Mount Hood

Six quick tips for beginning gardeners

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

Confusing weather patterns, allergies acting up and restless seniors are pretty good indicators that spring has arrived at Western. With the sun finally making some appearances again, it’s the time of year that plants begin to bloom.

Planting a garden, whether for purely aesthetic purposes, for growing fresh food or a little of both, is one of the many opportunities that comes along in springtime. Since everyone has to start somewhere, here’s some tips for those just starting out with their own gardens.

 

  • Make sure you have everything necessary for maintaining a garden. Is there enough space for each plant? Are there steady sources of water and sunlight?
  • Try starting small or easy. Some plants require more time and management to keep alive and healthy. According to finegardening.com, some of the easiest plants to grow include snap peas, sunflowers, cucumbers and zinnias.
  • Include the timing in the overall planning. It might be nice to imagine the whole garden blooming at once, but some plants peak in spring and early summer, like blueberries, while others grow best in late summer and fall, like squash and pumpkins.
  • Start building the habit of taking care of the garden. Add watering, feeding and checking for weeds to your routine to avoid forgetting to take care of plants and risking their health.
  • Do some research to find out if it’s a good idea to buy different soil or mulch for the garden. While not necessarily a requirement, they can make it easier to maintain the garden overall. Nutrient-rich soil can help plants stay healthy while mulch helps keep weeds away.
  • Be patient. Whether starting from seed or a small plant, produce plants often won’t yield much in the first year. They will need time to grow and a committed gardener. Flowers can be nice because they give the satisfaction of the quick and near guaranteed payoff of blooming, which can be encouraging to beginning gardeners.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Campus Voices

“If you really want to go to a place, look up how much it will cost and make a plan. Sometimes if I don’t have money for it at the time, I’ll pay with my credit card and make a real effort to pay more on in next time.” Margot Meehan, junior economics major

“Eat in more – don’t go out every night. If you’re staying in a hotel, try and stay somewhere with a kitchen.” Steve Richmond, sophomore public policy major

“Don’t go anywhere too extravagant, too far away. Look for adventures a little closer to home.” Macaela Gertz, early childhood education major

“Collect cans…there’s also lots of dog walking apps, you can make some good extra money that way.” Eli Foster Griggs, senior ASL/English interpreting major

Salem delivers unique eating spot with The Yard

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

Ever wonder what happened to the Bobablastic truck which once sat on Main Street? I found out this week when I visited Salem’s new dining spot, The Yard. Named as such because the main food options are located outside of the building in the form of different food trucks. The Yard is a rustic, laid-back location with a wide range of options.

Inside the main building is the main seating area, a cafe and a small 21+ area which includes a bar. On either side of the building are glass walls that showcase the wide range of food available including: funnel cakes, pizza, Greek food and of course, the red bubble tea truck.

Deciding to try some of The Yard’s options, my friends and I got food from three different trucks. From the first, we got a slab of pepperoni pizza, which was big enough to be cut into three slices. Not only was it layered with enough cheese to cover the pepperoni slices, convincing me for a moment that they had actually messed up my order, but the flatbread-style crust is a gluten-free option. The vendor informed me that most people can’t tell this about the pizza, but lovers of thin crust pizza will enjoy this option.

From the creatively named Bite Me Foods, which sells the type of classics one might find at a county fair, such as hot dogs and corndogs, we got a dessert. “The lovers”, as it’s called, is a waffle topped with whipped cream, rich chocolate sauce and strawberries. The waffle itself also tasted very fresh, and it was a tasty follow-up to lunch.

Additionally, as if to showcase the variety at The Yard, my friend ordered from North Fresh Sushi, which I left too soon to try, but from what I heard it was also a hit.

Though the main part of The Yard is the new-looking, tastefully lit inside, the small backyard also has a firepit and a few outdoor games. Though the weather is not always ideal at the moment, I can see this being a great spot for summer evenings.

Though at first I was skeptical that a hodgepodge collection of food trucks would be a place I’d like to go for dinner or brunch, The Yard had me pleasantly surprised. The atmosphere in the actual building is laid back and warm, and it also has just about everything one could ask for. I would recommend The Yard anytime, but especially once we start to get warmer weather.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Rebecca Meyers

Five simple last minute spring break ideas

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

With tests, projects and essays consuming most of students’ time, some people find themselves facing Spring Break, a time most people like to use to escape from the stress of finals, with no plans. While some prefer doing absolutely nothing besides relaxing, others see free time as an opportunity to get away, both physically and mentally. Planning something with little time can seem pointless or stressful, but it can be done — even without breaking the bank.

Here are some simple ideas to get you started.

 

  1. Take a train up to Seattle. Cheaper than plane tickets but still time efficient, a round trip ticket to a big city can be less than 100 dollars. The AmTrak station is in downtown Salem at 500 13th Street SE, and tickets can also be purchased on their website.
  2. Do an Oregonian go-to, like spending the week in a rental cabin in Bend. The area has no shortage of things to do, from hiking to river rafting to climbing the Cascade mountain range. Rentals can be pricey, but sites like AirBnB have deals that can bring down the cost.
  3. Another classic Northwest way to have a laid-back vacation is renting a beach house and spending a week on the Oregon coast. There are beautiful attractions all up and down the coast, from lighthouses to aquariums to easily accessible tidepools. Lincoln City, a popular town on the coast, is only an hour away from Western, but for those willing to travel longer, there’s beaches in Newport and Florence to the south.  
  4. Visiting a national park is another great way to enjoy the outdoors in a new setting. There are a number in neighboring states, such as Redwood National Park (a drive that’s just under five hours from campus) and Yosemite(12 hour drive) in California and Olympic National Park (four hour drive) in Washington. And, of course, there’s Oregon’s only national park, Crater Lake (three and a half hours from campus), which has in park campsites.
  5. For those just looking for a new experience, there are a few locations only a short drive away where you can go skydiving. Doing this might hit your wallet a few hundred dollars, but at as facilities are located in Molalla (Skydive Oregon located at 12150 OR-211) and Eugene (Eugene Skydivers at 83505 Melton Rd, Creswell),  there’s minimal added cost of travel.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

What to know before going gluten-free

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

In recent years, gluten-free lifestyles, whether due to medical reasons or personal choice, have been increasingly more accepted and even popular. People with Celiac Disease, for example, are highly sensitive to gluten consumption, as it causes the body to treat gluten as a foreign threat, according to Healthline.com.

However, cutting gluten from the diet can prove difficult, as it’s found in most grains like wheat and oats. Up until recently, things like gluten-free bread and pasta were nearly impossible to find. While it has become more simple, it can still be challenging as well as more expensive to find the right food — not to mention trying to find recipes that can be made at home.

The first thing to do when ditching gluten, like with any other drastic diet change, is to do a bit of research. Even though in many cases going gluten-free can lead to a healthier lifestyle, there are still things to be aware of. For example, eating less wheat might mean needing another source of fibers.

Another good thing to research is basic food substitutions. Zucchini as noodles, or zoodles, is a popular example of go-to gluten substitutions for homemade recipes. There are also different types of flour, such as coconut flour, that can become a kitchen staple. However, there are rarely ingredients that can be exact substitutions, so it would be worthwhile looking up specific gluten-free recipes — especially when baking.

Another thing to take into account is to budget accordingly, both time and moneywise. Unfortunately, some gluten-free products, such as bread, can be more expensive and are not sold everywhere. It also means having to look up most places before going out to eat to make sure they have gluten free options. There are a few places that serve specialized gluten-free cuisine in the Monmouth area, such as Yeasty Beasty and Mangiare Italian Restaurant, as well as on-campus with Valsetz Dining Hall and Wolf Grill.

Going gluten free can be a difficult commitment sometimes, but for some, the health benefits make it well worth it. For those considering making the switch, it might be worthwhile to consult a dietitian to see what a professional recommends.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Rebecca Meyers

Understanding and treating an unhealthy relationship with porn

Paul F. Davis | Managing Editor

When looking at the numbers, it’s clear that people like porn… a lot. According to the American Addiction Centers, more than 184 thousand dollars are spent every minute on porn. With our society’s ease of access, this spending is not going to stop ー it’s probably only going to increase.

Not only is it easy to access porn, but it is also more affordable and anonymous than ever before. Back when our parents were our age, the main means for purchasing porn was through some adult shop or by asking the person behind the mini-market counter for a Playboy. Now, any 11 year old with an unfiltered access to the internet can go online and find porn they could never even think to look up with one search of Pornhub.

It’s not that 11 year olds are the only people using porn. In reality, a large number of people are consuming porn. The American Psychological Association’s “Handbook of Sexuality and Psychology” states that between 50 percent to 99 percent of men and 30 percent to 86 percent of women have used porn in their lifetime. For many people, it can be a safe place to explore sexual fantasies alone or with a sexual partner in a new, interesting way. But for some, statistically men, porn usage can take a person down a dark, lonely path.

In an article titled “Is Internet Pornography Causing Sexual Dysfunctions? A Review with Clinical Reports” authored by Brian Clark and associates from 2016 in the Journal of Behavioral Sciences, men are reporting a sharp rise in erectile dysfunction, delayed ejaculation, decreased sexual satisfaction and diminished libido during partnered sex that cannot be explained by traditional causes. Although a direct line of causation has not been made to porn usage, a strong correlation has been documented.

In 1999, 5 percent of sexually active men, ages 18 to 59 had erectile dysfunction. By 2011 that same statistic had shot up to 28 percent according to the same article by Brian Clark. A major change in men’s sexual lives in that time was access to easy, anonymous and cheap porn.

What’s important to know is that it’s not anyone’s fault if they are having these problems. This is what porn does to your mind. Due to the huge dopamine dump that is associated with porn use, the brain fundamentally changes at the neuronal level which was found in the study “Brain Structure and Functional Connectivity Associated With Pornography Consumption”, and change is associated with tainted sexuality, increases secrecy, makes for less intimacy and increases the likelihood of depression. But the brain is plastic, it can change.

This problem doesn’t just affect the one addicted. It affects partners, too. Imagine a situation where you’re about to have sex with your partner, and they just can’t seem to get aroused.  For many, their thoughts then go straight to “they must think I’m not enough” and that stays with them, that hurts them.

This story isn’t just anecdotal. Sex researchers Destin Stewart, Ph.D. and Dawn Szymanski, Ph.D found in their 2012 study that “(female partners) experienced lower self-esteem, poorer relationship quality and lower sexual satisfaction” while in this position.

For those that think they may have a problem, the important thing to know is that it can be controlled, and help is available. Although there isn’t a scientifically proven way to treat an unhealthy relationship with porn, one way to start is by being honest and kind with yourself and accept that the problem exists and it can be controlled. Then, look for accountability; for those that have a sexual partner, be open with them about what’s going on so they won’t beat themselves up over something that they can’t control, and so they can help.

For those that don’t have a partner, support can be found from where the problem likely came from: the internet. There is an app called Fortify which provides support groups and that will help you create goals for yourself, monitor habits and congratulate you when porn use is reduced.

For those looking for resources that are on campus, Abby’s House is an option which is in the Werner University Center, Room 106. They can be contacted via email at abbyshouse@wou.edu, called at 503-838-821 or reached in person from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Also, the Student Health and Counseling Center always takes on new students; they can be reached at 503-838-8000 or in person from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

So, be kind with yourself, know that recovery is possible and know that if you have an unhealthy relationship with porn you deserve more from your sexuality than a computer screen.

 

Contact the author at pfdavis14@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

How to save money when flying on vacation

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

Spring Break is quickly arriving, making it hard to focus on the finals to come. Some have already started their planning, but for some, finances can be an enormous hinderance. This is especially true of air travel. Flying is the fastest and often easiest way to travel long distance, especially for students wishing to return to family for the break. However, it’s also the most expensive way to travel. Fortunately, there are a few ways to budget and be prepared enough to create an affordable vacation.

 

Be aware of timing: Most plane tickets become more expensive as the flight time approaches, meaning booking them as far in advance as possible is usually the cheapest way to go. According to Forbes, the exact number of days to buy in advance for the most affordable tickets varies by the season, but it’s usually around seven weeks.

Consider other fees: While a ticket might seem the cheapest in a side-by-side comparison, these often don’t factor in additional expenses. It can be worth it to include checking all fees as part of the research into which airline to choose. For example, if you need to bring extra luggage, something to consider might be which airlines charge the most for additional baggage.

Don’t forget the rest of the trip: Gas, rental cars, taxis and hotels might not be the biggest expense, but they can add up quickly. Finding the airport closest to the hotel, or vice versa, arranging for transportation to the airport ahead of time and researching the different modes of transportation of the place you’re going to are all ways to cut down on the costs of the rest of the trip. Also, bringing everything possible rather than buying the needed toiletries or other things can help cut expenses in places that have sales tax.

Consider connecting flights: It’s not always ideal, but it’s often cheaper to endure a layover. Depending on the place, a longer layover can be an opportunity to explore a new city; this typical inconvenience could easily be made into an exciting part of your vacation.

 

Vacations can be a struggle when they feel out of reach due to the overall costs. However, the right amount of planning can make a worthwhile holiday possible.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy Ashlynn Norton

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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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