Mount Hood

Tools and resources to improve your writing

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

Writing is one of those things that is inevitable in college for just about any major. Even those opting to study completely different subjects have to do it, and some students even have to face the daunting task of writing a thesis. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of tools and resources to help tackle writing assignments, both on-campus and off.

 

Writing Center

Western’s Writing Center is where students and their work can receive one-on-one attention from tutors that can help with any kind of writing purpose. A full list of their hours, services and contact information can be found at wou.edu/writingctr.

Writer’s Crucible

One of Western’s newest additions, the Writer’s Crucible is a group on campus for regular writers who want to improve their overall writing in an environment of other writers. For more information, contact Natalie Dean at ndean17@wou.edu.

Grammarly

This online tool is a free and simple way to do basic grammar checks while writing any important paper. It’s not necessarily a substitute for proofreading, but it does help eliminate a lot of basic mistakes.

Google Scholar

Tired of having to sort through results on Google to find credible sources? Google Scholar narrows your search to academic and peer reviewed sources only.

Mendeley

This free online tool helps store research and organize papers. It allows users to upload almost any document to use later for reference or storage and even has a bibliography tool.

Writer’s Diet

This quick and easy online tool will analyze a segment of writing and analyze the ways in which it may be too wordy. Students should note, however, that most academic papers tend to score poorly in the abstract nouns section due to the nature of research papers, but it’s a good way to check unnecessary words in the other categories, such as use of adverbs.

Easybib

This online tool is a go-to for many students in creating or learning how to create the different types of citations. Results usually have to be double-checked and occasionally edited, but it creates a good initial framework either way for creating citations.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo by Rebecca Meyers

How to make gluten-free teriyaki chicken with ramen noodles

Morgan Taylor | Freelancer

A simple recipe that can easily be altered to your liking, this dish is full of hidden vegetables and can basically be made with any that are on hand. Also, if gluten-free isn’t your thing, this recipe works with any type of instant ramen noodles as a cheap and fast alternative.

 

TERIYAKI CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES WITH RAMEN NOODLES

Start to finish: 40 minutes

Servings: About 4 portions

 

Ingredients:

2 medium-to-large chicken breasts

1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil

Poultry seasoning — a few pinches

1 medium onion — sliced

1 yellow pepper — sliced

1 orange pepper — sliced

1 ½ cups of snap peas

2 cups of cabbage (pre-shredded works)

2 minced garlic cloves

3 packs of gluten-free ramen noodles

3 cups of water

3-4 tablespoons of gluten-free teriyaki sauce

 

Instructions:

Chop up chicken into either strips or chunks, using a separate cutting board for the raw chicken, and slice onions.

Heat up oil in wok or large pan on medium-high heat and then add chicken, onions and garlic. Season chicken with poultry seasoning. Cook until chicken turns white on the outsides.

Add half of the teriyaki sauce. Simmer until caramelized.

Reduce to medium heat. Add peppers and snap peas. Cook for about one minute.

While the peppers cook, begin to boil water in separate pot. Add noodles in and cook for approximately 2 minutes. Separate noodles with fork as it cooks.

Drain noodles and add to stir fry. Add cabbage and the remaining teriyaki sauce. Cook for one minute.

Serve and enjoy.

 

Contact the author at  mrtaylor14@wou.edu

Photo by Morgan Taylor

Spring festivals and events near Western

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

One reason spring is so great is that it feels like a build up to summer festivities and outdoor activities. As the sun starts to come out, so do many of the annual events near Western. Almost all of them occur on the weekends, making them fairly accessible to students. Here’s a short list of upcoming events to get you started when festival season starts to roll around.

 

Food Truck Frenzy:

Put on by the Willamette Humane Society, this pet-friendly event featuring music, food and drinks will be happening this May.

Date: May 17

Address: 4246 Turner Rd SE, Salem

 

Willamette Valley Wine Festival:

This is an event held on the Salem riverfront, a beautiful place during the spring. The Willamette Valley Wine Festival is a great chance to enjoy one of the Willamette Valley’s famous products, and a great chance to support local businesses while enjoying Salem in springtime.

Date: May 19

Address:  Riverfront City Park: 200 Water St SE, Salem

 

Portland Rose Festival:

Nothing says spring like a festival celebrating flowers. The Rose City’s annual Rose Festival is one of it’s most famous events, located in downtown Portland near the riverfront.

Date: Begins May 24

Address: Tom McCall Waterfront Park: 98 SW Naito Pkwy, Portland

 

Canby Wine, Food and Brew Fest:

Part of Clackamas County’s annual Fair and Rodeo, this Canby festival at the Clackamas County fairgrounds is another great event for experiencing the Willamette Valley’s signature tastes. While you’re at it, you can also experience a classic county fair rodeo.

Date: May 31

Address: 694 NE 4th Ave, Canby

 

Oregon Renaissance Fair:

Period costumes, music, vendors and entertainment are all part of Canby’s annual Renaissance fair. This event will be happening two weekends, so there’s two chances to experience this medieval Scotland inspired festival.

Date: June 8-9, 15-16

Address: 694 NE 4th Ave, Canby

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

A checklist to complete before graduation

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

Graduation is looming, and so is DegreeWorks’s infinite checklist. Hopefully by the time the cap and gown go on, all items will be checked off and Western seniors will have the all-clear for graduation. However, there are other important things to do before leaving Western that won’t show up on Portal:

 

Get pictures with friends that are moving away — or, with friends who will be staying if you’re the one leaving. If not, you might reach the end of graduation and realize you don’t have momentos of all the people who helped you make good memories during your time at Western.

 

Ask for some letters of recommendation from your favorite professors or staff. Many are happy to help you take your next step towards a career, and most jobs will require a letter or two. It’s also an opportunity to thank them for their help over the years, or even just one term.

 

Study hard and go out on a good note. This may already be a given for some, but everyone has a rough term or two. Think of the satisfaction that would come with walking across the stage after earning some of your best grades ever.

 

Start networking. Some of the best job hunting resources in your field can come from people who either have been or are going into the same one. Some professors know of good resources or people to contact to start the job hunt, and keeping in touch with classmates and keeping each other updated can bring up different opportunities.

 

Take senior photos. Whether professional or casual with a friend and a smartphone, senior photos are a great way to mark a milestone and will be fun to look back on in a few years.

 

Take full advantage of Western’s resources. Right now, things like Hamersley Library – full of free information, the Health and Counseling Center with its health resources, and the Health and Wellness Center with its fitness facilities are all available to students. A lot of those benefits will go away after commencement, so take advantage of them while you can.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo by Caity Healy

Where to host graduation parties in Monmouth and Independence

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

Graduation is quickly approaching, and so are the ideas of how to celebrate graduation. Many students have some sort of celebration outside of commencement.

These much anticipated graduation party plans can be made more difficult by the fact that a large number of students live in small, shared apartments, dorms or rooms rented out by families. Additionally, some students have the complication of having to move out of said dwelling right around graduation time, leaving them with no location to host any kind of party. Fortunately, there are a number of places available for rent around Monmouth and Independence perfect for hosting graduation festivities.

 

Main Street Park

One of the closest options to campus, Main Street Park is located in downtown Monmouth and offers a spacious lawn perfect for a picnic party. The proximity to various restaurants and shops means there will be no shortage of food or refreshments. According the city’s website, the fee depends on the size of the event and reservations can be made by calling the City Recorder at (503) 751-0145.

 

Riverview Park

For another outdoor option, Riverfront park is another great location located in downtown Independence. The river right next to the park and the walking trails nearby add to the outdoorsy summer feel in warm weather. The application, which also contains pricing and available hours, can be found at ci.independence.or.us/recreation/riverview-park.

 

The Gentle House

Located on campus, the Gentle House grounds is an outdoor venue that offers some privacy from public spaces. Western students and alumni can also enjoy a 10% discount on the reservation fees, which can be found at wou.edu/gentlehouse.

 

Jubilee

For a smaller gathering, consider Independence’s dessert bar Jubilee and its reservable private back room. More information and reservation booking can be found at 296 S Main St, Independence, OR.

 

Fee Mail Depot

Many students know this located for shipping out textbooks rented online, but this location also has an outdoor patio space that can hold around 40 people. The base price for this venue is $100 for about four hours, but the business will cut that price in half if you rent your decorations from them as well.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo by Caity Healy

Four tips for making the summer job search easier

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

Summer: it makes people excited for festivals, activities and sunshine. In an ideal world, we would get to enjoy all of these things free from other worries. Unfortunately, the little matter of money often gets in the way, and many students will be hunting for an income to fund such activities. While the task of finding one can be daunting, there are a few steps to make the process easier.

First, consider how long you’ll need your summer job. If it’s just needed for the summer because you have one to go back to in the fall, there will likely be more jobs because seasonal or temp jobs are an option. If not, consider looking for one with flexible hours. That way, if you want to work some extra hours during the summer and back when school starts, you can still make some extra cash as well as pay all the bills.

Next, use all available online resources such as Indeed, LinkedIn and Handshake on Portal so that there’s multiple options to choose from. Also, be sure to check the posting dates as well as the start dates, instead of filling out a dozen applications when some might not even be available.

Putting together an availability list and preferred hours will also help speed up the process, as it will come up in some applications or interviews. It will also make you consider what kind of schedule you want after considering all factors. If you’re unsure of these and you tell the manager this, you might end up working much less or more than you would like.

If you decide to go the old school route and check in in person with places that might be hiring, have resumes ready to go and turn in. Some places will just take a resume and not require an application, and getting as many resumes out there will increase the chance of a call back.

Additionally, Western has its own resources for job hunting, the main one being the Service Learning and Career Development Center. Heather Duncan of the SLCD gave some advice on students on a job hunt.

“Definitely make a Handshake account, as that’s our main platform for listing jobs, internships, and volunteer opportunities,” Duncan said. “It’s the most convenient place to find something.” Duncan also advised that “It’s always best to ask if you’re having trouble finding something that interests you.”

The SLCD will be open and offering services such as resume reviews up until the end of Spring Term. They are located in room 119 in the Werner University Center.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo by Caity Healy

Where to go whale watching on the coast

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

During spring, there’s yet another reason to visit the Oregon coast: you might see a whale or two. Migratory patterns bring a few different species, such as gray whales, blue whales and humpback whales up the coast of the Pacific Northwest, according to the Oregonian. As a result, there’s a chance they can be seen at just about any point along the coast. Some places, however, are better than others. Here are just a few places to look out for whales when visiting the coast this spring.

 

Depoe Bay – Just south of Lincoln City, Depoe Bay is home to the Whale Watch Center and is considered the whale watching capital of Oregon.

Address: 119 US-101, Depoe Bay, OR

Price: Free

 

Yaquina Head – Located in Newport, home of the Oregon Coast Aquarium and two different lighthouses, Yaquina Head lighthouse is one of the prime places to spot whales.

Address: 750 NW Lighthouse Dr, Newport, OR

Price: $7 for day pass, $15 for annual pass

 

Cape Perpetua – Near Yachats on the central Oregon Coast, the scenic Cape Perpetua is another great lookout.

Address: 2400 US-101, Yachats, OR (Visitor center)

Price: $5 parking

 

Cape Kiwanda – Pacific City’s picturesque natural area, Cape Kiwanda, is just over an hour from Western.

Address: Cape Kiwanda Dr, Pacific City, OR

Price: Free

 

Ecola State Park – The farthest north, Ecola State Park is not just  good whale watching spot, but is also near attractions such as Cannon Beach and Seaside.

Address: 84318 Ecola Park Road, Seaside, Cannon Beach, OR

Price: $5

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo by Rebecca Meyers

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