Mount Hood

Inside the Student Health and Counseling Center’s wellness coaching

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle editor

In its ongoing quest to help students reach their maximum mental and physical health, the Student Health and Counseling Center has a recent addition to their services: wellness coaching. The purpose of wellness coaching is to help students make a plan for tackling their obstacles and working towards their goals.

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow, a junior English major, who has already taken advantage of the program, spoke about her experience.

“I often feel frustrated with my lack of knowledge about different aspects of wellness and find myself wishing that I had some sort of guide. So you can imagine that this email felt like it came at exactly the right time,” Kiernan-Sherrow said, referring to the notice the SHCC sent to students about the program.

At first she thought the coaching would be more focused on physical fitness, but in fact the coaches focus on whatever aspect of the student’s life they want to work on most. The students are asked to fill out a survey that identifies their strengths, which the coaches then use to help them figure out how to work towards their goals.

“My wellness coach is named Pam, and she and I instantly connected,” Kiernan-Sherrow told me. “She made me feel comfortable and she was adept at identifying my strengths and how to apply them to my future goals. We decided to focus on building my confidence and to begin that we collaborated to think of short-term activities that would benefit my long-term goals.”

After hearing positive feedback from others, I decided to try some wellness coaching myself. I took the survey and then met with Craig Wimmer, the SHCC’s other wellness coach. Over the hour-long meeting, we discussed both my long-term and short-term goals, as well as what areas of my life I felt needed the most work or improvement. I was surprised to find that just voicing some things made me see my life a little bit clearer, and having to write out the steps I would take to make improvements made them seem much more attainable.

Kiernan-Sherrow described leaving at the end of the meeting feeling “extremely validated, valued and understood,” and I would say I felt the same way after my own meeting. I will likely return for a follow up, which many students do, to see how the wellness coaching affected my outlook and approach to life. Students interested in setting their own appointment for wellness coaching can do so through the patient portal, found at wou.edu/health.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

How to manage stress after midterms

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle editor

After midterms, students are often in need of both physical and mental de-stressing. It’s a struggle that comes around every term, but luckily there are plenty of ways to help shake the post-testing stress.

One of the most accessible options is right here on Western’s campus. The Rest and Relaxation room, located in the Student Health and Counseling Center, is designed to help students manage their stress at any point in the term. The room can be reserved in half-hour time slots at wou.edu/health, making it easy to slip into busy schedules. The room features a massage chair — the main attraction — a full-spectrum therapy light, a meditation spot and a few technological items to help students monitor their stress levels.  

For the more introverted, or for the most exhausted, sometimes the best option is simply to follow “Parks and Recreation” character Tom Haverford’s advice: “treat yo’ self.”

This might not necessarily be in the sense of spending money on material things, but instead by staying in, putting on a favorite movie or show and eating a favorite snack.

For the more structure-oriented, it might help to do the opposite. Taking some time to get reorganized — updating a planner, getting back on a sleep schedule and planning some healthy meals — can help students feel more relaxed by being more prepared for the second half, and usually the most stressful part, of the term.

Sometimes, however, the best way to unwind from school is to ease mental usage and focus on the physical, either with workouts or distance from the source of stress. One of the upsides of Monmouth being a small town is that it’s surrounded by popular hiking spots. According to Harvard Health, studies support the idea that just being out in nature can relieve a certain amount of stress. On top of that, any type of exercise can help lift a person’s mood, even if it’s minimal.

In the end, everyone’s different and what works for some might not work for others. Learning which stress-relieving activity is the most effective through trial and error is, for many, an integral part of the college experience.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Rebecca Meyers

A review of Chen’s Family Dish in Salem

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

Among the many dining options in Salem, on 2138 Lancaster Dr NE #139 sits Chen’s Family Dish, a Chinese restaurant that now has multiple locations in Oregon. Some may have visited the Dallas location, but the Salem location is unique in that it also has a bar. Never having visited either, I decided to try out the new Lancaster location to get a feel for the restaurant.

Though the outside might be underwhelming, the interior feels much more like a refined restaurant. Because I went during lunch hours, it was fairly empty, which allowed me to fully take in the environment. The restaurant has a sophisticated ambiance, with soft lighting, understated decor and calming music playing in the background. The staff was also very friendly and helpful, informing us of the different menu and substitution options.

The menu features some Chinese classics such as sweet and sour chicken, egg flower soup and lo mein. I ordered the Mandarin chicken from the lunch menu, which turned out to be a great choice. Eight dollars got me a large portion of chicken, the soup of the day and a side of fried rice and crab puffs. I knew instantly I was going to need a to-go box, but I still finished most of the dish.

In my opinion, there was a perfect sauce-to-chicken ratio that made it very enjoyable. My friend who went with me was eager to try the egg flower soup, a favorite of hers, and it lived up to her expectations judging by the empty bowl at the end of our meal.

Chen’s family dish is an excellent addition to Salem’s restaurant options. I would highly recommend this restaurant for those looking to go out somewhere that feels somewhat classy but is still reasonably priced and has great food.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Rebecca Meyers

Tips for first tattoos

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

According to quora.com, about 29 percent of Americans have at least one tattoo, though most don’t stop at just one. It’s becoming increasingly more common to see people with tattoos, especially on college campuses. Though the decision of whether or not to get inked is ultimately up to each individual, there are some things everyone should consider before making it final.

 

Pain levels — When considering a tattoo, the question that inevitably comes up is “will it hurt?” or, more accurately, “how much will it hurt?” Some go looking for specific answers to that question, understandably wanting to know exactly what to expect. However, the truth is that pain levels are slightly different for everyone, and there are many factors that affect how painful a tattoo will be. Sometimes, like in my case, this leads to lots of stress leading up to getting inked. There are, however, some factors that can give a general idea of of how uncomfortable a tattoo will be, such as placement and size of the tattoo.

Timing — Some first-timers don’t realize that timing is an important thing to consider when scheduling a tattoo. Tattoo care involves things like keeping the area dry, away from potential infections and out of direct sunlight. Therefore, getting a tattoo right before a vacation to somewhere warm and sunny might not be the best choice. Though exact conditions can’t always be predicted — I got my first tattoo in October and did not expect to have to shield it from the hot sun — having an idea will keep the tattoo on the track to healing.

Quality and price — Tattoos are one of the best examples of the phrase “you get what you pay for.” While some might find it tempting to have an unexperienced artist friend buy a kit off of eBay Inc. and have them do the tattoo, a safe and quality one is usually much more expensive. If a professional artist costs more, it’s usually because they are more experienced and are very skilled at their trade. Going to a professional usually means a percentage of the price has to be paid up front at the time of the appointment, and the rest is paid in cash afterwards. Also, it won’t save much money in the long run if it has to get covered up or removed, or becomes infected due to not being done properly and requires medical attention.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Students give advice on preparing for midterms

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle editor

Armed with caffeine and study guides, students of Western are starting to take on their first midterms of 2019. If anyone made new year’s resolutions to study more, they will be tested starting this week.

In order to help everyone breeze through their midterms, or maybe just survive them with minimal panic involved, some of Western’s students offered their advice.

Grad student group Tanya Stanley, Mackenzie Gallo, Sara Chavez and Jonathan West-Gray had an abundance of tips from years of experience.

Chavez: “Don’t panic. Get organized, set up a schedule.”

Stanley: “It may seem obvious, but sleep. And eat. It’s important.”

Gallo: “Use the rentable study rooms in the library.”

West-Gray: “Use a planner; space out your studying.”

Keith Macadangdang, a business major: “Persevere! Power through, even when all you want to do is watch Netflix.” Macadangdang, who is minoring in dance, has five finals this term.

Rebecca Chadd, a Western alumna: “Actually write out the practice essay questions on the study guide. Don’t just read over the questions and assume you know it all. Writing it out will help you find gaps in what you know and make you more confident.” Chadd graduated with a double major in dance and Spanish, and is still active in Western’s community.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Rebecca Meyers

An interview with one of Western’s YouTubers

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle editor

Western on Instagram is full of posts of school spirit, friendships and everyday life in Monmouth. It’s also where to find first-year Melinda Ortega, who goes by Mel on social media.

On @makeupbyymel_ and @hennasbymel, Ortega showcases her makeup and henna skills in short tutorial clips and photos. Ortega also has a YouTube channel where she vlogs. In a time where social media is so saturated with people making content, I was curious to hear about the process from a Western student.

Talking with Ortega, I learned that she is from a small town in California.

“Most people don’t know where it is,” she explained with a laugh, saying she usually had to explain its relativity to Los Angeles. She got to Western through her sport, soccer, and is deciding between being an education or a communications major.

Her content, however, is something she’s more sure about.

“I’m less comfortable talking at a camera,” she explained in relation to the style and presentation of her content. This is largely why her makeup tutorials are shorter and posted on Instagram rather than YouTube.

For Ortega, her activity on social media began just for fun during her senior year of high school. She drew inspiration from famous YouTubers like James Charles and PatrickStarr. However, as she developed her filming and editing skills, she said she began to think, “maybe this can go somewhere.”

For now, her following is small.

“(The comments) are mostly my friends and family encouraging me right now,” she told me. However, she’s preparing for the opportunity to grow her brand and her presence on social media. So far, one success she’s had is that some lash brands have asked her to promote them. She’s also slowly developing her filming and editing skills.

“At first it took me three hours to edit a one minute video,” she revealed.

However, if she does gain more of a following, she knows the internet trolls will inevitably come as well. That doesn’t mean she intends to slow down, though: “I’m curious and nervous to see what the mean comments say.”

To any others who are considering starting their own channel, Ortega advised, “Just do it! They always say to just do you, so that’s what I try to do and what my advice is.”

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Melinda Ortega

How to start a new club

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle editor

Western is home to a wide variety of clubs and organizations, from Unidos to the Communication club to the Triangle Alliance. There’s something for just about everyone. However, there’s always room for growth, especially when there are so many topics and interests to cover. For those considering adding to Western’s collection, here’s the basic steps needed to create a new student organization.


Step One: One of the first things a club needs, aside from its founder, is an adviser. Advisers aren’t students but are often professors in topics related to the club. Before moving onto the next step, the club will also have to recruit a minimum of five student members.

Step Two: The founder(s) can start the registration process on OrgSync through Portal, where other students can join the club. The application requires a name for the organization and a categorization of the club — Greek, academic, student government, etc. It also has a place for the founders to give a brief description, a website, and keywords to help other students find the club based on their interests. The organization will also need some way for others to contact, such as their own email address and someone to be in charge of said address.
Step Three: All the organization will then need before becoming official is a meeting time and place, as well as a president and any other positions needed by the club.

Step Four: The organization will also require someone to write a constitution outlining the guidelines and a mission statement to inform potential members of the organization’s purpose.

 

The process may be long and difficult, but worth it in the long run to help more students find a group they find interest and belonging in.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

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