike is prone to strong winds. It is currently peak spring wildflower season in the area, so one should be prepared for traffic and possibly full parking lots. There is a $5 permit fee and a shuttle from Stevenson, WA, if there are no parking spots available.

Drift Creek Falls — An easy trail with a towering waterfall and suspension bridge, this hike brings one out to the Oregon Coast, where there are numerous other lush locations to visit. One will need to purchase a $5 day pass, but that can be done online. Drift Creek Falls is a 75-minute drive from Monmouth toward Lincoln City.

Contact the author at howlphotoeditor@wou.edu

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Where a small town meets a big tradition

Written by: Jaylin Hardin | Sports Editor

From May 23 – 27, 2024, one of the largest Memorial Day celebrations in the nation took place. Hosted at Riverside Park in Grants Pass, Oregon, a town of roughly 39,000 people, the festivities hosted several vendors and attendees from around the country and the globe.

Boatnik, as it is fondly known, began in 1959, and has its early beginnings with the Grants Pass Active Club, a non-profit organization focused on giving back to the children of Josephine County. All proceeds from the event go directly to supporting youth programs.

Originally conceived as a boat race in the 1950s, it has now evolved into a multi-day extravaganza that many in the community say embodies pride and patriotism.

The festivities began with the annual parade through downtown Grants Pass, with local marching bands, organizations and dignitaries among the participants. The drivers for the hydroplane, sprint and drag boat races also participated in this parade, showing off their vibrant boats that took to the water almost immediately after. This year’s parade theme was “Honoring Our Heroes, a Salute to Service.”

Two of the most iconic participants of the parade are the Grants Pass Cavemen and the Grants Pass High School — GPHS — marching band. Both have received national recognition, with the GPHS marching band participating in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade almost every year and the Cavemen traveling nationally to spread goodwill and tourism for Josephine County; the Cavemen are an organization that began in 1922 that now works alongside the Active Club. Dressing in animal skins, horsehair wigs and buck teeth, the Cavemen run rampant throughout the parade, “kidnapping” parade viewers and putting them up for display in a handmade, wooden cage.

One of the Cavemen’s more iconic moments occurred in the 1940s, when they kidnapped Presidential Nominee Thomas E. Dewey while he was in Oregon for his campaign. The picture of Dewey circulated throughout Europe until it reached Soviet Russia, where news outlets claimed they dressed in this manner to “protest against the cruel and Wall Street-backed church.” Other notable kidnapees include Shirley Temple, Babe Ruth, Henry Ford, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and Herbert Hoover, as well as the Oregon congressional delegation, who were once held hostage and harassed on the Senate floor.

Following the parade, the fun really began, with drag and sprint boat exhibitions and time trials taking place on Saturday and Sunday and the hydroplane boat race, the Tom Rice Memorial Race, taking place on Memorial Day. This year, the sprint boat racers came from USSBA Racing, an organization that participates in sprint races around the globe.

Taking place alongside these races was a golf shoot-out, carnival, Brewfest and concert, hosting the rock band, Firehouse, as the headliner. Both the shoot-out and the Brewfest occurred on Saturday and Sunday, enticing thousands of visitors to try more than 50 brews and ciders from the region and 64 golfers to try and win the grand prize.

The carnival took place Thursday afternoon through Monday night and featured rides and carnival games from Davis Shows Northwest. Vendors in attendance offered a plethora of services, from food and jewelry to art and different physical experiences, including Zorb Water Balls, rock climbing and bungee trampolining.

The one event everyone truly looks forward to, however, is the Memorial Day service.

The ceremony began with a jet flyover from Oregon’s 173rd Fighter Wing, located in Klamath Falls, Oregon. The national anthem then played as a flag was unfurled from Grants Pass’ Caveman Bridge.

A pastor from a local church led the ceremony in prayer in memory of fallen soldiers, followed by a moment of silence. Veterans from a local unit gave a 21-gun salute and a wreath and rose petals were floated down the Rogue River, accompanied by a bagpipe playing “Taps.”

During the roughly 11-minute ceremony, silence fell over the park in honor of fallen soldiers.

Attendees and Active Club members both spoke fondly of their time at Boatnik.

“It’s an event that gathers everyone together far and wide to celebrate the town and the Rogue (Valley) for the new season,” said sophomore Clark Callahan. “I remember puking up an entire deep-fried jumbo pickle, and it is one of the best memories of my life. I love Boatnik.”

“(Planning) is a year-long process,” said Active Club President, Kent DeRocher. “As soon as Boatnik is over on Monday, we start planning the first week in June for (the) next year’s.” DeRocher was recently elected president of the Active Club for a one-year term but has been a member of the organization since 2003, only a year after he moved to the Grants Pass area.

“I love it. I mean, it’s a lot of work… But it’s been fantastic,” DeRocher said. “I met someone that I was really good friends with that was in the Active Club and they brought me in (my) first year I was here… I moved here and I was in the Club and that’s all I know.”

In my own experiences at Boatnik, I have found nothing but fun and whimsy, as well as a beautiful ceremony honoring fallen soldiers. As a Grants Pass local who has attended Boatnik every year — except 2020 — I think it is an experience everyone should have a chance to enjoy, young or old.

“It’s a place that the valley gets to gather, watch the races and (all) the amazing events that go on,” said junior Kat Griggs, who is a Southern Oregon local.” If you haven’t been, put it on your calendar for next year. It’s a great time.”

Next year’s Boatnik will take place from May 22 – 26, 2025. For more information on Boatnik visit www.boatnik.com, or if one wishes to explore the Rogue Valley, visit www.visitgrantspass.com.

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

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The power of GEM

Written by: Taylor Duff | Staff Writer

Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness is a concept developed by Hugh Van Cuylenburg which, when shortened, is commonly referred to as GEM. Cuylenburg has an Amazon Prime special of the same name where he recounts his journey teaching and volunteering in India and his development of The Resilience Project.

Cuylenburg has over 15 years of experience in education, having taught both primary and secondary students. His teaching career was highlighted by a year spent in the Himalayas in the northern region of India. Here, Cuylenburg discovered the purest type of resilience, GEM. Cuylenburg discovered that the people, particularly the children, led relatively stable and happy lives despite a lack of resources.

The children were living without running water, electricity or even shoes, yet they were seamlessly happy with their circumstances. Cuylenburg analyzed many things as he toured the community with a student named Stanzin, he expressed gratitude for everything he had, including his crumbling playground. Stanzin told Cuylenburg how grateful he was for the rice he ate — as his food source was available every day. Finally, Stanzin had shoes that many of the other children lack, and he reclaims ‘this’ to show his appreciation.

Cuylenburg also stated that children in the community practiced meditation every morning before school. Cuylenburg asked why they were required to participate in meditation, and a supervisor replied, stating it was optional. The children and their families join together for meditation and togetherness whenever they can, unlike other places such as Cuylenburg’s hometown, Balwyn in Melbourne, Australia, where people struggle immensely with mental health.

Cuylenburg’s mission through The Resilience Project was to recount the village’s practices. Gratitude, empathy and mindfulness make for a better and more rewarding life. After 10 years of working with over 1,000 schools, it became clear that this message was an opportunity to collaborate with teachers, kids, parents, employers, community leaders and sports organizations.

To practice “GEM,” consider writing once a day in a journal something you are grateful for, whether it is big or small. An example would be a meal you ate, the people you communicate with or your clean water.

Empathy is an ability that you exercise regularly to feel for someone. Empathy can also take the form of allowing yourself to experience your emotions, such as taking a break to explore nature or engaging in hobbies.

Mindfulness is easy yet simultaneously hard, as technology is such a prevalent thing in our lives, but shutting off the technology even for 10 minutes allows meditation to occur. Mindfulness, such as understanding that technology holds such a space in our lives, allows us to evaluate rather than be distracted. Practicing GEM takes a lot of practice, but, again, to become good at something often requires practice.

Contact the author at tduff23@mail.wou.edu

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Summer bucket list

Written by: Libby Thoma | Staff Writer

Bucket lists tend to be a summer essential, but often, online lists become repetitive. Along with this, online bucket list ideas generally require a large sum of money and for the individual to be above 21 years old. Here are some ideas to add that only sometimes require money and can be enjoyed by people under 21.

Big hole — Dig a big hole in one’s backyard. When it inevitably rains, as it will due to Oregon weather, jump into that giant puddle. One now has their own puddle-swimming pool.

Costco trip — Dress in a large black cape or trench coat and add some stilts — previous knowledge of stilting is required. Head to Costco and purchase one’s supply of normal groceries. If questions are raised, explain that the outfit is three children standing in a trench coat stacked atop one another.

Blasting music — Get a friend or two and go on a drive. Blast embarrassing music, such as Karma by Jojo Siwa, Friday by Rebeca Black or Yummy by Justin Bieber, with the windows rolled down. Head to a populated street where one might know somebody and see who rolls their window up first. Whoever gets embarrassed first pays for the driver’s gas.

Ghost hunting — Say hello to one’s local spirit. This can be done by purchasing an Ouija board, pendulum or an FM transmitter. Talking to a local spirit is important and often forgotten about; they get lonely too.

Go viral — Go viral on Facebook. This is better than going viral on TikTok because who goes viral on Facebook?

Make a bucket list — Making a bucket list is important, but make sure it’s interesting. Make it pretty, try using Canva and maybe even add bows or clouds.

Summer fun is important after a long and hard school year, and making a bucket list of ideas to ward off boredom is essential to get the most out of the summer. Feel free to use these ideas on a summer bucket list.

Contact the author at ethoma23@mail.wou.edu

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The lives of book readers

Written by: Jaylin Hardin | Sports Editor

Avid readers have many nicknames: bookworm, book rat and ink drinker being commonplace titles. Whether one is a casual or consistent reader, there is a consensus that books are a lifestyle for many.

Countless online book communities have risen in popularity on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and the anonymous message board app, YikYak. These apps have become places where readers of all ages and genres can come together and discuss what they have read.

The most famous of these, coined “BookTok,” is a hashtag on TikTok where readers can post book reviews and content, show off their bookshelves and promote merchandise they have purchased or made. It is also common for BookTok to be used as a platform where authors can promote their works.

A reader’s favorite part about the lifestyle is, well, reading the books. In an anonymous online poll with 95 participants, 81 percent said their favorite part was reading books. Very few participants’ favorite was discussing or collecting books — only a combined 16 percent of respondents chose either of these options.

“I love opening a book and being immersed into a story,” said sophomore Hailey Cook. “I tend to feel strongly about each book I love and I think it makes me enjoy books even more.”

However, there can be issues within these communities.

One of the most prominent is the discourse surrounding the author Colleen Hoover, smut in books and what exactly qualifies as a “good book”; often, all three topics are discussed hand in hand.

Other authors who have come under fire in these discussions include Sarah J. Mass, author of the “A Court of Thorns and Roses,” “Crescent City” and “Throne of Glass” series, and Rebbeca Yarros, author of the “Fourth Wing” series.

Maas, Yarros and Hoover have all been accused of “mediocre writing” that glamorizes harmful stereotypes, tropes and relationships.

However, fans often come to their defenses, stating these books are more like beach reads in the fantasy genre. They believe that the truly harmful books are those that are labeled “Dark Romance,” which often have explicit scenes of violence, assault and abuse, such as “Haunting Adeline” by H.D. Carlton.

But, regardless of this discourse, many sections of book communities remain positive.

“(I’ve had) positive experiences,” Cook said. “I love when I can have a genuine conversation about a book with other readers and understand why they may think a different way than me.”

Despite the discourse, book readers connect, creating and turning a hobby into a lifestyle that all can enjoy.

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

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DIY pore strips

Hiking trail recommendations

Where a small town meets a big tradition

The power of GEM

Summer bucket list

The lives of book readers

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