Mount Hood

How to prosper at your next interview

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

Tuition, rent, utilities, groceries, internet — this just names a few of the necessary bills that many students pay consistently while trying to make being a student their priority. It’s no wonder that for some, getting a job is an unavoidable demand.

Being in a small town, it can be difficult to find work that will match all of your needs. However, it’s not impossible.

To get the opportunity to work, most times you’ll have to provide a resume, and often a cover letter, that can properly reflect who you are. When writing your resume, make sure that it is formatted in a way that will reduce the work for the person hiring you. Pick a font size that is easy to read and, likewise, pick a font that isn’t too decorative.

If you don’t have lengthy job experience, don’t let this deter you from providing a resume; name your accomplishments and volunteer experience, as well — but make sure what you mention will impress the right people. Whatever you emphasize should match the job you are applying for. Once everything is written out, try keeping it to one page.

Once you have the first draft of your resume written out, head to the Service Learning and Career Development office in the Werner University Center for further advice. There, they’ll provide help with editing, connect you to jobs, provide career advice and can even hold mock interviews. Allow them to look over your resume, and grab a handout that can point out every aspect that should be included. Make sure that your resume matches all the necessary requirements, and then include it while applying for jobs.

If all goes well, and the hiring managers are impressed with your application and/or resume, you may be called back for an interview. This is where you’ll make a real impression on the people you’ll potentially be working with; take advantage of it. Dress a step up from the job you are applying for. Always look put-together, wrinkle-free and bear a welcoming a smile that will make your interviewer feel comfortable, as well — remember, in many cases, they’re just as nervous as you are.

Basic tips for interviews include, “look them in the eye, and don’t deadfish them”, as noted by junior psychology major Kaylee DeBolt. Maintaining eye contact creates mutual respect, and a firm handshake is an impressive and necessary factor to most interviews.

Finding work, especially in a college town, is not always an easy task. Making use of the services at Western such as SLCD, can help ease that burden. Take advantage of it.

 

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

The importance of a full night’s rest

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

“I maybe get five hours a night,” commented first-year pre-nursing major Stephanie Oseguera. “I feel really good in the mornings and then I just crash.”

This problem amongst students at Western is all too prevalent. With seemingly never-ending to-do lists and countless responsibilities, sleep can often fall to the back burner. Priorities are made and, for many, getting to bed on time isn’t one of them. Making this a part of your routine is far more than a nasty habit; it’s detrimental to your health.

Short-term sleep deprivation has many negative consequences: drowsiness, forgetfulness, high anxiety, high irritability and decreased awareness are among the few. Regularly having nights of poor sleep, though, will do far more than the simple next day irritability.

Without proper sleep, you’re putting yourself at risk for problems such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes. It’s not just a want — getting a full night’s sleep is essential to living a full and healthy life.

According to a study done at Stanford University, the average sleep requirement for college students is well over eight hours. So, if you have an 8 a.m. class, and want to get up at least an hour before — which will also help you feel more awake and energized during class — you’ll want to be asleep by 11 p.m.

While getting to bed on time is definitely a good start, you’ll want to make sure that you’re actually getting a full night’s rest, rather than being fitful and never actually getting deep sleep. In order to do this, there are some simple steps to follow.

Do not drink caffeinated beverages four to six hours before you head to bed: no late night lattes, energy drinks, soda or even drinks such as green tea. Simply enjoy those well before bedtime.

Next — and this one is often the hardest for many — create a sleep schedule and stick to it. Unfortunately, this also includes your weekends. While it may be tempting to stay up until 3 a.m. when you know you have no responsibilities the next morning, you’re setting yourself up for failure when Monday morning rolls around. Do yourself a favor, and attempt to stick to a similar schedule everyday.

Put away all your electronic devices 30 minutes before bed; Instagram will still be there in the morning, you can check it after sending your Snapchat streaks when you get up the next day. It can wait. Dedicate those 30 minutes in bed before sleeping to unwind, relax and let your mind shut-off.

In the end, we are still human beings. Sometimes, those late night homework sessions are unavoidable. The best thing you can do to deal with sleep deprivation the next day is to make sure to stay fueled up and hydrated. Give yourself some breaks during the day. If possible, take a very brief nap. Make sure you aren’t napping too long though, or you’ll be stuck in the same cycle tomorrow.

 

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Eating gourmet from a mug

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

Whether you’re an on-campus student with the desire to stay in dorm or an off-campus student on a time crunch, or you’re simply out of clean dishes, now’s your chance to practice creating these microwave masterpieces.

What’s better than a meal in a mug? It’s effortless to eat while binging Netflix in bed, or perfect if you’re on the go. Made with ingredients that are cheap and easy to keep in a mini-fridge, these recipes are foolproof for any student.

Photo by Caity Healy

Simple Scramble

Crack 2 eggs into a mug. Add about 1 tablespoon of milk and stir. Microwave for 1 minute. Add any toppings you would like — cheese is a must — and cook for another 30 to 60 seconds. Season with salt and pepper.

Inspired by a recipe found on spoonuniversity.com

Photo by Caity Healy

Straightforward French Toast

Mix ¼ cup milk, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, cinnamon and 1 egg in a mug. Take 1 slice of bread, butter 1 side if possible and rip it into bite size pieces. Submerge this in the egg mix. Microwave for 2 minutes, pausing every 30 seconds. Allow to sit 1 minute before eating. Optional: add chocolate chips for a really sweet treat.

Inspired by a recipe found on prettyprudent.com

Photo by Caity Healy

Manageable Mac n’ Cheese

Put ½ cup of macaroni noodles in a mug and pour in about 1 cup of water. Microwave for  8 minutes, checking every couple of minutes, until the noodles are soft. Add ½ cup of a cheese of your choice to the mug while there’s still a small amount of water. Heat for another minute, and stir until the cheese is melted.

Inspired by a recipe found on madebymonique.com

Photo by Caity Healy

Cheap Chocolate Cake

Purchase 1 box of chocolate cake mix. Take out about 2 tablespoons and mix with 2 tablespoons of soda — cola or cream soda are recommended — and microwave for 60 to 90 seconds. Weird, I know, but I promise it works. Plus, you can save the rest of the cake mix for a future mug cake.

Inspired by a recipe found on spoonuniversity.com

 

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Dear Ezi

Dear Ezi,


I’m a freshman here at Western and I was really blasé with how I dressed in high school. I am kinda working on doing a bit of a makeover! Any tips?

-New Year, New Me

Dear New Year, New Me,

 

First, it’s so great to be back and writing these! Now your Q: you should not change yourself a ton, be who you are and be proud of that! There is only one you and they are wonderful!

When revamping one’s style, one should always make sure one is comfortable and happy with it! With fall coming, scarves and sweaters are always a win; also cute layers work wonderfully! When slayage time is here, serve it queen! Serving it is all about confidence; half of the time I only look good because what I’m wearing is a ton of confidence! Make sure you keep a good balance in your style. Try something new from time to time, but keep it practical! Don’t go too crazy — leave that for us drag queens!

 

Slay it gurl!

XO Esmeralda

 

Got a question that you’re dying to ask Ezi? Send them to chealy16@wou.edu.

New food truck adds variety to Monmouth

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

Once the summer heat began to subside and students made their way back to Western, they were given a warm welcome with a sweet treat. Just down the road from campus, off the side of Main St., sits a soon-to-be student favorite: Bobablastic. Serving everything from boba tea to spaghetti and meatballs, the small truck could satisfy any craving.

With locations in Portland and Aloha, Oregon, as well as Vancouver, Washington, the restaurant wisely decided to open up shop just a block away from Western; students undeniably appreciated the proximity.

“I think it’s a good location,” commented junior exercise science major Joely Yaptangco. “There’s not a lot of good options in Monmouth (for) people who don’t have cars and it’s walking distance.”

With this newly added eatery, students now have another option to add to their list of ways to satisfy hunger. Offering numerous flavors, a wide menu, competitive prices and fairly quick service, there’s no reason not to give it a try. So, once you find time for a study break, make a quick trip to Bobablastic and indulge yourself in Monmouth’s newest tasteful addition.

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Searching for love at Western

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

It’s that time of year again; the sound of leaves crunching is all around, the smell of pumpkin spice brewing is strong and the breeze of crisp Monmouth air is making it just cool enough to throw on our beanies and scarves. That’s right: cuffing season is officially in full swing.

For those who are unaware, cuffing season is when, as Urban Dictionary defines it, “people who would normally rather be single or promiscuous find themselves, along with the rest of the world, desiring to be ‘cuffed,’ or tied down by a serious relationship. The cold weather and prolonged indoor activity causes singles to become lonely and desperate to be cuffed.”

So, essentially, it’s the time of year when everyone begins keeping their eye out for their next one true love.

Students at Western are no exception to this season; like all others, we have that desire to find someone to spend the holiday season with.

For your benefit I am using my platform to provide advice from one student to another on how to find the right one just in time for sweater weather and snuggle season.

What better way to make that great first romantic impression than to take the leap and ask them to go on a date with you?  Courage goes a long way; oftentimes, the other person will be impressed with the forwardness that it takes to do such a thing. Be careful and make sure to do this in a polite way.

Junior Bailey Thompson, language arts education major, noted that you should “not yell at the person while you’re driving past them in your car,” as nobody appreciates being cat-called. Additionally, Thompson mentioned that, “if someone has avoided you on multiple occasions, take the hint.” Be respectful of their answer, and simply find someone else.

However, you can’t plan that perfect date until you find the perfect person to ask out. In order to do that, you have to know where to look.  

In response to where she recommends looking for dates, sophomore criminal justice major Emily McKnight commented, “I feel like nowadays, it’s all social media.” Meanwhile, McKnight notes that if she were to approach someone in person, she “wouldn’t even know what to say.” So, if you want to avoid that awkwardness, simply head to Tinder, Instagram, Twitter or any other form of social media to find your ideal cuffing season date.

If all else fails, there’s no need to be discouraged. Because when in doubt, everyone falls for a good pick up line, right? Here are some suggestions:

“I wanna live in your socks so I can be with you every step of the way.”

“Are you a fruit? Because Honeydew you know how fine you look right now?”

And last, but not least, a personal favorite: “Are you a beaver? ‘Cause dam.”

With that, I say goodbye and best of luck to you on your cuffing season search.

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Getting festive for fall

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

With the start of the new term, the leaves are taking on various shades of reds, oranges and browns as they slowly flutter from the limbs by which they once hung and make their way to the ground. Fall has finally begun and it is time to celebrate.

What better way to do so than to make the place you reside reflect the environment surrounding you? Decorating for autumn is a must this season. Whether you’re living off campus or in a dorm, there’s no reason why you can’t partake in all that the season has to offer. All you have to do is put in a little work to rejoice in the beauty that fall provides.

To get started, you’ll have to purchase or make some decorations. For the best deals, head down to Dallas and take a stroll through Dollar Tree — believe it or not, their options are abundant. Everything from banners, to signs, knick-knacks and garlands are available. While you’re there, you might as well check out Goodwill and Walmart as well, as both provide a large selection of decor to choose from.

If you’re on a tight budget, that’s no reason why you can’t be involved in the fall fun; grab some construction paper, some markers and get crafty. If you happen to have extra jars or cans, cut out some Autumn-colored leaves, and paste them around the outside to create a fall-themed container.

If you aren’t a creative person, that’s okay, too. Just head to Pinterest to develop some lively ideas for creations.

Once you’ve finished making the indoors look as perfect as outdoors, you can finally throw on a sweater and some fuzzy socks, kick back with a cup of coffee or hot cocoa and make the most of the season from wherever you are.

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

 

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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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