Mount Hood

Learn all about adulting this spring term

Student Success and Advising hosts “#Adulting” seminar series

Allison Vanderzanden | Lifestyle Editor

This spring term, Student Success and Advising is hosting a seminar for Western students called “#Adulting.” Starting on April 9 and recurring every Friday through week nine, different life skills will be explored over Zoom sessions. 

Each seminar will involve a discussion period of the week’s topic and a range of material, including worksheets and activities students can keep for future reference.

“It’s going to be interactive so we can make sure everyone is getting exactly what they need,” Academic Success advisor Gabbi Boyle added.

This series was originally offered as a first-year seminar class in 2020, but it was converted to be available for all students due to its success. Boyle said they are excited to teach any and all students some new life skills.

“Anyone can learn new things or new ways of approaching ‘Adulting’ from the topics we are covering,” Boyle said.

From skills such as time management and self-care, to major and career exploration, to financial information, the “#Adulting” series covers a wide variety of important things for college students to learn as they begin navigating through life. Aptly timed, the first seminar will cover time management as students jump into the new term. The final three weeks of the seminar — which cover finance topics like budgeting, debt and investment — will host a special guest financial coach to provide professional advice.

In the future, based on the success of this term’s seminar series, Student Success and Advising is considering hosting similar seminars and workshops in person as health guidelines permit.

The “#Adulting” seminar series will be held every Friday of weeks two through nine this spring term from 2 to 3 p.m. on Zoom. Find the full schedule of events on the Student Success and Advising page, wou.edu/advising. Contact Gabbi Boyle with questions a boyleg@mail.wou.edu.

Contact the author at avanderzanden19@mail.wou.edu

College students: let’s talk about burnout

What to do when overwhelmed by school stress

Allison Vanderzanden | Lifestyle Editor

The late nights, assignment overload and financial strain of college can feel normalized, but chronic stress and anxiety can cause students to break down and get severely burnt out. According to the World Health Organization, burnout results from unmanaged long term stress that leads to such negative outcomes as constant exhaustion, social detachment and suffering grades or work performance. Towards the end of a term when stress runs higher than usual, it is especially important to know how to recognize and address burnout.

Burnout can appear in a number of ways ⏤ ranging from a lack of motivation to unending fatigue to severe frustration. In conjunction, when grades start slipping no matter how hard one works and motivation to start or finish responsibilities falls away, it is time to take steps to recover from burnout. 

First, step back and look at the entire situation. Think of every obligation, including ones outside of school, like family and extracurriculars, then order the items based on importance. Getting a degree has been instilled in us as absolutely necessary to a successful career, but taking on more than what is manageable all at once does more harm than good. If college is lower on the priority list, consider taking fewer classes or withdrawing for some time. There is no shame in taking longer than originally planned to finish a degree, especially when mental and physical well-being are at stake. 

Even if college is one of the only obligations on one’s plate, it is important to have an outlet. Clubs or online groups provide socialization with like minded people, and exercising can curb stress and frustration. Creative interests and media like books and TV shows support inspiration and relaxation. It is important to give ample time to these stress relievers; try allotting one day per week to doing nothing but enjoyable pastimes, or fit one hour of relaxation into every day. 

Take breaks from school responsibilities as often as necessary. Go for a walk in the middle of studying, or take a mental health day. Only check and answer emails once or twice a day, and turn off notifications during the night so that sleep is prioritized. Nap to catch up on sleep and power through the rest of the day. 

Making school more enjoyable can also help with burnout so that it feels less straining. Choose a field of study and classes that are most interesting, even if this means changing a major. Forming good relationships with classmates and professors can make the days less monotonous.

Asking for help may be challenging, but if burnout has taken over one’s day-to-day life, it may be necessary. Confide in someone trusted and ask them for support in whatever way is needed. If feeling depressed, talk to a professional, such as a counselor at the Student Health and Wellness Center.

Contact the author at avanderzanden19@mail.wou.edu

Steady tunes to study to: song recommendations

A collection of study songs from The Western Howl staff

The Western Howl Collective

With the beginning of school, there are so many things to prepare: supplies, textbooks, resources, study routines and much more. However, a strong study playlist is key in being successful. These are some recommendations from the Howl staff. Hopefully, these songs will encourage someone to create an individual study playlist for a wonderful term. 

 

Brianna Lelieur | Entertainment Editor

“The Last Cherry Blossom” by Rudemanners — This is a Lo-fi song off an entire playlist, it is upbeat and very soulful. 

 

Rylie Horrall | Managing Editor

“I Miss Those Days” by Bleachers — My study playlist changes a lot but this song is almost always on it. I like listening to it because it has a mellow and relaxing beat that helps me focus without the words being too distracting. 

 

Allison Vanderzanden | Lifestyle Editor

“Cassini” by Curtis Schweitzer — I enjoy this song because it’s soft enough to not distract me while studying. I also like that the melody isn’t overly repetitive or predictable.

 

Sean Martinez | Copy Editor

“Vertigo” by Khalid — I don’t often listen to music while studying, but for me, it’s easy to get lost in the process of writing or studying while this song is playing. Plus, this song is about Khalid asking himself the big questions, making it a great song for concentrating on whatever task is at hand.

 

Kyle Morden | Head Designer

“comfy vibes” by LilyPichu — Sit back and relax; it’s time to get comfortable with some Lo-fi beats. No matter how stressful studying can be, this song will create a calm atmosphere for any listener.

 

Cora McClain | Editor-in-Chief

“I’ll Keep You Safe” by sagun — There’s a Lo-fi song for every occasion, and studying is no different.  I’m easily distracted and lyrical songs often make it harder for me to focus on work, so Lo-fi is my go to. The repetition and distortion that sagun’s uses keeps my brain engaged for long study sessions while not breaking my focus.

 

Kiara Wehrenberg | Photo Editor

“Dream Catcher” by Damu the Fudgemunk — This song is good for me to study because there are no lyrics for me to get distracted by while writing. I also like how the music is upbeat enough for me to stay focused and not fall asleep — most songs by this artist have a similar style perfect for studying. 

 

Stephanie Moschella | Digital Media Manager 

“3 Nights” by Dominic Fike — This song gives me the summer vibes that we all missed out on this year. It’s calming and melancholic, and leaving it on repeat helps drown out all the noise around me while I study. 

 

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor 

“Dr. Wanna Do” by  Caro Emerald  — After a long study session I like listening to some electric swing or Jazz to boost my mood and overall attitude. However, I usually don’t listen to anything while I work — it’s difficult for me to focus as is, and adding music to the mix doesn’t help me in my studies. 

 

Listen to the playlist here!