Mount Hood

Football championship accused of fraud

Written by: Liberty Miller | Lifestyle Editor

The recent Super Bowl match sparked more controversy than usual under the watchful and neurotic eyes of crazed pop star fans and disillusioned supporters of the sport. While most large, televised matches and championships typically garner a small minority of antagonistic outliers claiming that the competition was “rigged,” or that the referees were bribed to throw the game, the Super Bowl has gained an extreme amount of erratic misinformative hearsay on the topic. 

From the perspective of a non-athlete, it may seem feasible that this could be true, their inside knowledge being collected from viral internet videos like WWE and bad calls from referees. However, as an athlete, this is a gross misconceptualization of the processes behind large professional sports organizations, and it’s disrespectful to everyone involved in the administrative, coaching and athletic process. 

A player from Western’s football team, sophomore linebacker Kenny Brown, chipped in on the situation — “I did think it was super sketchy for a receiver to be left so wide open against one of the best defensive teams in the league, but it’s easy to get lost in the moment. Especially against a quarterback as special as Pat Mahomes. There were a lot of holding calls that went unseen for the Chief’s o-line, but they’ve never been called for holding in a championship game or higher. Which is kind of sketchy, but I thought San Francisco just choked in the end,” Brown said.

Any athlete would recognize that as hard as it is to correctly perform a game plan in a match, it would be even more difficult to maneuver an intricately scripted match. In a way, it would be similar to a dance performance. It’s hard to imagine pulling off a purposefully choreographed performance with five or six people, but illogical to think that is possible on a field with 22 players and six referees, much less on the national stage with a championship ring on the line. At the very least, this line of thinking is rather short-sighted and lacks perspective, and at its worst, it discredits the work of all the athletes and coaches in all teams across the league that compete for the championships, as well as disregards the administrative staff, trainers and other support careers that go into making the championships happen. Coach Cori Metzgar is the director of sports performance at Western, and had a few things to say about how these theories affect the people involved. “It completely discredits all the hard work they do, they put in so much effort, time and energy to be the best, I believe it makes a joke of all they do, which is the opposite of what they are. As a strength coach myself, if someone accused me of cheating or scripting the outcome of our season, I’d feel hurt and disrespected because I spend the majority of my life with the sole purpose of getting my athletes ready to compete at the highest level they can.” 



Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Pets of the paper

Written by: Taylor Duff | Staff Writer

At the Western Howl, we love many things from spicy chips, Dutch Bros, to Harry Styles and especially our Pets. 

Gretchen Sims, our Editor-in-Chief, has Leon, a cat, who is the king of Grinch toes and has never worked a hard day in his life. One of Gretchen’s family dogs is a female Lab/Pit mix named Wehya. She’s not hungry, despite what those eyes may suggest.

Ruth Simonsen, our digital media manager, has a Mixed Bombay Cat named Okra who isn’t very bright but is more than capable of choosing violence at three in the morning. 

Libby Thoma, one of our Staff Writers, had Sam, an Anatolian Shepherd who enjoyed protecting, herding and being a big boy — he will be missed forever. Libby also has Ginny, her orange meowing cat whom she considers her therapy pal. 

Jaylin Hardin, our Sports Editor, has two cats: Winnie, a tabby cat, and Samwise, an orange cat. Winnie likes to bite toes, meow for food to be filled even when it’s halfway full and gobble and shred cardboard boxes. Samwise is so chubby that the floorboards under him creak. 

Sierra Porter, another one of our Staff Writers at the Howl, has a tabby named Jake, who would kill anyone to have fried chicken, and Blaze, a border collie with pretty brown eyes–the biggest snuggle bug ever, but forcibly places her toys between your legs so that you have play with her. 

Addie Floyd, our Head Designer, has Kalypso, a lab mix wolf. She’s a ten-year-old princess. She thinks it’s funny to snap at her other dog siblings. Addie also has Mars, an orange tabby cat who is in love with Kalypso. He gives Kalypso back massages. When he’s not giving Kyp back massages, he is sneaking out and taking bus rides to the town over with homeless people. He no longer sneaks out; instead, he has a secure catio mounted to Addie’s window. 

Quinlan Wedge is our Photo Editor and has Squid, Scout and Harper. Squid is a black cat about one and a half, a cunning demon and a perfect angel. Likes to frighten people and sits outside the shower. Adores everyone, adores food, enjoys chaos and adores cuddling in warm and cozy blankets. Scout is a 13ish-year-old Akita dog and is an elderly woman who is full of kisses. Lastly is Harper, a Saint Bernard, the legendary golden child, age six, who was abandoned by a breeder because she was too “fugly” to produce offspring.

Claire Philips is our Entertainment Editor at the Howl and has Finn and Clementine. Finn has a smart aura and an underbite that fascinates everyone. You, the couch, the walls and anything close to him will all be licked by him. He’s got all the answers, even how to make things slobbery. She also has Farley, who is afraid of his own shadow, loves to collect sweaters and can clear a dish of food like it’s no big deal. Then, there is Fiona, a country girl at heart who is only frightened of the car. She will make friends with all animals, regardless of whether it means carrying toads in her mouth. If you don’t glance at Clementine for ten seconds, she’ll yell at you. She’ll get furious with you if you don’t feed her within five minutes and meet the stereotype of the orange cat. 

Lili Minato, our fantastic Freelancer at the Howl, has Polly, her black cat. She’s about twelve and is extremely petty but also a knowledgeable old woman.

Hannah Field, our News Editor, has Lucy and Lily. Lucy is a grouchy, irritable, blind and deaf elderly woman who will also urinate on the carpet and cry out for help. Lily is a Chihuahua-Pinscher mix, who loves attention and has a fear of everything. She avoids the water. Kittens terrify her. She’s just scared. 

Liberty Miller, our Lifestyle Editor, has Cooper, a Purebred Aussie whom she claims is a felon — taken into custody for attempted murder and violence. Liberty claims Copper ran over my mother several times with just his body — a weight of 100 pounds — in all. He sports a blue eye known to us as, “The Crazy Eye.” He attacked me and several others, as evidenced by numerous videos. He’s big, fluffy and lethal. Liberty also has Lexi, who is the complete opposite of Cooper. She is a princess, head of the household and head of the global administration. She’s sassy and spotted, exquisite and flawless. 

Sophie is one of the Designers at the Western Howl and has a five-year-old Chico, also known as Cheeks, Chubbo, Chico Pants or Chico Pantalones, who is a West Highland terrier. Because he often curls up in the nook of our armchairs, we refer to him as our “armchair dog.” He is upset with the groomers, which is why he has a cut on his tongue. He notably dislikes Snoop Dogg and watches television. A true fatty, she also has an eleven-year-old Australian poodle Alex, also known as AlexBoBalex, who adores cheese. She loves strangers and my mom but hates the rest of the family. 

Lastly, there is me, Taylor Duff, a Staff Writer here at the Western Howl, and I have Bella and Cuba. Bella is my lazy half-English half-American bulldog who gives me a lot of attitude and is a real bed hog. Cuba is a half-Siberian Husky and half-Alaskan Malamute, is huge and thinks he’s a lap dog. He also loves to sing his people’s songs.   





Contact the author at: tduff23@mail.wou.edu

What do you choose for yourself

Written by: Jaylin Hardin | Sports Editor

The world is rife with standards and expectations set upon people to act and look a certain way. With social media, these end up following us everywhere: our homes, work and into academic spheres — even the classroom is not safe from the barrage of content that tells us we have to be a certain way.

Men and women are expected to align themselves with society’s views on what defines their gender. Women have to be conventionally attractive and must always perform — for men and women alike. Men have to be masculine and never show their emotions, even if their world is falling apart.

The divide goes as far as men and women having different vocabularies to describe them. A man is strategic, a woman is calculated. A man can react, but a woman can only overreact. If a man has a high body count, he’s a player. If a woman has a high body count, she’s a s–t. If a man drinks a lot, he’s an alcoholic. If a woman drinks a lot, she’s a party girl. 

But these double standards and expectations are just as drastic when it comes to hair color or even age. If you’re a blonde, you’re dumb. If you’re ginger, you must be feisty. Young people must respect our elders, but they don’t have to respect us because they’re so much older and “wiser.”

Existing is impossible. In your twenties, it’s exhausting to try and be what everyone else wants you to be, while also trying to figure yourself out. You can’t be too loud or take up too much space, because “young people these days just don’t know how to act anymore.”

Who else is tired? Because I am. Even our generation has too many expectations for ourselves, and we are often seen as the generation that is breaking the mold.

Are you low visual or high visual weight? Are you fox or bunny pretty? Are you a clean girl or a dirty girl? Try this protein powder, it’s to die for. If you like this product you must be weird, because only weird people like it.

Even clothing trends and accessories cause a stir nowadays. If anyone wears a band shirt, they have to name three songs or all the members of said band. 

For example, I once wore a Led Zeppelin shirt to class, and someone asked me to name five songs, even though they didn’t even know who Led Zeppelin was. The dude thought they were a 2000s band. But why did he expect me to know? Because if I didn’t, that made me a fake fan, someone who was just wearing the shirt for the trend.

Even industries have different standards for the people within. Female nurses are so awesome because they’re taking care of people, but male nurses? They must not be smart enough to be a doctor. A woman in STEM? You must be joking, women aren’t smart enough.

The internet is just full of other people’s opinions and standards for how people should be, and we follow these trends. Why?

Psychologist, Robert Cialidini, says that people use heuristics, or mental shortcuts, to navigate their lives. According to him, people often use one heuristic when making decisions: “popular is good.” Humans are social — in our past we used groups to survive. 

“For an individual joining a group, copying the behavior of the majority would then be a sensible, adaptive behavior. A conformist tendency would facilitate acceptance into the group and would probably lead to survival if it involved the decision, for instance, to choose between a nutritious or poisonous food, based on copying the behavior of the majority,” Julia Coultas said, a researcher at the University of Essex. 

We, as humans, have the basic survival drive to follow and belong to a group. We want to feel like we belong to that group, even at the harm of someone who is an “outsider.”

One example of this — and not to be that person who always talks about Taylor Swift — is seen in the clash between fans of Swift — Swifties — and fans of the NFL or Kanye West. The majority of Swifties keep to themselves and often do not say anything bad about other fanbases or celebrities, with the exception of the occasional mention of “what the f**k is Kanye doing?” Fans of West and the NFL? They consistently drag Swifties, even if they simply like Swift’s music.

This is consistent throughout fanbases and other groups of society. One person from one group does not like someone or something, or they behave a certain way and the majority of the group they are in follows. This is seen in athletics, book clubs and even friend groups. If someone doesn’t meet the standards or expectations of a certain group, then there is something wrong with them.

So what then? What do we do? Do we try to change society? Well, yes and no.

Society and humans are not intrinsically bad. We adapt to cooperate in society and the groups we choose. As we change, so does society. It becomes more accepting, more cooperative with one another and with diversity. But still, how do we center ourselves in the world of beauty standards and consumerism?

The best advice I can offer to break from what society expects of us is music. Music feeds our souls, it feeds our minds. Sounds are steadily connected to our memories and can trigger emotions within us when we have those neural connections. The sound of a drill at the dentist might give you anxiety. A river rushing by might bring you peace. This is what you are taking control of from society: what sounds and music trigger what emotions and feelings within you. Society and its dumb expectations cannot take that away from you.

The world around you might be loud, but take a moment. Listen. What’s there for you under the screams of expectations and standards? A birdsong, perhaps. On campus, I often hear the squirrels barking at each other, a “muk-muk” sound if you will. 

You pay attention to what you hear, not what you are told to hear.

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

The death of creative writing

Written by: Gretchen Sims | Editor in Chief

Writing for fun is something that many of us have dabbled in sometime in our lives; though, for most, this hobby may have died off early on. However, as someone who entered college with a love of the written form of the English language, I have had the unique experience of watching the suffocation of creativity — while even my love and passion were slowly drained. 

While school itself can be draining, a unique phenomenon to higher education is the smothering of the creative spark. Many students leave college burnt out and reject the creative practices they once engaged fervently in.

I have not seen more stifling of creativity than in creative writing classes. One would think that this is where a student’s passion for writing would be encouraged or nurtured, but this could not be further from the truth.

I hate to say this, but it is an honest observation: professors, while they are the experts, think too highly of themselves and their work. They neglect the fact that each student will have their own style and writing process. Creative writing should be just that, but many professors force students to conform to their specific style of writing — glazing over the fact that, perhaps, their style is not the only one. 

Each student brings their own context and unique experiences into a writing class. This affects the way they tackle the project and, more importantly, shapes their writing. Professors also have their context and experiences, however, going to grad school does not automatically make their context more important. 

I have not been in a creative writing class where the professor encourages students, through their actions, to be creative with their writing — all assignments, if you want to do well, have to be written in the style and method that the professor, while often unstated, desires.

This is enough to kill even the most passionate student’s love of writing. When professors cram students into boxes, they become mindless robots, typing away on lifeless pages: this is a phenomenon I have seen far too often. 

This is not something unique to the Western writing department. Anywhere art is taught, creativity tends to be stippled out of students. By placing a grade — level of worth — onto a creative piece, the student gets a measure of “how good” they are. This can lead students, who do not conform to the professor’s idealistic standard of said art form, to become disheartened and lose passion for that which they once loved. 

Contact the author at howleditorinchief@wou.edu

Tiktoks don’t belong in film

Written by: Lili Minato | Freelancer

Content warning: this article contains spoilers 

The original song “Sexy” starts to play as Karen Shetty — played by Avantika — appears on the screen to record a TikTok about Halloween. As she ends her video, multiple other tiktokers appear on screen singing the same song. A collage of vertical videos fills the large movie theater screen, complete with off-brand heart, share and comment emoticons inspired by the social media app. 

The film’s desired effect of relatability does not occur as the audience is vocally taken aback. The implementation of social media apps in films created by an older generation for a younger audience often does not have the desired effect on audiences. 

This trend has been prominently used in coming-of-age Netflix movies for an indulgent audience, with the hopes that it will convince children and teens alike to relate to their poorly written main characters. Now, this idea has infected the big screen. 

Ironically, the recent “Mean Girls” musical — which has been even more popularized through TikTok — has tried and failed to cater to the youth of today. While having a good chance of being a decent film, the consistent usage of social media caused the downfall of the musical. 

Hailee Carmody — a sophomore at Western — shares her opinion on the matter, “I think it (TikToks) takes you out of the movie quite a bit, especially when the phone frames the scene,” Carmody said.

Later in the film, TikToks are used once again to show the spread of Regina George’s downfall. In the clips of students sharing their grievances against George, tiktokers and celebrities — like Megan Thee Stallion — appear on screen as well. 

This causes shock within the audience — whether it be negative or positive. Carmody related to the former option, “Including tiktokers is more promotion (for the film) and I think they added nothing to the story, they were just a face,” stated Carmody.

The TikTokers that were included are popular on TikTok but outside of social media, they don’t have much of an impact on viewers. It’s simply another half-hearted attempt to relate to the target audience of teenagers.

Social media and film are the oil and vinegar of media, they never mix well. The off-brand icons and the internet slang age movies and take audiences out of the watching experience. 

Instead of its intended use of relatability, TikTok turns good films into tacky, laughable cash grabs with little substance.

Contact the author at lminato22@mail.wou.edu

Valentine’s day is for your friends

Written by: Hannah Field | News Editor

You’re in elementary school again — nearing the final stretch of winter — it’s cold and gray outside, typical of February weather. Inside the school, however, it’s warm and cozy, with heart streamers dangling from the walls and artwork on the whiteboards. The students’ cubbies are packed with cardstock and goodie bags, a reflection of the Valentine’s Day cheer.

The holiday isn’t as easily understood by children, who have no experience with romance and its faults. They have yet to learn the cost of an expensive dinner or the difficulties of planning a perfect excursion — they haven’t had to worry about finding that flawless gift for your soulmate or even how to find a soulmate in the first place. To the children, the holiday is about candy, the color pink and friendship.

For these kids, Valentine’s Day will likely flip, the way it has for many adults, and turn into a pro-corporation, anti-single-person, couple-schmoozing money pit. Couples are expected to blow hundreds on extravagant presents, maybe even some diamond rings, and spending Valentine’s Day alone usually culminates in classic movie reruns and ice cream on the couch — Titanic, anyone?

Nobody can really be blamed for sighing at the sight of dozens of flower vendors standing on street corners during February, trying to finesse desperate men into overpriced bouquets. More than half of American adults think that Valentine’s Day isn’t a “real special occasion” and it ranks low — if not lowest — on the list of top ten favorite holidays nationwide.

Truly, how many people outright say that Valentine’s Day is their favorite holiday?

I do. Valentine’s Day, for as long as I can remember, began years ago as an event built off of love, kindness and acceptance. I was excited to appreciate my friends and classmates — and it only grew with me. I love gathering my friends and baking with them or for them, offering little gifts to showcase my respect for them. If they’re single, I make a note to do it in a more significant fashion. I try to tip waiters who work on Valentine’s Day more; I try to say “I love you” to people who don’t hear it as often as they should. 

We’ve long since lost sight of what we practiced in elementary school, blinded by money and out-doing other couples. At its core, Valentine’s Day should just be about love and peace — not competition.

Reminder: men like flowers too — they’re just waiting to be asked.

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Love me, love me not

Written by:  Sierra Porter | Staff Writer

Regardless if one has been with their significant other for six months or six years — or even if you have a little crush on someone — you can test your compatibility with some simple questions. Believe it’s meant to be? Test it: 

Q1: What is your significant other’s spirit animal?

Q2: If it was possible to see any artist for free, who would they see?

 

Q3: Chocolate or vanilla? 

Q4: What snack would they sneak into the movie theaters? 

Q5: What is the best memory between you two?

Contact the author at howlstaffwriter@wou.edu

Stop pit bull hate and discrimination

Written by: Sierra Porter | Staff Writer

Dogs have been man’s best friend for hundreds of years, but when it comes to pit bulls and bullies, they’ve come to accumulate some of the worst reputations among all dog breeds. 

Pit bulls and bull-mixed breeds make up over 50% of the canines in pounds. The misunderstood breed is most often overlooked and left sitting in the cages watching their fellow dogs get chosen over them repeatedly. Out of the 1.2 million dogs that are euthanized every year, 40% of them are pit bulls or pit bull mixes. 

Pit bulls are continuously discriminated against, not just in the United States, but all across the world. The United Kingdom enacted  the “Dangerous Dog Act” that bans the breeding, selling or giving away of medium to extra large size dog breeds, including the pit bull and bully. Owners had until Feb. 1, 2023 to register them or be charged with a criminal offense. These dogs are also not allowed in public without a muzzle and lead. Many in the U.S. fear the government will also follow suit and ban these breeds as well. 

The dangerous dog ban garnered an outcry from dog and pit bull lovers all across the world — many citing the defense of animal rights and owner responsibility. 

Pit bulls have been trained to be fighting dogs — emphasis on trained, not born to be. Pit bulls are low maintenance, easy to train, loyal, have large personalities and are known as “nanny dogs” as they have strong instincts to comfort and protect their loved ones. 

84% of these breeds that were reported in dog attacks were also reported being neglected or abused. The behavior of an animal is always a reflection of the owner. 

Common Law rules make owners liable for their animals when they neglect them or know their dog is dangerous but have not attempted to change their behavior. This has not yet encouraged many dog owners to properly train their dogs and 4.5 million people in the U.S. are attacked by dogs every year. Many of these owners face little to no punishment and are often cited with a ticket to pay. In order to really encourage change, there needs to be more severe punishments for neglectful owners where they should face jail time or not be allowed to own any animals again. 

Pit bulls are extremely loyal and intelligent dogs, so consistent, gentle training will ensure a non-aggressive best friend. It’s also essential to get them interacting with animals and humans alike as soon as possible; dogs have a great sense of fear so if one is afraid of allowing them around others, then they will be afraid just the same. Most importantly, before adopting a dog, think about if one has the time and patience to take care of said dog. If one can’t raise a young child, then raising a dog should be out of the question.. 

Pit bulls are living, breathing, loving creatures that deserve a happy and healthy life just like the rest of us. Their loyalty to the human race despite the decades of mistreatment shows these dogs are truly angels. 

Let’s put an end to pit bull discrimination and bring an era of fighting for the rights of our most loyal best friends.

Contact the author at howlstaffwriter@wou.edu

 

Stuffed animal science

Written by: Claire Phillips | Entertainment Editor

Stuffed animals have been a childhood staple since the late 1800s. They provide limitless opportunities for creation and imagination for young minds, in addition to being a soft, cozy toy. The joy plush toys bring to people doesn’t have to be confined to one’s childhood — they can provide psychological assistance throughout your entire life.

For children, stuffed animals are tools that can help regulate tactile sensory skills and act as a “friend” to promote security. Especially for neurodivergent folks, these benefits may carry on into adulthood. However, carrying around a stuffed animal as a twenty-something or above is not as socially accepted as a toddler.

Let’s face it — adults are more likely to have chronic stressors as opposed to adolescents. So what is the harm in practicing whatever self-care skills we can to regulate our mental health? A lot of adults these days, especially college students, could also still learn a thing or two about sensory regulation.

Additionally, the way we play with stuffed animals as a child may play a role in shaping our social and emotional development. Engaging with these toys may help children practice empathy and communication, while providing a safe space for them to express their feelings. These are critical skills that are used in everyday adult life, such as at work, school or in personal relationships.

I’m not looking to start a trend or anything, but it is exciting to watch young adults continue to enjoy things that once made them happy. Jellycats, Squishmallows and those weighted dinosaurs from Target have, in my opinion, been popularized by teenagers and adults more than children — their original intended audience.

The moral of the story is, at the end of the day, if you still love snuggling up with your teddy bear at night, don’t let anyone stop you. Take your favorite soft stuffie to your upcoming doctor’s appointment. Keep a small support friend in your bag for a job interview or a final exam. They are still cheering you on, every step of the way.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Mother v. Mother Earth

Written by: Ruth Simonsen | Digital Media Manager

Content warning: Taylor Swift hater ahead

In 2023, Taylor Swift was the celebrity with the highest carbon emissions for the second year in a row. This is absurd. Of course, these were the same years in which she went on her global Eras tour, which contributed to these massive amounts of carbon emissions. 

While this could constitute a valid excuse, there are many other artists and bands that went on world tours during this time. Foo Fighters, for instance, hit five continents on their world tour, the same amount as Taylor Swift, but their carbon emissions did not even make the 2022–2023 list.

The difference between Taylor Swift and the many other artists who went on tour during these years is the possession of a private jet. Many artists who are going on worldwide tours still need to fly to different countries, but they often use public transportation, while celebrities such as Jay-Z, Kim Kardashian and Travis Scott get around in privately owned jets. 

Taylor Swift also owns not one, but two private jets. This is simply unnecessary. There is no valid reason that anyone should own two private jets, even if they do go on world tours and have a boyfriend in the NFL. 

With a net worth of over one billion dollars and single-handedly costing the earth a vast amount of its health, Taylor Swift needs to change her act. To the public, she preaches global health. 

“Swift’s lyrics frequently reference nature, and she has been a public advocate for several environmental causes, including global clean water access and protecting endangered wildlife,” Forbes quotes. “She also called climate change one of the ‘horrific situations’ plaguing the world.” 

This is insane. No one in their right mind would be supporting ideals like this while also contributing the highest amounts of carbon emissions, approximately 8000 tonnes, out of every celebrity. Some of these trips were for her tour, which could leave room for some justification. Other trips were to see her boyfriend play his sport. Her hypocrisy is baffling.

Instead of contributing to the number one thing that is rapidly killing the earth, she could just watch him play his little game on the television screen like the rest of us. I understand the importance of being a supportive girlfriend, but it should never be at the cost of the planet. 

There are many different, eco-friendly ways of traveling, especially for someone with as much wealth and amenities as Swift. She has thousands of resources at her disposal, all accessible to her through her millions of dollars. It is entirely inexcusable for her to act the way that she is. Change needs to happen, and it can only come about by calling Swift out. 

Instead of discussing her newest revision of her already-made albums with your friends, bring up her lack of care for the environment that we all live in. I promise it will make for an interesting conversation.

Contact the author at howldigitalmediamamager@mail.wou.edu

The dangers of media with young kids

Written by: Claire Phillips | Entertainment Editor

Media consumption in the present day is a major concern for developing adolescents. For pre-teens, especially young girls, social media apps such as TikTok are major sources for the latest trends. However, are they the most accurate sources?

Anyone can be easily influenced by the internet. Short videos and status symbols in the form of consumer items have a knack for drawing attention from the young and old. 

This article is in no way, shape or form meant to shame parents. However, parenting is the cause of many children wanting to grow up quickly. Lack of internet restriction and access to outdoor entertainment may have led to this phenomenon. 

Millennials and older Generation Z alike are stunned at the newest generation’s trends. When you take a closer look, they’re not all that different from what we had — simply in new plastic packaging. 

Older generations were drawn to bright colors and glitter in the ‘90s, 2000s and even into the early 2010s, but Generation Alpha’s draw to pastels and muted colors may have stemmed from their parents — yes, the children of “sad beige” and “millennial gray” parents are growing up, and these parents are enabling their children to engage in dangerous behaviors.

The biggest worry of older generations dealing with the next generation maturing has to do with behavior. Many of these younger kids have exhibited disrespectful behavior when sharing public spaces, especially with those who are older than them.

My advice to anyone who does not identify with Generation Alpha — do not let these kids get under your skin. Some of their critical developmental years were stolen by the pandemic and they have not yet learned their place in the world. They are not yet teenagers — sometimes not even close, so it’s on you at this point if you let them push you around. The internet is not the greatest space to complain, since it has also become the most popular space for Generation Alpha to hang out.

From a psychological standpoint, so much has been stolen from Generation Alpha. Parks are being bulldozed and COVID hurt cognitive development, all while the internet is becoming more accessible every day. Now, it’s up to the older generations to guide and shape the children who will someday be leading us.


Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Domain expansion, Gojo’s international fame

Written by: Liberty Miller | Lifestyle Editor

Anime is a long debated and frequently frowned upon part of society. The dislike of anime stems from certain aspects that are rooted in misogynistic and objectification culture, as well as language barriers and the perception of animated shows being aimed towards younger audiences. 

However, there is a fast-growing population of anime consumers, especially within recent years, that have initiated anime’s mainstream media appearance through viral videos, media and demand. While many shows such as Demon Slayer, Naruto and My Hero Academia have garnered high amounts of publicity and box office appearances, the star of the show is none other than Jujutsu Kaisen — more specifically, Satoru Gojo. 

Jujutsu Kaisen is a shonen anime depicting the journey of Yuuji Itadori — a high school boy who is thrown into the world of curses and jujutsu sorcerers. The series introduces a massive amount of extremely overpowered characters with a wide array of techniques, allegiances and goals. 

One of the biggest talking points of the show is the lack of male fan service. It’s typical for there to be many sexualized female characters in anime series that are aimed to attract male attention. There is a noticeable lack of fan service for female characters, but a new phenomenon has taken place — female fan service. A majority of Jujutsu Kaisen fans are familiar with the superb animation and voice acting of the male characters, namely Kento Nanami, Fushiguro Toji, Ryomen Sukuna and the ever-so-famous Gojo Satoru. 

From figurines and posters to Gojo shrines, drinks and businesses, the blue-eyed, white haired jujutsu sorcerer has captured the hearts of the masses. Gojo Satoru is known in Jujutsu Kaisen as “the strongest” in the anime verse, easily defeating some of the most challenging villains and curses in the first few episodes. He is at the top of the power rankings with a power called the “six-eyes,” a hereditary power that enables him to control and wield cursed energy much better than others. He developed skills such as the reverse cursed technique, which allows him to heal mortal wounds, and “limitless,” which allows him to control space to an extent to which no one can touch him. 

While his powers are unique and the strongest in the series, his looks and personality granted Gojo favoritism and unending support from his fans. With pure white hair, shocking blue eyes and a slight build, as well as a glib, cocky and charismatic demeanor, Gojo Satoru has won the hearts of his fans. Most recently, superstar performer Usher has been selected to perform at the Superbowl. Usher’s hit Hey Daddy — Daddy’s Home — which has reached 123,096,622 streams on Spotify, has been used as a homage to Gojo Satoru within the fanbase. 

A petition on Change.org has collected 36,181 signatures for Usher to perform “Daddy’s Home” in honor of Satoru Gojo, and many fans have taken to TikTok and Instagram comments to appeal to Usher directly. On Jan. 15, Usher posted a Gojo cosplay and earned 9.8 million views as well as 1.4 million likes, his sixth most popular video onTikTok. 

Anime has been discussed before by celebrities such as Michael B. Jordan and Megan Thee Stallion, but Gojo Satoru may have the chance to gain recognition on the NFL stage, making a clear break into mainstream media as a singular character, which would be a notable feat. 

Gojo Satoru has an ever-expanding fanbase that has gained the attention of millions of fans, including celebrities and international figures that will continue to shatter stereotypes and stigma around anime.

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Barbie isn’t what you think

Written by: Libby Thoma | Staff Writer

Barbie, the hot pink movie that made over one billion dollars, made history by “…instantly (becoming) the biggest debut ever for a film directed by a woman.” 

This movie was seen as the feminist movement of the century. It even earned a whopping 88% on rotten tomatoes but controversially, I don’t see it that way. There were many instances within and outside of the movie that diminished the movie’s “feminist” premise entirely. 

Starting with the movie itself, I enjoyed America Ferrara’s speech in the movie, and I thought Barbie’s subjection to the reality of the world — along with its treatment of women — was well put and interesting. I enjoyed the messages of bonding between women, anti-beauty standards, critiques of the patriarchy and more. 

However, I thought these lessons were leveled by two things in particular. The first was how easily and quickly the Barbies fell into patriarchy, and, the second, was how quickly the Kens were able to take over a long laid land of women. 

Although this might not have been the intent, how easily the Barbies were brainwashed portrayed them as ditzy — a stigma that the whole film was trying to fight. I think this sequence made it so that the Barbies were more easily labeled as stupid girls, or as Jo Koy alluded to, “…nothing more than a doll with big boobies,” even though Barbies should be and are so much more than that, especially in the current world. 

Along with this, I can not stand the ending scene where Barbie apologizes to the Kens, where they repeat that not every night has to be girl’s night. 

This is a problem in two ways, firstly, we should not be teaching any girl that a “Ken” has to be included in their safe space, or that Kens have to be included in their private home life at all. Along with this, little girls are already taught to think about and cater to men’s feelings in addition to tending to their own mental health. While men, on the other hand, aren’t. 

As a society, we are trying to step away from this, and the movie did a poor good job of supporting this notion. I understand there may be some deeper meanings to these apologies, and maybe the movie is even trying to show men ‘how it would feel,’ but as a movie that is classically marketed to a younger audience, many may not understand and take this idea of inclusivity and catering to men, to heart — even if that’s not what it’s meant to be. 

All of this also made the movie more so about men than it should have been. I wish the movie would have been more focused on apologizing to and focusing on women, not men. Although I have many complaints about the movie’s lack of feminism, there were still many important parts throughout the movie, which were then diminished multiple times by the Oscars. 

Firstly, there was the joke made by Jo Koy, stating that ‘Oppenheimer’ is based on a 721-page Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Manhattan Project, and ‘Barbie’ is on a plastic doll with big boobies.” 

This joke had many upset, completely ignoring the attempted point of the movie, and broke hearts around the world as many — other than myself — found it to be an important feminist film. 

Another joke Jo Koy made was, “The key moment in ‘Barbie’ is when she goes from perfect beauty to bad breath, cellulite and flat feet. Or what casting directors call character-actor!” 

The whole point of the character Weird Barbie and the transformation of Barbie herself is not to judge other women based on their appearance, and a short bald man commenting on Margo Robbie’s looks is ridiculous either way. 

Maybe Jo Koy should have watched the movie before writing his “jokes,” or maybe he’s just not that funny. 

Finally, Ryan Gosling has spoken out about his win at the Oscars, stating that there would be no Barbie without Greta Gerwig or Margo Robbie, for they were responsible for the film. 

Margo Robbie did not win best actress, even though she and America Ferrara carried that movie, but Ryan Gosling, who should have been a silly addition to the movie, won best actor for it. Absolutely ridiculous. 

In the future, I would like to see a movie solely about empowering women, leaving out ditziness and any apologies to men. Hopefully, when the next major feminist movie comes out, men like Jo Koy — and the other men in our lives — will understand its importance, and maybe the awards will focus on women. 

Contact the author at ethoma23@wou.edu

Where nature and human nature intertwine

Written by: Liberty Miller | Lifestyle Editor

I grew up country. I’m not talking suburban outskirts country, but rather an unincorporated town, population four hundred and twelve, hay bales on the side of the road kind of country. The kind that someone would have to go out of their way to get to. 

Yet, it was within that capsule of limited population and small-town idealism that I got to see the wonder of simplistic living in my backyard. I didn’t grow up with technology, so my days were spent flipping through paperback books, playing outside with my sister and dad and finding any part of the earth to mess with outside. 

We foraged for mushrooms and wild blackberries, or put on big rubber boots and stomped in the mud. We stared up at the sky, rode four-wheelers out in the large, unoccupied field in our backyard and climbed a huge tree with my dad, who built platforms for us to sit down and take in the expansive view of the meadow. 

When I got into middle school, all of a sudden, phones and tablets were introduced to my world. I met people who spent their childhood behind a computer monitor, or playing on concrete sidewalks or “fake playgrounds,” as I like to call them. Who on earth would need to build all that when you could have trees and dirt piles and slug kickin’ in your backyard? 

My classmates in middle and high school told me that it was shameful to have a country home, embarrassing to have grown up without using Snapchat or playing video games, and I was young, so I believed them. 

When COVID-19 forced everyone back into their homes, I suddenly had the opportunity to travel back in time and revisit my childhood. I stayed at home, and I spent time outside where my old friends, the flowers, the grass and the sunlight were. I could forage for berries, lay in the dirt and spend time in the home that I was once ashamed of. It was then that I realized — there is no life more fulfilling than this. 

I felt horribly, deeply saddened by those who didn’t grow up the way I did — the people who spent their time trapped in concrete jungles, surrounded by asphalt and car engines and Xbox systems — and, frankly, it just didn’t seem like the right way to live. I was mad that at some point in my life, I was envious of the people who lived the way they did. 

As I grew up, I saw more of the world. Perhaps the most eye-opening experience for me was traveling to Hartford/New Haven, Connecticut. When I arrived there, the sky was the wrong shade of blue. It was pale, tinted with a sickly yellow, and I felt unsettled. I figured out a short while later that it was air pollution. I looked around and all I saw was concrete and pollution — a dulled out life. I knew that I wouldn’t be happy living there. It felt suffocating. 

My belief system after COVID had only been reinforced after seeing city life in different areas of the US, and I had come to the very important conclusion that the world feels best where it is untouched. We, as human beings, have destroyed, pillaged and burned the earth. We have buried it in cement, poisoned it with exhaust, littered it with plastics and oils and ruined a very large portion of what used to be, in my opinion, something precious. 

But the inherent need for us as human beings to connect with the earth cannot be ignored. We are one with the world and we cannot exist in a society where Mother Nature is being plundered for profit and reshaped at the cost of our rivers, mountains, trees and fields. 

What I would encourage everyone to do, at least, in the most serious way possible — touch grass. Go drive to the coast and stare at the ocean, or lay down in the dirt, take vegetables from a nearby crop and run away like a Hobbit. Whatever inspires us to traverse outside of the house, outside of the city and into the natural world, existing as designed. 

As I sit here writing this article, I know a large portion of readers are not the biggest fans of country music. But Keith Urban sang something that I remember every so often because it used to play on the radio as I spent my childhood running around in the great outdoors: 

“I’m gonna kick off my shoes and run in bare feet. Where the grass and the dirt and the gravel all meet. Goin’ back to the well, gonna visit old friends. And feed my soul where the blacktop ends.”

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Western students struggle with safe on-campus dining

Written by: Libby Thoma | Staff Writer and Claire Phillips | Entertainment Editor

Valsetz Dining Hall is a required amenity for on-campus freshmen and a necessity to many other on-campus students. Given that many students are required to have a meal plan with Valsetz, one would assume that its food would be high quality, nutritious, inclusive, and most importantly, safe. 

Unfortunately, one would be incorrect in this assumption.

Valsetz has consistently had a problem with serving moldy, undercooked, and improperly prepared food, such as leaving feces in the food. Valsetz has also struggled with safely serving students with allergies, has racked up complaints from students of unlabeled ingredients and has been caught claiming to have food that is not available. Additionally, Valsetz has a critical lack of allergy food training within the kitchen, confirmed by a Valsetz worker.

Nearly every student who has paid for the dining hall has a horror story, and a disproportionate amount of students have experienced mild to severe cases of food poisoning due to the food they were served. Food-related illnesses have a significant influence on students’ education — affecting attendance and the ability to keep up with homework. 

Food poisoning is not an issue to be taken lightly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 128,000 people a year suffer from food poisoning while 3,000 people succumb to this ailment in the US alone. It’s not surprising that Western students are now avoiding Valsetz Dining Hall after hearing stories from their peers or experiencing illnesses themselves.

Moldy bread, raw chicken, feces in shrimp, and many other unsafe food products have been served to the students of Western, resulting in terrible tales of food poisoning. 

Out of 10 randomized students and workers who have a meal plan at Valsetz, only three haven’t had a stomach ache, mild to severe food poisoning, raw food or an allergic reaction. Three of 10 spoke of light stomach reactions to the food, one of 10 spoke of mild food poisoning, one of 10 spoke of severe food poisoning, one of 10 spoke about eating raw chicken and three of 10 said they haven’t had negative experiences. 

Although, those who did not experience these things first-hand spoke of friends getting food poisoning, one even mentioning the story of a roommate getting food poisoning seven times from Valsetz in one school year.
Multiple students explained their stories of food poisoning. One anonymous student is quoted saying that after eating Valsetz steamed vegetables, “I was throwing up for days and was just throwing up literal stomach acid. They had to close the bathroom and use an ozone machine in it because the stomach acid was creating such a toxic smell and environment.” 

Another anonymous student said they were “…severely ill for a week” due to moldy bread on a sandwich. 

This is just a fraction of the many food poisoning stories breaking out across campus.

It is important to note that staff cannot be the blame for this. Staff members of Valsetz deal with plenty of their own problems such as being underpaid, understaffed and not having enough materials or time. The root of the problem is the dining hall isn’t getting sufficient funding.

This is shown through interviews with staff. One worker, who wanted to stay anonymous due to fear of getting into trouble, states that the fault does not lie with the student workers or the cooks, but with the managers. The workers began with their own experience with food poisoning when they ate a noodle bowl and had food poisoning for two weeks straight, with constant trips to the bathroom — another case of food poisoning greatly affecting a student’s academics. 

The interviewee spoke about their experience with training, which they received little to none. This lack of training particularly pertained to training around safe food handling and, as the interviewee states, “We are unaware about how to safely handle the food and there’s been no clear explanation for how to keep the food separate for dietary needs.” 

When managers were asked, each manager responded differently. However, even this may not even be the manager’s fault as they may have a lack of training as well — clearly this goes to the top. 

The lack of training surrounding dietary needs is extremely dangerous, as some allergies are fatal. There have been many complaints, as stated earlier, of dietary restrictions not being met and allergic reactions occurring.

The anonymous Valsetz worker ended the interview stating, “That’s what made the work walk out necessary. During one of the lunch shifts, all the student workers walked out, protesting the unsafe food handling, the immense amount of waste and the unfair treatment of some of the workers. Although our concerns were heard and some things have changed, the process is slow and ineffective. The problems are being ignored and avoided by the managers.”

Many students are concerned that their tuition is being dispersed to other organizations on campus, and not to those that they use daily — such as their main source of food. Additionally, accessibility has become an issue for students who have dietary restrictions and who do their best to regulate the food they consume — their needs are not being fully met. 

Regardless, many students contract food poisoning whether they have a dietary restriction or not — simply consuming the only food that is accessible to them. 

CJ Denison, a sophomore and Resident Assistant at Western, recounted their Valsetz experiences since becoming a Western student. The RAs, who are paid primarily in food and board, are given the top meal plan to spend at the dining hall — only to be faced with potentially unsafe food. “I’ve reached a point with Valsetz where I mostly buy protein drinks and snacks and not the actual food they serve, because I don’t trust it,” Denison said.

The safest food options are also not necessarily the healthiest. “The fried food, which unfortunately is the least healthy, is generally the safest, because it’s cooked all the way through, and there’s not a lot of cross-contamination,” Denison said. 

Cross-contamination is a major concern for students who have a gluten intolerance or Celiac disease, as well as for those who have other severe and life-threatening food allergies.

Many students have pointed out that the labels on each food item are not quite descriptive enough. Nutrislice, the online menu, does describe each item, but ingredients are not posted in person. Students may be consuming food they are not aware will cause them to have a reaction.

To make matters worse, another dilemma for college students with dietary restrictions is the rising price of safe foods offered by Valsetz. Gluten-free food is typically more expensive than its gluten counterparts. Because of the cost of a university education, and other costs of living, many students find themselves skipping meals and struggling to pay for healthy food.

If you find yourself in this position, Abby’s House, located on the first floor of the Werner University Center, provides basic needs resources for students who may be struggling with food insecurity. Additionally, the Food Pantry — located in the Welcome Center — provides students with food at no cost.

Even if the dining hall isn’t the only food option on campus, it should be working to provide a safer dining experience for all students who rely, or are forced to rely, on its services. 

Contact the authors at howlentertainment@wou.edu and ethoma23@wou.edu

College students have no time to live

Written by: Ruth Simonsen | Digital Media Manager

Do you ever feel like you barely have time to breathe during the week? Well, that’s likely because you don’t. As a college student — which, if you’re reading this, you probably are — you have little to no time to live a normal, functioning life. 

Now why is this, you ask? Let’s break it down. Assuming you are the average college student, you are probably taking around 16 credits this term, or roughly four classes. Each credit is supposed to fill approximately three hours of work per week, outside of the scheduled lecture period. If you’re taking four different four-credit classes, that totals out to 48 hours of work you are supposed to do in one week. 

This number is outrageous for a student, seeing as if it were a job, you’d be getting paid overtime for these hours. These ungodly hours are also not accounting for working part-time, or even full-time jobs just to help pay for a fraction of these classes. 

Let’s reassess. Classes take 48 hours of your week, and a part-time job on top of that would take at least 25 more hours. What about if you want to have a day off, specifically on the weekend? Well, you would have to find a way to cram all of your work, from both classes and your job, to make that adjustment. 

If you wanted to take Saturdays off, you would have to find a way to fit roughly 12 hours of work in each day, both paying jobs and college classes. We’re not done yet. 

So you want to get into grad school during all of this? Okay, let’s find you some internships and volunteer positions to help expand that application for you. 

You have time to make that work, right? Oh, you have a partner that you want to spend time with as well? And friends too? Well, let’s see. If you find a way to cram everything into only six days and use every single hour of those days without giving yourself time to eat, sleep or breathe, maybe you’ll have time to see your friends on Saturday. 

Oh shoot, all of your friends are working on Saturday. And your partner? They left you because you didn’t make enough time for them during the week. What are you left with? Nothing, besides your classes, your jobs, your internships, your volunteer hours and your sad excuse for a college student life. 

Don’t worry though, these are the best years of your life!

Contact the author at howldigitalmediamanager@mail.wou.edu

The Western Portal is terrible

Written by: Quinlan Wedge | Photo Editor

I despise the Western Portal, and I know I’m not alone. My writing class this term focuses on tensions with digital media, and the most common complaint from fellow students is that the Portal is terrible. 

The long list of problems includes poor design and difficulty accessing financial aid, class registration and housing information. We are tired of jumping through hoops to get anywhere and having difficulty navigating an outdated interface — one with irrelevant additions, crowding, improper use of space and lack of direction and clarity. 

I designed a plan to make the portal and its systems more simple and accessible. I reorganized all content into simplified sections — including an archive for outdated apps and programs. I redid the application bar and made simple redesigns of the mismatched icons — adding an edit button to customize the apps to individual preferences. I added overviews of important things for students to keep track of and made other additions and deletions. 

Students must be able to find what they need quickly; this allows them to manage their time easier and work more efficiently.

There are still things that can be done to further redesign the portal. It would be wise to gather a panel of students to learn what the biggest problems are and what students need most. The portal needs to be made with students in mind, and it needs to be much more user friendly. 

I believe that less attention is paid to the portal than other parts of the Western online programs because the portal is only for people who are already paying to go to Western. Priority is likely given to things prospective students and donors see, not to current students. 

Several transfer students in the class, coming from Chemeketa Community College and Portland Community College, say that the Western portal is the worst they have experienced. One suggested that Portal designers should ask what students need and what they can do to get the students there. This does not seem like too much to ask. 

Students pay tens of thousands of dollars to attend Western; the systems they interact with daily must be more accessible.

I understand that computer programming is nuanced and complex, but other local colleges are able to do it well, so why can’t we? If we pay staff to work on Portal programming and computer services, we should have better website design focused on the students whose tuition goes toward staff pay. 


Contact the author at howlphotoeditor@wou.edu

Eyithe’, I AM

Written by: Jaylin Hardin | Sports Editor

Content warning: contains mentions of death and substance abuse

Look at the ground beneath your feet. Who’s walked here? Who lived on the land long before you came into existence?

The Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians is one of nine federally recognized Indian Tribal Governments in Oregon. It has its own Tribal Board of Directors and its own set of laws pertaining to and governing tribal members. Located in Southwest Oregon, the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians has over 1,800 members spread from Canyonville, Roseburg and Myrtle Creek. I am a recognized member of this tribe.

Ancestral tribal grounds were primarily located along the South Umpqua river and the surrounding watershed but also stretched to parts of the Willamette Valley, Crater Lake, the Klamath Marshes and the Rogue Valley watershed. 

On April 12, 1854, a treaty was signed between the natives and the United States government — ceding more than 800 square miles of land. The tribe was paid 2.3 cents an acre and these were then resold to pioneer settlers for $1.25 an acre.

There were, however, issues with this treaty. The natives had no concept of land ownership or land boundaries — hunting, fishing and gathering sites were all well established. The treaty also promised healthcare, housing and education to the Cow Creek Tribe, but this was ignored until 1954 with the passing of the Western Oregon Indian Termination Act, legislation to “set the Indians free.”

When settlers arrived and began to live on the ceded land, tensions began to rise. Disease swept through the tribe killing many members, including Chief Miwaleta, who now has a campground named after him in Azalea, Oregon. 

Efforts began to remove the Cow Creek to reservations in Northern and Eastern Oregon, with promises of wonderful lives on the reservation. Scouts were sent to these locations, and their first sight was that of an infant suckling on its dead mother. This is still shared among the tribe and told to people who ask why we do not have a reservation. I remember I was 10 when my mom first told me this story. 

Due to this, the tribe resisted relocation, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs sent exterminators to Oregon for the main purpose of killing the Cow Creek people. Many had already died in the Rogue Indian Wars, an armed conflict occurring in 1855 and 1856, which fueled settler-native rivalry. Many who survived this were chased to Table Rock in Medford, Oregon by the calvary and forced off the side of the plateau to their deaths.

The surviving members lived in seclusion and eventually married pioneers, miners and fur traders in the area. Seven families survived, taking or keeping the names Dumont, LaChance, Rainville, Pairseau, Rondeau and Thomason — Rainville and Rondeau are still the most prominent modern names and figureheads within the tribe. 

Though not Federally recognized, the tribe still held their councils and their way of life, ensuring to document these meetings. When the tribe pursued an aggressive approach towards restoration and recognition in the 1970s — an effort my great-grandmother and two times great aunt and uncle all played a part in — they began the process for legal validation of the tribe’s existence. 

Today, the tribe is buying our ancestral land back, owning acreage in Canyonville, Myrtle Creek, Roseburg and the surrounding areas. Seven Feathers Casino and Resort, which started out as a bingo hall in the 90s, now boasts six restaurants, a spa, an RV park and countless events within the various lounges and event centers. 

I grew up intertwined in my tribe’s culture. Until my middle school years, I spent summers at culture camps and Pow Wows, crafting and dancing in ways to honor the ancestors. There are still skills I learned at these that I remember today, my favorite being flint knapping — the art of taking obsidian and sculpting it into arrow and spearheads — and beading. 

The tribe knows the effects of intergenerational trauma and issues; my grandmother and great aunt both passed due to their drug use — both starting in their early teens.

Into my adult years, I have become distant from the culture I grew up in. I distanced myself from toxic people within my family and have not spoken to them in years. I still make my attempts to have connections; reading literature by native authors, using a sage wax melt when I want to cleanse my space, wearing my beaded earrings and keeping my hair long when so many in the past couldn’t.

I still have connections with my tribe, they help pay for my college and they are blood, after all, but part of me likes to think they can’t catch me. I am proud of my culture and the survival of my ancestors, but I choose to uphold my own traditions and my own way of life, far from them and the lifestyles many have chosen for themselves. I am not running from the culture I grew up in. I carry it and the blood of my ancestors with pride and honor. But I am far from those who wish me ill.

This Thanksgiving, think of the people who lived on the land long before the settlers arrived from the New World those years ago, the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Children, the thousands found buried under residential schools. Especially think of those who are in the cycle that was created for them, hundreds of years before they were born. Not everyone is as lucky to break the cycle like I am.

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Cringe is dead, enjoy what you want

Written by: Claire Phillips | Entertainment Editor

For the past few years, young people have been straying away from trends and exploring their personal style. There is now a place for anyone and everyone to express their identity and interests — the internet. Whether it comes down to curating a unique wardrobe or enjoying a show that dubs you a “geek” or even “Gleek”, it is essential to constantly spark your inner joy and ignore the haters. 

Fandom culture has existed for centuries. Fans of the Shakespeare play “King Lear” rewrote the ending simply because they enjoy the tragic conclusion. Similarly, fans of “Sherlock Holmes” are credited for some of the first ever fanfictions and publicly mourning the death of Holmes. These fans have never been spared from criticism, however, today, Beatles fans will ask teenage girls to “name three songs,” when the original Beatles fan base was mainly composed of teenage girls.

Fans have found ways to connect both online and offline. Conventions have served as a meeting place for people with similar interests. The greatest fans will even “cosplay” as their favorite characters with intricate outfits and props. Cosplay became popular on social media apps, but unfortunately, not every cosplayer was well-received. They’re creatively doing something they enjoy, so what’s the harm?

Actually, there can be harm in being a superfan. Fans of the hit TV show “Glee” popularized the show and started calling themselves “Gleeks.” It was all good and fine until the Gleeks began harassing the actors. The leads of the show already had stressful lives: long days of learning songs and choreography led to exhaustion for both the cast and crew. 

The same goes for other popular television series, such as “Stranger Things” and “Heartstopper.” Otherwise, cringe is dead — feel free to be a Gleek, as long as respect is at the forefront of your intentions.

The difference between the Shakespearean era and today is the glorious invention of social media. If conventions aren’t accessible, there is another option: talking to people online. The days of posting flyers on theater doors are over, now just a five to ten second video can reach thousands. However, if you’re one of the brave few who share their true self online, the result could be subjection to the hateful words of close-minded people.

The truth is, those people are never going to go away. Whether they appear at school, work or online, the haters are everywhere. If their words are taken to heart and people change because of it, then they’re just being proven right, and the negativity will continue to spread. The most effective course of action is to ignore the hate, respect differences and support each other.

The point I’m trying to make is that it’s draining to constantly be a hater. Reach out to the people around you, and you might find something in common. The universe will align to bring people close to you who will love you for all of your quirks. If you like to make weird noises, seek someone who will do the same. 

Whether you’re a theater kid, a cosplayer or a bookworm — there is a place for you. People like you have existed for centuries. Wear unique clothes, find time for niche passions and seek out those who are similar. In ten years, the haters won’t matter, unless you let them crawl into your head and build a home there. What’s important is the people who will let you shine.

 

Contact the author at howlententertainment@wou.edu

Ease your mind, ignore everyday villains

Written by: Liberty Miller | Lifestyle Editor

When I was in high school, I went to a bookstore near my hometown and purchased the prettiest book I could find at the reasonable price of $14.95. I had preemptively placed myself in the philosophy section of the bookstore — in the hopes that I could find a small gem of knowledge that would be more valuable than the allowance I was spending on it. What I wasn’t expecting was for that book to shape one of my most treasured life philosophies — one that I would carry all throughout my years leading up until this moment. 

When I opened the book, I was met with undecipherable chinese characters and an introduction to “The Way.” 

It was a translation of an ancient Chinese philosophy created by Lao Tzu, and when I flipped to page 122, entry 67, I read, “I myself have three treasures at hand; I keep a firm grasp on them, and protect them as I would a child carried on my back. The first, I say, is nurturing love. The second, I say, is unpretentiousness. The third, I say, is not pushing myself ahead in the world. Because of nurturing love, you are capable of courage that flows forth; Because of unpretentiousness, you are capable of being expansive; Because of not pushing yourself ahead in the world, you are capable of having the stature of an elder among people of ability.” (Tao Te Ching) 

The translation of the book, and perhaps the clear and precise manner in which Lao Tzu originally created his work, seemed to be applicable even thousands of years later in the life of a 15-year-old girl. 

The first principle, nurturing love, can be presented in many ways. Unconditional positive regard, loyalty, kindness, compassion and affection are some ways to demonstrate nurturing love in your everyday life. 

As an athlete, I do my best to show this by speaking positively about opposing teams. In my everyday life, I refrain from speaking spitefully and instead, praise and include others with kind regard. 

This is an incredible principle to incorporate into daily life. In a world where there is an abundance of criticism, negativity and needless bullying, one has the power to reject these ideals, reject the idea that complaining or talking badly about others is a rite of passage or means of assimilation. 

There is nothing more satisfying than having love and appreciation for the world and the people in it; it is there that we can find peace. 

The second principle, unpretentiousness — living life humbly and without status. We live in a world where our accomplishments and social standing are measured constantly by those we know or people who live across the world. 

Social media, academic and athletic awards, jobs, internships, houses and apartments, relationships, friendships, money, age and beauty — countless ideals and standards that hold everyone hostage on a daily basis. The way to freedom is to let these things go. 

When ego takes over, it’s easy for one to forget where they started, see where they are and act as if it is their right to be there. How I think about it is, the world is not, in fact, my oyster; instead, it is my classroom. If I let go of my ego — my need for status and adopt the mindset of a beginner — I will be leaps and bounds ahead of those who don’t want to learn, only to achieve. If I lose my need to be better, I can become the best as an individual, NOT comparing myself to others and unattainable standards. 

The third principle — not pushing oneself ahead in the world. Going hand-in-hand with the previous principle, what this means to me is prioritizing the “we”: supporting other human beings over self interest. 

Biologically, our species depends on each other for survival, whether we like it or not. Bonds are what make up what we call life. In the process of putting myself first, I would tend to forget those around me who built the staircase of life that I climb. 

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and it wasn’t built by one person either. The credit for who we are today goes to those who supported us along the way. In this manner, we can follow this principle by giving credit to those who helped build our staircase, helped write the chapters in our story. 

As a disclaimer, no one born on earth in any era will fully claim to have mastered this philosophy. 

We are fickle, we are human and we are flawed. Everyone has been a Regina George — been the opposite of everything we’ve discussed thus far. But, even the smallest of actions can be the building blocks towards a more rewarding and happy life. I think one will find if they try their best to go about life with love, gratitude and friendship, they will be more at peace with themselves than ever before. 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

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