Mount Hood

Interview: Auditing classes for personal growth

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle editor

If there’s anything nearly all students can relate to, it’s the stress of class requirements, grades and graduation. This is often related to the further stress of thinking about where graduation will then take us, and our entrance into the real world.

Some students, however, have already been into the real world and have found that it still leads back to Western. In most cases, these nontraditional students are also aiming for a degree of some kind. This is not the case for student Paul McNeil, who is taking classes purely for the purpose of continuing his education. As this is an experience I can’t relate to, I asked for an interview to get a different perspective.

With a backpack full of textbooks, McNeil, despite the age difference to most students, seems to fit in with the college kids lounging in the Werner University Center — maybe because he has been attending college classes for years, and not just at Western. He continued studying long after earning a degree in physics, a major he picked because, according to McNeil, “it challenged me the most.”

“I could drop into any department (at Western) and find something interesting to study,” McNeil said in regards to the contrast in his classes. Though his physics degree took him through careers in technology and engineering, he now takes courses such as Economic Geography and Transnational Migration. He was drawn to these classes by the desire to learn about “how the world is set up financially,” he mentioned, and how this affects global inequality and society.

McNeil audits the classes, meaning he doesn’t have to worry about a grade — although, as he points out, the instructor is still free to call on him and ask for contribution to the discussion, and so the familiar mantra of “make sure you do the reading” is echoed in this situation.

As a senior citizen, McNeil also gets to audit classes for free with permission of the professor. This is a point he emphasized, as it is a little known fact that others might be able to take advantage of. He revealed there are other additional benefits of auditing classes.

“My initial thought…was that getting a student card would allow me access to the university’s library database,” he said, appreciating the extensiveness of Hamersly Library and noting that not every library has such range.

Overall, the conversation, for me, turned out to be a much needed reminder that studying for a degree is important, but continuing education for personal self growth is as well. Before parting, McNeil commented that students these days have a wealth of information at their fingertips, and that it can be beneficial to explore all options: “Students shouldn’t feel so pressured to choose …there is so much information to explore, and finding the right thing can take some time.”

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu

The perspective of a first generation college student

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle editor

Western has a wide diversity of students from different kinds of backgrounds. Some come from a family of college graduates, while others are the first generation to take on the challenge. While the college experience can sometimes be boiled down in pop culture as a universal experience, the reality is that these experiences can be as diverse as the people.

For first generation college students like Madison Gaylin, a junior education major, there are some similarities and some differences between students who came from college-educated families. One similarity, in her case, is that she had high hopes from a young age.

“I decided when I was little that I wanted to be a teacher,” Gaylin said. “Everyone said it would be hard work and there wouldn’t be much money in it, but I was set on it.”

Gaylin has some other members of her family that attended college, but not in her immediate family. She attended a community college where she got her AA, then transferred to Western. The transfer took her away from home, the small town of Clatskanie east of Astoria, for the first time.

For many students, even though college and their career path was ultimately a choice that they should be deciding, there was always an unspoken pressure to get a degree. This is especially true when one or both parents have a degree. For Gaylin, there wasn’t pressure so much as a hope or an expectation.

“I think it always came down to me wanting to go (to college),” she said when asked about the pressure many students feel from their families. “If I hadn’t, there might have been some disappointment — but not anger.”

She also said this internal, rather than external, motivation helped keep her focus when things got rough and she considered dropping out.

“I just had to keep telling myself to keep going,” Gaylin added.

Along with many other students at Western, Gaylin is now on her way to a career in education. While her experience isn’t shared by everyone, she can relate to those who have worked long and hard to achieve a lifelong dream as a first-generation college student.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Rebecca Meyers

What to look for in a new roommate

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle editor

For most people, part of the college experience is finding and living with a roommate. Sometimes it’s a friend or acquaintance, but other times students have to wade through their options of strangers to find one they’re comfortable living with. In these cases, there are specific things to look for when considering living with someone. While not all roommates end up best friends forever, a living situation should be more than just tolerable. When looked for, these things can help turn a potential nightmare roommate story into a friendship one.

 

  1. Communication:  Being a good communicator is a good sign that someone will make a good roommate in all stages of the search. This kind of person can be depended on to communicate when they decide to sign the lease, what they expect from their roommates and what will work best in their living situation. This may seem intimidating at times, but being straightforward will help resolve issues before they grow and start to become disruptive.
  2. Socialization levels: Everyone is slightly different when it comes to how and how much they socialize at home. Some like throwing ragers regularly with as many people as possible while others prefer to keep their homes relatively quiet and secluded. Neither is better or worse, but people on opposite ends of the spectrum are unlikely to agree on how open their home should be.
  3. Real life experience: Every so often, there is an encounter with someone unadjusted to living on their own. This may not be a dealbreaker for everyone, but it should be considered for those who might get annoyed by someone who doesn’t know how to cook for themselves or do household chores.
  4. Responsibility: Some students may look to their classmates when searching for a roommate. The opportunity that comes with this is to observe how organized or responsible they are with their schoolwork and decide whether this is a good indicator of what kind of roommate they will be. If their homework is consistently late, it may be a good idea to first make sure they won’t do the same with their rent.
  5. Independence: In an ideal world, roommates would always end up good friends that enjoy spending time together. However, some people just need someone to help pay the bills. During the initial search, clarifying the amount of involvement desired in each others’ lives can help eliminate future conflicts or misunderstandings. Also, while it’s good to be able to depend on roommates when in need, dependence at a certain degree can cause tensions.
  6. Pet peeves: One of the challenges of finding a roommate can be that everyone comes from different backgrounds, lifestyles and habits. As a result, something that might seem minor to one person can be extremely irritating to another. Cleanliness, whether lack of it or obsession with it, is the most common example of this that can lead to roommates falling out. Discussing pet peeves and lifestyle preferences before hand can save the trouble of roommate drama.
  7. Timeline: For students, it’s usually fairly easy to determine how long they’ll be needing to stay in one place based on how long they have until they graduate, or if they plan to stay in Monmouth after doing so. Sometimes, however, people need to leave or find a new place in the middle of the school year, when it’s hardest to find someone to replace them. Some graduate in a term other than spring, or take terms off and need to move. This can sometimes create a revolving door of roommates that only need temporary homes and can create anxiety from the inconsistency of having someone to help pay rent.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

The benefits of learning another language

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle editor

It’s not uncommon for a certain number of language classes to be a requirement for graduation, both in high school and in college. It’s also not uncommon to hear people say “Yeah, I took a few years of Spanish a while ago but I don’t really remember much except ‘¿dónde está el baño?’”.

Like any other subject, a foreign language can be easy to dismiss from one’s mind if it’s not an area of interest. I hear phrases like the one above often when I tell people I am studying Spanish, and I can’t say I blame them as I have expressed similar attitudes towards subjects I was less interested in. It can seem like just another graduation requirement that won’t turn out to be useful.

However, there are actually many benefits to learning another language, especially when studied further past just a few terms. I believe this not only due to my own experience, but also thanks to some research on the subject I have done as my interest in foreign languages grew.

One of the more obvious benefits is the fact that being proficient in a foreign language can open more opportunities in the future. The world is now a very interconnected place, and being someone who can help further those connections looks good on nearly any resume.

My own job is just a part time, temporary position in food service that pays my rent and is not in my long term career goals. However, I have already found myself faced with the opportunity to communicate with speakers of other languages. I have been able to use my Spanish outside the classroom for once, and also gotten to know some Deaf customers that left me wishing I had taken advantage of Western’s many ASL classes.

Research shows that learning another language helps stimulate cognitive functions, such as finding patterns. Studies such as the ones cited in an article on BBC.com titled “The amazing benefits of being bilingual” show that being bilingual can help exercise “mental muscles”. This is especially true for those who started learning a second language from a young age, but it’s never too late to start trying to become bilingual. These kinds of skills can help with academic performance as well, another plus.

On top of that, learning a second (or third, or fourth) language almost always comes with the added benefit of immersion into another culture. A language is rarely just conjugations and sentence structure; it’s also an origin, a history and a connection to different places.

At Western, there are many opportunities to learn or brush up on Spanish, German, French and American Sign Language. For more information on classes, visit wou.edu/humanities/modern-languages.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Great places to eat in Salem

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle editor

One of the upsides of living near Western is the proximity to cities like Salem that offer an abundance of options for going out. However, this can also mean an overwhelming amount of options when faced with making a decision of where to go. To simplify this problem, I’ve compiled a list of hidden gems to consider when going out in the state’s capitol, both for dinner or for breakfast/brunch.

 

Gamboretti’s

Located near Salem’s riverfront, this Italian restaurant is a great place for people in the mood for Italian cuisine at a reasonable price. The warm ambiance, variety of dishes and delicious food are all reasons to try out this location.

Location: 325 High St SE.

Bo and Vine

Located in downtown Salem, Bo and Vine Burger Bar is a place for a different type of dinner, but still a unique and delicious one. Their menu, while simply split mainly into burgers, greens and shakes, still provides a classy atmosphere.

Location: 176 Liberty St NE

Best Little Roadhouse

More than a restaurant, this fun location also offers mini golf. A more casual location, their menu offers classics like chicken tenders, steaks and nachos.

Location: 1145 Commercial St SE
Annette’s Westgate Cafe

Offering all day breakfast, Annette’s is a great place for brunch or breakfast. They also offer a salad bar, burgers, and sandwiches as well as beer, wine and cocktails.

Location: 1311 Edgewater St

Word of Mouth

A small local bistro that serves breakfast and sandwiches, this location is a great place for a relaxing brunch. According to their website, hours may be shortening soon due to availability and business on the staff and owners, so visitors should check their website, wordofsalem.com, for updates.

Location: 140 17th St NE

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Simplifying resolutions

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle editor

It’s officially 2019, and while some still have to adapt to not writing dates that end in ‘2018’, some of us are also trying to make other changes to our lives. While some don’t do resolutions, others set high expectations for themselves, and meanwhile others aren’t so sure either if they should participate in setting resolutions or question if they can be successful.

For the people who are in a state of undeciding, a good place to start is by setting the simple and easily attainable goals first and then deciding whether to work up to bigger things. These simple resolutions can be related to any aspect of life that could use improving.

Many people start with resolutions that have to do with health. While starting a new diet or a new rigorous workout regime might not be for everyone, there are smaller changes that can be made that will still improve overall health and wellness.

For example, one resolution can be merely drinking more water and staying hydrated or walking somewhere that’s usually a two minute drive if possible.

Some people resolve to make drastic changes to their diet to be more healthy, but those who might be intimidated by such changes can start with smaller ones, such as replacing one unhealthy snack with a healthier one but otherwise staying the same.

Other lifestyle-related changes that can be made can be things that are more relevant to academic or social life. Old habits may die hard, such as putting off work until the last minute, but resolving, for example, to read at least one chapter or write one paragraph everyday can help build a less stressful routine when the due date arrives.

If the hope is to create more meaningful connections or to strengthen existing ones, a good resolution might be something like deciding to explore the school’s club options or to take more initiative in starting conversations rather than waiting on others.

As usual, jokes can be expected about the New Year’s resolutions lasting only until the end of January. However, surviving the first month can be made more simple by starting small. Resolutions aren’t for everyone, but even small steps can bring positive change.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton