Mount Hood

Weed’s positives and negatives for college students

Written by: Libby Thoma | Freelance Writer

Everyone has heard of the negatives of marijuana use, especially those of us who are in college. In 2020, college student’s marijuana use escalated so much that one in 12 college students used marijuana daily, and this statistic continues to rise. Therefore, if there are so many known negative effects of marijuana, why do so many people use it and rely on it, given that marijuana isn’t technically addictive? The students of Western should be aware, not only of the negative effects of marijuana, but also the positive effects that many know exist. 

The effects of marajuana, particularly on students who are attending college, are overwhelmingly negative. There are three main ways it has been proven to affect students, mainly occurring during marijuana use and for up to 24 hours after use while the drug is wearing off

Attention is the first ability to be affected, which is necessary for understanding topics in class, understanding and finishing homework. The second of these effects is memory. College students are very aware of how important memory is for learning and achieving good grades. Memory isn’t just crucial for memorization for tests, but for making connections between the course material, building upon subjects and remembering what was learned throughout class. Finally, articles state ‘learning’ as another detriment of smoking weed while being a college student. This seems to mean overall learning through slower processing speed. 

Now, onto the positive effects of marijuana use. Positive effects from marijuana mostly stem from helping specific health issues. These specific health issues include; epilepsy, cancer and the negative effects from chemo, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, mental health problems, anxiety, chronic pain, sleep issues —specifically insomnia, eating disorders and so many more. 

A common misconception is “marijuana is impossible to be addicted to.” This is purely untrue. As anything can be addictive, such as food, caffeine and so much more, it is safe to say that an actual drug can be addictive. Though the addiction is different from that of a typical drug, it is considered a ‘use disorder.’ A person won’t experience withdrawals, but one will experience ‘dependence’ to marijuana — this is when a person goes without the substance and experiences symptoms such as irritability, sleeping difficulties, a decrease in appetite and more — much like when a person quits nicotine. The National Institute on Drug Abuse states that about 9% of people who use marijuana will become dependent on it. 

Once a college student reaches the age of 25, these negative effects, and negative long-term effects not spoken about in this article, lessen. 

In the end, marijuana use without a need for it from other health effects will likely result in the outweighing of negative effects over positive effects for a college student. If marijuana is a necessity for health, the positives effects of it will outweigh the negatives. If there is not a need for marijuana, rather used recreationally, the negative effects will then outweigh the positives. To do well in a college career, one should steer away from recreational use, at least not using it as often or using it before one needs to do anything learning related. 

The best plan of action would be to consult a doctor and get assessed for the need for medical marijuana. It is understandable that some people do not have access to medical care, and if this is the case and one can not gain access to medical marijuana, then one should honestly evaluate whether they need it, but either way, one should be using as little as possible for needed reasons and be prepared to dedicate more time to ones learning. 

Contact the author at ethoma23@wou.mail.edu

Learn about Western National Student Exchange Program

Written by: Sierra Porter | Staff Writer

In high school, some of us stressed to get straight A’s, some stressed to live their most active social lives and some just attempted to get by each day. Regardless of how we lived our high school careers, all of us had to reach the difficult decision regarding what we wanted to do after we walked across that stage. 

For those of us that choose to go to college, there comes the second decision of choosing which college to attend. Thankfully, students here at Western have the chance to take advantage of the National Exchange Program (NSE) with universities from 50 states, Canada, Guam, The US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. 

What are the requirements? Full time enrollment at Western, at least one completed academic term and at least 45 completed credits by the time of the exchange — freshmen, don’t worry, that just means there is plenty of time to plan where you want to go. When it comes to grades, you must have at least a 2.5 GPA, including at the time of exchange, and no incomplete grades from previous terms. Lastly, students must also be in good academic standing and must not be on any probationary status or any pending legal judgments — on or off campus. 

The first step of the application process is to visit the NSE website, to gather more information about the program and make an appointment with the NSE Coordinator, Cameron Mortensen, to discuss what options are best for you. Next, make sure you’ve applied for FAFSA for the next academic year and take a look at your financial resources; the NSE budget worksheet form can help with planning a budget. Finally, fill out and turn in the completed application, form and essay by mid February. Be aware, there is a $200 fee for application submission that is non-refundable. 

What does the cost look like? Generally, you can choose to pay the host payment or the home payment. The host payment includes paying all resident tuition fees for the campus you will exchange to; some host schools can also provide a tuition plan. The second option is to pay Western Oregon University’s tuition and fees at their current rate — other fees may be added so check out the website for specific payment plan offers for each university. 

Edith Santoyo, a sophomore at Western, shares her NSE story and favorite experiences in San Juan at the Universidad de Puerto Rico. 

Santoyo let the Howl in on her amazing experience with extremely fun locals, beautiful sand beaches, new friends and a culture in San Juan that has been nothing but welcoming and kind. Some of these new experiences include getting used to a whole new university environment. Since attending Universidad de Puerto Rico, she has learned about these different school cultures and said it has amazing benefits. Edith said, “Unlike at Western, I have three advisors” and she also said the campus is so large “…there are 9 libraries.” For all the cat lovers out there, Edith said her favorite part of Puerto Rico is that there are cats roaming all around, “This is quite literally cat island,” Edith said. Her favorite experience was when her mentor gave them salsa lessons and then took them to a local restaurant to show off their new moves. When asked if she would recommend the NSE program to other students she said absolutely; “It gives them an opportunity to be in a completely new environment that helps you grow as an individual, discover new things about yourself, become more independent while also helping you appreciate what you have back home.”

Contact the author at  howlstaffwriter@wou.edu

Critical nationwide blood shortage manifests in PNW

Written by: Aubrey Laine Baker | Freelancer

According to the American Red Cross, a critical, nationwide blood shortage has the medical demands of hospitals quickly outpacing their supply of blood donations. Aside from a general decline in donors, the nation’s low blood supply is also in part due to the effects of Hurricane Idalia. The cancellation of more than 12 blood drives resulted in a loss of 30,000 blood donations.

Without a sufficient amount of blood donations, patients with cancer, trauma, sickle cell anemia, burns or chronic diseases may suffer from an increasing scarcity of life saving treatment options. Even organ transplant patients require blood from donors — resulting in a dearth of blood donations can also negatively affect the process and supplies of organ replacement procedures. Donors of all blood types are urgently needed, but the deficit of platelet and type O blood donors is especially crucial to address. 

Beyond giving blood, there are also a multitude of volunteer opportunities to support the blood donation process and serve one’s community. 

Bloodworks Northwest, an independent, non-profit organization that provides blood supplies to 95% of hospitals in the Pacific Northwest, reports a blood shortage in the region that mirrors the deficit of the nation as a whole. Known previously as Puget Sound Blood Center, the organization has been a long standing, trusted cornerstone of healthcare in the region.

Information on their blood center locations, appointment scheduling and detailed blood donation FAQs can be accessed through the official website of Bloodworks Northwest. In an interview with KOIN Portland, Jacob Cole, the donor services supervisor of the organization, disclosed that a new blood center in Beaverton will have its grand opening on Nov. 17. 

To make an appointment for a donation through the American Red Cross, or for more information on blood, platelet or plasma donations and guidelines for donor requirements, visit the official website of the American Red Cross Blood Services. A blood donor app is also available to download and appointments can alternatively be made by calling the organization at 1-800-RED-CROSS. The American Red Cross provides assistance without discrimination to alleviate human suffering wholly through its network of volunteers, donors and partners.



Contact the author at albaker23@mail.wou.edu.

Homecoming schedule and events

Written by: Gretchen Sims | Editor in Chief

Homecoming. While some view this as a chance to revel, others roll their eyes at this throwback to high school. However, campus-wide events like homecoming can be an excellent way to bring Western students together and get them acclimated to campus life. 

Western’s 2023 Homecoming kicked off on Oct. 16 and will conclude this Saturday, Oct. 21, with the Homecoming Game against Midwestern State University Texas. 

Although it seems routine, Homecoming marks the first campus-wide event of the academic year — making it the first opportunity for students to bridge the gap between coming to campus exclusively for classes and getting involved with campus life. 

Besides, Homecoming is nostalgic. It gives first-year students comforting high school flashbacks and helps make college seem less intimidating. 

As college students begin to feel comfortable with their new lives, they adopt an identity through the school — accumulating school spirit and pride in their university and peers. 

One of the best ways to outsource that pride is through school-affiliated sports. Homecoming gives students the opportunity to immerse themselves in spirit alongside their peers and fosters a sense of community and belonging.

Within this sense of belonging lies the true roots of community that Western supports in its students. 

Katelin Granger, the coordinator of Student Activities and Inclusion, said that the connection between Western students makes Homecoming, Homecoming. 

“Western draws such unique students that have such diverse qualities and interests that it’s a unique place where you can find a home for you and I think that is where it becomes important that you feel connected to our campus, and you feel like you embody what it is to be a Western Wolf,” Granger said. 

Encouraging such diversity allows for students to find a place where they can call home — despite the constant turmoil that frequents daily life for college students. 

A recent alteration to the Homecoming tradition of Homecoming King and Queen accentuates Western’s devotion to diversity. Western now chooses two graduating seniors, regardless of gender identity, and crowns them Wolf Royalty. 

Voting for Wolf Royalty will be open until Friday, Oct. 20. 

Diversity has always been a staple in Western’s core beliefs, so much so that remnants of it can be seen even in something as trivial-seeming as Homecoming.

Western’s Homecoming offers a variety of activities for everyone — to help foster that relationship of students connecting with other students. 

Though this year’s Homecoming is already underway, there is still time to join in on the festivities and add your unique voice to Western’s diverse community. 

Thursday 

7–8:30 p.m. — I Love Female Orgasms, hosted by Abby’s House, “Join us to learn and laugh about the ‘Big O.’”

Friday 

6 p.m. — Wolf Wars: Class vs Class Dodgeball Tournament, in Old PE

8:30 p.m. — Bonfire Pep Rally, on the Field by the Public Safety Building 

VOTE FOR WOLF ROYALTY

Saturday 

12 p.m. — Homecoming Football Game

                  Tailgate and Spirit Table

                  Wolf Royalty Announcement, during Halftime

Be sure to vote for the Wolf Royalty Court. Use this link until Oct. 20 https://wou.presence.io/form/wolf-royalty-voting-2023.

Contact the author at howleditorinchief@wou.edu 

Dorm Decor

Written by: Hannah Field | News Editor

Western’s move-in day featured hundreds of Western students flooding their respective halls and clamoring into their dorms so they could hang tapestries, adorn their walls and prop their stuffed animals upright against their pillows.

Bookshelves were put to full use while some opted for vinyls over paperbacks. While some students hung lights over their private desk spaces, others added picture frames and fake flowers. Important letters, heirlooms and other homely items were set up in dorms to bring a semblance of home. 

Finding a theme was important to a lot of incoming students, corresponding colors from their blankets to picture frames. Others brought their favorite comfy items from home —one student having obtained a handmade quilt from her grandmother.
Cluttered desks showed off calendars, friendly faces, flowers and jars of pens. Each student’s personality and favorite pastimes showed through their desk design and personal item arrangement.

On the outside, resident assistants were welcoming their fellow student residents, having decorated their halls with themed adornings, interactive games and colorful lists of rules and guidelines for all residents. Some offered coloring pages, sticky notes with empowering words for the taking and introductory boards with helpful information regarding the local resident assistants.

Being fully settled into dorm life, residents may better function in a home-away-from-home as they progress through the Fall term.

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

Move-in Day: Freshmen here for Fall

Written by: Hannah Field | News Editor

On Sept. 17, approximately six-hundred Western students brought with them their belongings and stood with their families outside of the dorm buildings — waiting to officially move in for the Fall term.

The move-in process was smoothly regulated by Public Safety — an integral part to Western’s systems of operation. Western staff and student workers kept busy cheering on and directing new students, assisting with move-in and renting out big red bins for students to fill with their belongings and lug upstairs.

First-year Resident Assistant Arianna Gsell participated in the productive day as a member of the set-up crew and pop-up helper for students, otherwise known as a ‘floater’, meaning she had no particular task to fulfill. “We started set-up for move-in day at 8 A.M. We had tables out front where a rotation of five RAs sat all day for check-in.” Gsell said.

From there, incoming students were divided into lanes directed toward the floor of their new residence. They signed room condition reports, were given their room keys and eventually shepherded toward their respective dorms.

Inside the dorm rooms, students got to work setting up their decorations, dividing up their belongings and meeting their roommates as well as their resident assistants and neighbors. Many roommates met for the first time on move-in day — the beginning of a long nine months of close contact.

“The only thing I saw go ‘wrong’ on my end of the day was we had a set of pegs for the bunk beds that got stuck in the beds and we had to have multiple RAs work at it with pliers,” Gsell said jokingly. “But we got it out.”

Each resident assistant took the residents of their hall to Valsetz Dining Hall for food and proper introductions in the evening at 5 p.m. After that, the groups attended their first community meeting with the Resident Directors of Heritage Hall and Ackerman.

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

The 2024 Presidential Election

Written by: Nicholas Sarysz

The 2024 United States Presidential Election is just under 17 months away, which means many of the presidential nominees are declaring themselves for election, with a few big names still expected to be announced. Here is a brief overview of the democratic incumbent President Joe Biden, who is not the guaranteed Democratic nominee, and the top three Republican nominees who are fighting to be his contenders on the ballot in Nov. 2024.

President Joe Biden officially announced his reelection bid in a video that was released on April 25, 2023. By referring to the next election as a “battle for the soul of America,” Biden framed it as a choice between freedom and liberties or a smaller degree of each. 

By highlighting people like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis, as well as images of the attack on the US Capitol and pro-abortion rights protests, he aimed to distinguish the ideas of his administration from those of his political competitors. Biden underlined the significance of the rise of MAGA extremists, who he said threatened fundamental liberties.

When he made the official announcement from his South Florida club, Mar-a-Lago, in November, former president Donald Trump was the first candidate to announce his campaign from either party. Although he has not been very active on the campaign trail, he has recently upped his travel, making stops in important early primary states such as Iowa and New Hampshire. 

Trump, who is widely seen as the front-runner for the GOP nomination, strengthened his position by giving a keynote speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), where he topped the straw poll among attendees, in March. He continues to be a strong contender within the Republican Party, but his campaign will encounter tough legal obstacles.

The former South Carolina governor and Trump administration ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, launched her campaign for the Republican nomination in the middle of February. Haley, 51, has suggested a required mental fitness test for lawmakers above the age of 75 in an effort to establish herself as a new face in the Republican Party’s leadership — covertly making references to both former President Trump, who is 76, and President Biden, who is 80. Haley is a native of Bamberg, South Carolina and has served two successful terms as governor. Her ancestors were Indian immigrants. She made a name for herself as the senior American diplomat at the UN from Jan. 2017 to Dec. 2018 while the Trump administration was in power.

On May 24, Ron DeSantis officially began his presidential campaign. DeSantis’ announcement was delayed by technical issues just before he officially launched his campaign on Twitter Spaces, joined by the platform’s CEO Elon Musk. His staff viewed this as proof of his popularity and joked that he “literally busted up the internet.” DeSantis offered a comprehensive platform at the beginning of his campaign that included improving the nation’s crime rates, fostering energy independence and resolving immigration issues. He assured primary voters that he would take office on Jan. 20, 2025, emphasizing his dedication to providing outcomes devoid of justification. DeSantis confronts a significant obstacle in his bid for the presidency in the shape of former President Trump, who has already directed attacks at him.

Note: This piece is not meant to promote any presidential nominee over another and is strictly informational.

Contact the author at howlstaffwriter@wou.edu