Beaver's Digest VOLUME 6 ISSUE 3 by Beaver's Digest

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR I remember when the first COVID case hit. I remember working with the Barometer editor staff in March 2020 to create a weekly issue clarifying that students and the community would not need to panic. Four days later, the sports world came to a halt, classes were finishing online, and our lives changed as we knew it. It seems many more years than just about one have passed since that week. We graduated online, thought maybe by late fall or winter we would be back. But we weren’t. We have had one full school year of remote learning and classes. One year of being away from our friends, our favorite coffee shops, our peers and teachers. It seems astounding that we made it this far. I am blown away. I see the grit, determination, perseverance, but above all hope that our Orange Media Network staff, the Oregon State University and Corvallis communities and beyond have had through it all. So I bring you to the precipice of hope: “Reflections.” We’ve been in a struggle for nearly 15 months. Nearly every day, something changes. Within our society. Within our communities. Within ourselves. This issue is the opportunity to reflect on the highs and lows, the victories and failures, the stresses and adaptations, the new and old selves we’ve discovered from a full school year in COVID-19. So sit down. Read it. Reflect on the year. I hope this magazine is a ballad and yet also a love song to the missed moments of the year, the brightness of our future. I hope you see yourself in these pages, the beautiful triumphs and struggles that we all have together in striving through a global pandemic. And take in it all.

This issue is dedicated to my love and rock in my boyfriend Kobe Nelson; my unwavering support system of my parents Toby and Christina; my inspirations in my brothers Jacob and Joshua; my hero in my best friend Ashley Ferns; my work wife in Jaycee Kalama; my advisers and our astounding OMN student staff. But most of all, I dedicate this issue to you, dear reader. May “Reflections” be a rally for you to continue to find grit and grace in your own life. You have been an inspiration to us all.

Signing off for the last time,

Alex Luther Beaver’s Digest Editor in Chief

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S 6

COLLEGE: THEN VERSUS NOW Life as a student before and after COVID-19

FINDING FOOD AND COMMUNITY Understanding food insecurity and campus resources

SOCIALLY DISTANCED SPORTS AND SONNETS Clubs and organizations find operations in pandemic

TURNING 21 IN 2020 Students safely celebrate a birthday milestone

NGO: BEST CORVALLIS RESTAURANTS OSU Reddit Students favorites reviewed

FREAKY FASHION FROM THE NEW ROARING ‘20S Outfits in work from home lifestyles

BOOSTING THE BOX OFFICE Entertainment perseveres during pandemic

BOYS II MEN OSU fraternity members share their experiences

MASKING CONFUSION Mental Impacts of Wearing Face Masks

SOCIALIZING IN A NOVEL SOCIETY Interacting in a world post-COVID

SEVEN NEW BUSINESSES TO SUPPORT IN CORVALLIS Businesses going strong in a pandemic world

HISTORY HAS ITS EYES ON US Looking back at honored OSU graduates

BEAVS BACKING BEAVS OSU alumni give back time and money

ONLINE CLASSES ARE HAVING PEOPLE HIT THE WRONG NOTE Music courses during COVID-19

HOW TO SPREAD JOY... Ideas for acts of kindness during COVID-19

LOOKING FOR SILVER LININGS Students reflect on the last year

ACCOUNTABILITY AND ACTION Reflecting on OSU’s anti-racist strategies

M E E T T H E S TA F F

TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT Alex Luther beaver’s digest editor in chief Sukhjot Sal beaver’s digest assistant editor Jennifer Moody

orange media network journalism adviser

James Fleck beaver’s digest contributor MIDDLE, LEFT TO RIGHT Colin Rickman beaver’s digest contributor Sarah Exner beaver’s digest contributor Teresita Guzman Nader beaver’s digest reporter Jessica Li beaver’s digest contributor

BOTTOM, LEFT TO RIGHT Jeremiah Estrada beaver’s digest contributor Agrizha Puspita Sari beaver’s digest contributor OTHER ADVISERS, NOT PICTURED Velyn Scarborough asst. director of advertising, marketing & creative Steven Sandberg asst. director of student media OTHER EDITORS, NOT PICTURED Haley Daarstad orange media network copy editor

Kyle Switzer

orange media network photo chief

M E E T T H E S TA F F

OTHERS CONTRIBUTORS, NOT PICTURED Cyan Perry (Cover Art and Design)

Cooper Baskins

Chloe Jameson (Magazine Design)

Sydney Holzknecht

Hailey Thomas (Magazine Design)

Jess Hume-Pantuso

Alan Nguyen (Marketing Design)

Jacob Le

David Ngo (Writer) beaver’s digest contributor

Solomon Myers

ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK ILLUSTRATOR

ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK CREATIVE ASSOCIATE ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK CREATIVE ASSOCIATE ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK MARKETING ASSOCIATE

PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ILLUSTRATORS, NOT PICTURED Cyan Perry orange media network illustrator Soleil Haskell

ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK ILLUSTRATOR

ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK PHOTOGRAPHER ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK PHOTOGRAPHER ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK PHOTOGRAPHER ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK PHOTOGRAPHER ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK PHOTOGRAPHER

Claire Nelson

ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK PHOTOGRAPHER

Ridwana Rahman

ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK PHOTOGRAPHER

Alex Reich

ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK PHOTOGRAPHER

Aaron Sanchez

ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK PHOTOGRAPHER

EXPERIENCE

AUTHOR: SARAH EXNER PHOTOGRAPHER: SYDNEY HOLZKNECHT It’s 10 a.m. on a brisk Tuesday morning. Campus is bustling with faint murmurs of acquainted classmates walking through the MU quad. You were up late studying for your midterm the night before, and the nerves begin to set in as you can see the building you’re walking to in the far distance. Beep beep beep. The sound of reality hits and your alarm startles you up for your remote class starting in less than ten minutes. You jump up in a panic, throw on the first shirt you can find from your closet and open your laptop in preparation for the next few hours of Zoom. While listening to your professor through the computer screen, your mind can’t help but begin to wander. What is now a dream used to be an everyday mundane college routine. If there is one thing we can confidently say the world has learned, it’s never take things for granted. Live life in the moment, and be grateful for things like a routine filled with normality.

We’ve all gone through hardships this last year. We’ve all laughed, we’ve all cried and we’ve all had days where getting out of bed seems impossible. A world we once knew feels out of reach. One way of gauging how different this thing we call life now is, is to hear the perspective of students who are ending their educational career amidst a global pandemic. Erin Schuh, a soon to be college graduate from Oregon State University studying Human Development Family Science, knows this concept quite well as she begins to end this chapter in her life. It’s been very hard for her and her friends to accept the fact that she was quite literally cheated out of her senior year in college. “It is a hard feeling to describe being a senior in college graduating in a few weeks,” she said, “I do not feel as prepared as I once hoped as I begin to enter the real world”

While the future is worrisome for these soon to be graduates, what about the present? Schuh will never again step foot in a big lecture hall with a room full of her classmates. She will never again attend a football game from the student section with a large group of her friends. And most importantly, she will never walk across the stage at Reser stadium and receive her diploma that she’s worked these last four years for. What a strange world we all now live in. A year and a half ago, the word “zoom” referred to a moving vehicle. Now, it’s in our everyday vocabulary. While this may not be how anyone predicted their college experience going, it’s the new normal and all we can do is hope for life to turn back to what it once was. And hope is exactly what freshmen like Carmel Corri are holding onto. What seems like a simple concept of walking on campus and sitting in a classroom, that’s what Corri is most looking forward to when life seems back to normal. “Really just being on campus. I know that I can walk on campus now, but it just feels different,” she explains. She says how she’s excited to actually meet people in class, since it’s very difficult forming real connections with peers her age in online classes.

Credits to all of the freshmen who still came to college this year knowing no one from their hometown. Especially for outof-staters. Being so isolated from all of the people around you who, on normal terms, you would be getting to know with your family hours away. All of those feelings of being alone that seniors like Schuh may have faced their senior year, try that feeling but times a million. What people once knew as “dorm storms” are now old ancient legends. “I stepped outside of my dorm room and immediately got written up,” says Samantha Rand, a freshman from out of state who is living in Finley Hall. She then goes on to explain a story about when she tried to meet people from her dorm, and how this is a perfect example of how impossible it is. A couple of months ago there were fire engines outside of her dorm, so naturally everyone was curious and trying to figure out what was going on. A lot of them were in the hallway talking to each other, with their masks on and everything. She talked to a few of her neighbors for the first time all year, and was really hoping this was her opportunity to bond with them and get to know them. They were laughing and talking for a little while, but not soon after the resident assistant came out and told them they needed to go back to their rooms.

“It makes sense, I know people can’t be as social anymore but it just makes it really hard to make friends,” she explains. With seniors like Schuh not getting a graduation, and freshmen like Corri and Rand not getting a proper freshman experience, what we once knew as college is a completely different concept. A time warp, if you might say, where robots now bring you food and campus feels like a ghost town.

EXPERIENCE

WRITER: TERESITA GUZMAN NADER PHOTOGRAPHER: SYDNEY HOLZKNECHT Picture full seats of fans cheering on a tennis match, and a long line of people in front of a theatre ready to enjoy a performance. Organizations and clubs at Oregon State University strive to provide students and the OSU community with a sense of belonging. This past year, they have had to adapt to health guidelines and find ways to keep their community strong. To adapt to the new COVID-19 regulations issued in March of 2020, OSU theatre faculty developed a new special course called “Sound Design for the Theatre.” For this course, theatre acting instructor Chad Rodgers developed special training for acting and auditioning for the camera, and focused on conducting a playwriting workshop class to develop new plays that could meet the needs of a video project rather than a live production. “None of this was easy, but I’m proud of how we all stepped up,” said Elizabeth Helman, the OSU Theatre artistic director. “We all found ways to be flexible in a constantlychanging landscape and stayed committed to making a supportive and creative community that could flourish in a challenging circumstance.”

The adaptations focused on safety but were also meaningful and helped students develop skills that will be relevant in the theatre even after COVID-19 precautions are lifted. The OSU Theatre did not cancel any of their Spring 2020 productions, and instead they adapted their performances to a new online format. The production of “The Importance of Being Earnest” and their annual One-Act Festival were adapted into audio dramas and rehearsals which were all conducted over Zoom. “Our students are awesome,” Helman said. “I have such a deep appreciation for their willingness to adapt and to come up with great ideas to continue to work collaboratively throughout the past year.”

Noah Fox, a second-year theatre arts student, said transitioning to the virtual format was tough at first because being physically on stage with an audience is when he truly feels like himself. “This format made performing much more accessible to all kinds of people,” Fox said in an email. “I have had cast mates in our radio plays that have never performed a day in their life and I have had cast mates that have been performing many years before I was born. It also allowed me to stay in contact with my friends who graduated during the pandemic.” Both theatre classes and OSU Theatre productions had to change their program in many ways, but Helman said the theatre art faculty made efforts to adapt it so students could continue to engage in the creative activities, storytelling and performances.

As COVID-19 restrictions had moved all OSU Theatre productions online, their team took this opportunity to start a podcast called “Dam the Distance,” which is a set of interviews with working theatre professionals who share their experiences about their career paths and making a life in the theatre in both pandemic and non-pandemic times. The podcast was also where they released all of their audio drama productions during the spring, summer and fall 2020 Helman said. As restrictions began to ease in Winter 2021, the OSU Theatre team got permission to film a project with limited in-person rehearsals and recording sessions. Helman worked with a group of students to develop an anthology series of short plays set in the same fictional diner between the years of 1980 and 1989. “Ten Minutes at the Townsend was released at the end of winter term as is available to watch on KBVR TV’s YouTube channel,” Helman said. “We had to follow a very strict set of protocols that covered everything from how we rehearse, to costume fittings, to filming and everything in between.

“Even with restrictions, the fact that we were able to have some in-person contact was a major morale-booster for everyone involved!” This term, the OSU Theatre will put together another filmed project to keep up the tradition of the spring One-Act Festival. This will feature four original plays written and directed by OSU students on June 11. Similarly, other OSU organizations like the tennis club had to cancel their tournaments and could not move their practices to an online format, so they had to adapt to the new regulations in a different way. The tennis club was allowed to practice in Fall 2020 until OSU imposed more strict measures at the end of the term. During winter and spring term of 2021, they were allowed to host small practices. “We did not do much training during the times that the indoor courts were closed, but the outdoor courts were open and weather permitting, members were able to go out and play,” said Kevin Pfeil, treasurer of the tennis club and third-year computer science student. “This was not under the provision of the club but getting to play was fantastic. Tennis is a great social distancing sport!” As the COVID-19 regulations started to loosen up towards the end of March in 2021, the tennis club started getting back to practice. “It has been great to see some of my friends from [the] tennis club that I have missed since

last year,” Pfeil said in an email. “Other than that, not much has occurred as the other main function of [the] tennis club is having members travel to play matches against other colleges. This is of course still not allowed, and we greatly look forward to the time when we will be able to do this and compete again.” While the tennis group has started to have practices once again, they still respect COVID-19 restrictions and look forward to welcoming new members. Pfeil said that one of his best moments with the tennis club was when he was in his second year and the tennis club flew out to Lubbock, Texas to play in a tournament against nearby schools. “This was so incredibly fun,” Pfeil said. “I was able to spend a weekend with some of my friends from [the] tennis club and travel to a place that I had not been before. It also provided a nice escape from the rain in Corvallis. The trip was quick, but I will always remember that weekend.” The club currently meets weeknight from 7 p.m. p.m. at the OSU tennis pavilion. They everyone to play tennis and socialize following health guidelines.

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“I am currently looking forward to being able to compete again,” Pfeil said. “I love competition and being able to play my favorite sport and play competitively is a really great time. I have fun playing members from the club, but I look forward to the day that I will be able to play against teams from other colleges!”

WELLNESS

Ngo: Best Corvallis Restaurants, According to Students WRITER: DAVID NGO, ILLUSTRATOR: CYAN PERRY

Many restaurants in Oregon have been heavily impacted by the outbreak of COVID-19. According to the National Restaurant Association, the restaurant industry ended 2020 $240 billion below pre-pandemic earnings, with 110,000 food places either temporarily or permanently closed. Corvallis is no exception and many local restaurants, which have served the Oregon State University student body for years, have been impacted. In light of this, I reached out to students on the OSU Reddit community page and compiled their recommendations for the top restaurants in Corvallis. Check out the full review on our website! The first place was Local Boyz Hawaiian Cafe on Monroe Avenue, stationed on the second floor of the Cobblestone Square. The restaurant offers traditional Hawaiian dishes, including its signature sweet shoyu chicken, sweet short ribs and much more, all of which come in three sizes: menehune (dwarf), regular

and blalah (large). All meals also come with a side of Macaroni salad and fresh white rice. If you are looking for the best brunch spot in Corvallis, you might want to try the Wise Cracks Cafe on Third St. The cafe offers traditional comfort foods like Country Road, which is a gravy-smothered chicken-fried steak along with a side of two eggs and hashbrowns. If you’re not feeling like having a chickenfried steak, you might want to check out their omelettes. Possibly the most massive item is the El Juapo, an eight-egg omelette stuffed with bacon, ham, sausage, mozzarella and basically everything under the sun. The next popular recommendation is Bo & Vine Burger Bar on Third St. They offer an assortment of chicken and beef burgers alongside seven special fries called “piles.” The last time I went to Bo & Vine I got Dante’s Inferno fries. They were seasoned in a cajun dry blend and topped with housemade Pepper Jack beer cheese, fresh jalapeños and a ranch Sriracha drizzle.

CREATE

“BIRDS OF PREY”

February 7th, 2020 AUTHOR: JAMES FLECK PHOTOGRAPHER: JACOB LE In the last ten years we’ve seen some serious advancements in consuming content, and the subsequent rise in demand has led to one of the most content-heavy periods of time we’ve ever had. At the beginning of a new decade of film and television, we’re going to recap some of the biggest releases since the start of 2020.

Following 2016’s “Suicide Squad,” “Birds of Prey” is part Harley Quinn story, part gangster flick, part superheroine team-up movie, with a generous helping of gratuitous violence. DC’s second femaleled film, Margot Robbie stars as Quinn after her nasty breakup with the Joker. It’s a fun flick with themes of female empowerment and community.

“SONIC THE HEDGEHOG” February 14th, 2020

When “Sonic the Hedgehog” was first revealed, the titular hedgehog’s design sparked negative outcry from fans who were disappointed Sonic looked so different from how he looked in the games. After a delay and a character redesign, “Sonic the Hedgehog” pleased longtime fans without alienating newcomers, with standout performance coming from the eccentric Jim Carrey as villain Dr. Robotnik.

“BETTER CALL SAUL”

“THE MANDALORIAN,” Season 2

“Better Call Saul” returned last year with its fifth season on AMC. A prequel to “Breaking Bad,” “Better Call Saul” follows lawyer Jimmy McGill as he transitions into his shady alter-ego, Saul Goodman. Fans of the parent show will recognize many of “Better Call Saul’s” main characters as we delve into each of their pre-criminal lives. The show does a great job of honoring its “Breaking Bad” roots while also creating a unique identity for itself.

Disney’s flagship project, “The Mandalorian” returned for its second season last October. Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni are back as writer and director with more adventures for Mando and Baby Yoda. This season begins to connect “The Mandalorian” with the larger Star Wars universe, continuing stories from “The Clone Wars” and “Star Wars: Rebels” in a sophomore season that lives up to the hype.

Season 5, February 23rd - April 20th, 2020

October 30, 2020 - December 18, 2020

“TIGER KING”

“SOUL”

March 20th, 2020

December 25th, 2020

An absolutely bizarre true-crime story, Joe Exotic is the “Tiger King,” a redneck big cat park owner accused of trying to murder rival Carole Baskin. Joe and Carole proceed to go at it trying to screw each other over in a misadventure that honestly can’t be described with mere words. But one thing’s for certain: Carole Baskin definitely fed her husband to a tiger.

The latest entry from Pixar Studios, “Soul” follows Joe, a band teacher who falls into a coma after a near-death experience. Finding himself as a soul in the Great Beyond, Joe meets another soul who has yet to be born. A poetic commentary on purpose and identity, as well as flexing Pixar’s advanced animation technology, “Soul” certainly has got soul.

“HAMILTON”

“COBRA KAI”

July 3rd, 2020

Originally performed on Broadway in 2016, the musical “Hamilton” came to Disney+ last July. It came as a surprise to Disney+ subscribers, as musicals weren’t on the streaming platform’s original content lineup. “Hamilton” was also big for the platform in another way, as it was Disney+’s first non-Star Wars release since launch.

“TENET”

September 3rd, 2020

Helmed by veteran director Christopher Nolan, “Tenet” is more of an experience than a film. With time seemingly bending all around him, a nameless protagonist navigates a terrorist threat armed with only the title codeword, Tenet. A modern day “Inception,” “Tenet” will leave you asking “What the hell just happened?”

“THE BOYS,” SEASON 2 September 4th, 2020 - October 9, 2020 A satirical take on the superhero genre, “The Boys” is a story where the heroes are corporate sellouts to an alternate Disney. After a “Supe” kills his girlfriend, Hughie Campbell teams up with Billy Butcher, who shows him the dirty supe underworld. Vile, gory and crude, “The Boys” doesn’t pull any punches and delivers a tight, hilarious and disturbing second season.

Season 3, January 1st, 2021 “Cobra Kai,” the sequel to ‘80s hit “The Karate Kid,” premiered its third season on Netflix. Featuring all the ‘80s nostalgia you could ever want, “Cobra Kai” honors the original movies while taking the franchise in a fresh new direction. Originally debuting on YouTube Premium, it recently moved to Netflix after YouTube didn’t renew it for a third season. Fans can sit tight, season four has already started production.

“THE MCU RETURNS” January 15th, 2021 - Ongoing After a year and a half hiatus due to COVID-19, the Marvel Cinematic Universe returned to Disney+ in January with “WandaVision,” where Wanda Maximoff and the Vision live through various sitcoms after the events of “Avengers: Endgame.” A mystery unfolding in all sorts of different directions, “WandaVision” is all the right kinds of weird. Shortly after, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” premiered. You’ll never guess which two characters it’s about as they deal with the death of Captain America and its aftermath. This is only the beginning of Disney’s releases for this year, as there will be no more than two weeks without Marvel or Star Wars content for the next six months. Stay tuned.

WELLNESS

Masking Confusion

WRITER: AGRIZHA PUSPITA SARI, PHOTOGRAPHER: SYDNEY HOLZKNECHT After the COVID-19 pandemic began and health guidelines were announced, some of us have found it difficult to adjust to wearing a mask. It is undoubtedly uncomfortable, harder for other people to understand us and more difficult to breathe at times. And then there’s all the little ways masks inconvenience us - losing or forgetting a mask right before entering a store, constantly readjusting the mask so it fits well and not being able to take in fresh air when going outside. The discomfort and exhaustion associated with wearing masks for an extended period of time has had a far-reaching, if subtle, psychological impact on our community. Anastasia Savchenko, a third-year student at Oregon State University studying merchandise management said she never really got used to wearing a mask and still hasn’t. “I do it, of course, because it is mandatory, but it is really uncomfortable for me and affects my breathing,” Savchenko said. “I do not feel confident in public with it because it is covering half my face and I am constantly adjusting my mask. Ian Kellems, a licensed psychologist and director of Counseling and Psychological Services at OSU, explained why wearing a mask feels uncomfortable for many people. “From a psychological perspective, wearing a mask can feel awkward, because it makes it more difficult to read other people’s emotions and can even make it difficult to recognize other people,” Kellems said in an email. “I’m sure we’ve all had the experience of running into someone at the grocery store, but not being

able to recognize them with their mask on.” According to Kellems, wearing a mask for an extended period of time can impact people in numerous ways, depending on the person. “For some, wearing a mask may provide them with a sense of security and comfort, because it offers protection,” Kellems said. “For others, wearing a mask may make them feel frustrated, or even more anxious, as it can be a reminder that we are in a pandemic.” However, some people have adjusted to wearing a mask more easily. “I feel safe wearing a mask every day and feel more confident because I already got used to [it] with the precautions.,” said Hoang Thanh Truc Do, a second-year student studying tourism at OSU. Although COVID-19 vaccines are available for all students now, it’s still important to follow the safety guidelines and take the pandemic seriously. “The reasons for continuing to wear a face mask are obviously connected to preventing virus transmission, and this practice should be continued until public health authorities instruct otherwise,” Kellems said. “How you get more comfortable wearing a mask is simply by wearing a mask. The more we do it, the more comfortable we become. I remember feeling quite awkward initially wearing a mask, and now it has become second nature. As we become more comfortable wearing masks, we will feel better.” Unfortunately, sometimes masks are just being forgotten or ignored due to the discomfort some people feel from using them.

Mental Impacts of Wearing Face Masks “It has not psychologically affected me, but it is annoying,” Savchenko said. “The most frustrating part about first having to wear a mask, was remembering to bring a mask in the first place. I was constantly forgetting it and would often have to wait in the car.” Overall, Savchenko said she thinks she has been balancing her two jobs, school and social life well, and said she has been able to keep a good mental health. “I feel that there have been way too many guidelines with COVID-19, and unnecessary ‘cautions of measures’ which has made me disappointed with how the country operated during these times,” Savchenko said. Kellems noted that it’s important for us to understand that wearing a mask is one of the most important ways that we can take care of ourselves and others.

“It’s the kind thing to do and seeing it as an act of service can make it feel less burdensome,” Kellems explained. “I also think that finding masks that are comfortable, and maybe even stylish, can help too.” Kellems explained how this will be an adjustment to life without masks. “When public health conditions improve then it is reasonable to believe that at some point in the future we will no longer need to wear masks,” Kellems said. “This future adjustment back to not wearing masks may be difficult for some, as our “security blanket” will be removed.” Kellems gave some tips on how to feel more comfortable with mask mandates. “I think it’s important for students who feel distressed about wearing masks to try and

understand the cause of that distress, and then to address that cause,” Kellems said. “Talking with friends or family can often be helpful. If the student feels like pandemicrelated challenges - including mask wearing are interfering with their ability to get things done, then they may want to consider talking with someone at CAPS.” Kellems encouraged individuals to adapt and how to begin to feel comfortable not wearing masks in teh future. “It will be important for students to stay connected to their support systems, create new support systems, and to give themselves lots of grace.” For full article, see Beaver’s Digest’s website.

PICTURED: OSU STUDENTS DENISSE ALVARADO, PAIGE SCHUBERT, SEAN FAGAN

Socializing in a Novel Society

WELLNESS

WRITER: TERESITA GUZMAN NADER, PHOTOGRAPHER: AARON SANCHEZ

Imagine after a year of Zoom classes and virtual events, Oregon State University starts having in-person classes once again. You are excited to meet new people and make amazing memories, but a year in a virtual classroom might have affected your social skills, so you worry how this upcoming term is going to turn out. After not socializing for a long time, many students might feel they won’t be able to act as social as they did before. It’s important to remember that humans adapt quickly to change so trust yourself and if you do not feel ready to socialize, don’t feel pressure to do so. Everyone has their own timing. (1) TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS By nature, humans are social animals and value community. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 regulations, many people have been restricted from in-person socialization. This lack of in-person socialization will affect people of different ages and personality styles differently, said Dr. Regan Gurung, the director of the General Psychology program at OSU and expert in social psychology.

“Those who already built skills will quickly adapt, such as upper-class students who were used to a time before COVID-19,” Gurung said in an email. “Things will be a little more difficult for secondyear students whose first year was during COVID-19, but the good news is that humans adapt quickly.” (2) TAKE YOUR TIME Everyone adapts to changes differently. If you feel like you are not ready to do as much socializing as you used to, be kind to yourself. “Give yourself some time and [be] true to how you are feeling,” Gurung said. “If you do not feel ready to dive back in, take your time. Do not feel pressured to interact in ways YOU may not feel comfortable, just because others around you are.” (3) PRACTICE SAFE SOCIALIZATION You can still interact with other people when social distancing, taking into consideration that even after health restrictions are loosened, some people might feel more comfortable socializing with safe distancing and other health precautions. Use Zoom meetings, face masks and other socially safe methods when necessary.

“Remember that social skills can still be practiced in different formats and socially distanced,” Gurung said. “The key is to be respectful of the fact that others may not have the same comfort returning to interactions as you may have. Yes, follow the guidelines, but also respect those who want to be even more cautious than the guidelines.” (4) MAKE NEW MEMORIES While many of us might have many unhappy or troublesome memories from this uncertain year, remember that those memories can be replaced with happier and more positive ones. Take the opportunities that present themselves and make new, fresh and joyful moments. “Again, it will just take a short time for the memories of last year to be replaced with great new experiences of a new one,” Gurung said. As the COVID-19 regulations loosen up, students will be able to socialize more and make new memories, but remember to continue following regulations issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention so everyone can enjoy a COVID19-free future. For full article, see Beaver’s Digest’s website.

WRITER: JESSICA LI PHOTOGRAPHER: RIDWANA RAHMAN

EXPERIENCE Robert Kevin Miller’s desire to watch Oregon State University’s basketball games for free meant that he had to be a full time student. Initially taking the beginner journalism class in order to make up those credit hours, Miller hadn’t expected to fall in love with the subject and pursue it as his future career.

PICTURED: KEVIN MILLER A 1978 OSU graduate who earned a degree in technical journalism, Miller is now the editor Many years later, after having worked in the of the “Oregon Stater” magazine, which is newspaper profession for so long, Miller wanted published three times a year and sent out to to look for a change, for reasons of fearing the approximately 186,000 alumni around the financial instability of the newspaper business world. That way, alumni can stay connected and the need to make time for family. It wasn’t with each other and with OSU. until one day Miller had received a phone call from OSU about a vacancy in the editor Miller’s office is located in the Alumni Center position for the “Oregon Stater” that he had across the street from Gill Coliseum, and considered applying for the job, which led him although Miller now has to work from home to his current title. due to the pandemic, he misses the Corvallis campus atmosphere. From his second story Like many other OSU graduates, Miller has window, he used to observe students passing been a part of the OSU Alumni Association to by, and it would not only bring him back to his give back to OSU and support its students like own university days, but also ignite his vision for those who had helped him before, especially future Beavers. his journalism professor. As Miller was taking his beginner journalism class, his professor had submitted one of Miller’s stories to “The Daily Barometer” without telling him. Once the story had been printed and Miller’s professor had supported him in recognizing his talent, a lightbulb flickered on inside of Miller, who was no longer someone feeling lost without a sense of direction. He later came to be editor of “The Daily Barometer,” again encouraged by his professor, and went on to work in journalism for much of his life, going from interning at the “Corvallis Gazette-Times” to being Senior Editor of the “Register Guard” in Eugene when it was Oregon’s second largest paper.

“When I came to OSU,” said Miller, “There were people who said, ‘Come on, Kevin. You don’t really have a clue what you’re doing. But we can help you figure it out. And then we will show you how to do it. And then we will encourage you.’” The OSU Alumni Association is located in the Alumni Center, and their mission is to connect alumni with current students and offer resources and opportunities for those students to be successful. Lori Rush, another member of the OSU Alumni Association, had graduated in 1978 with a Bachelor’s degree in business administration and is currently the president of her own

company called Rush Recruiting & HR. She works as a hiring and career consultant and mentors people on resume writing, interviewing skills and the job search process.

“Oregon State to me is all about access to education for all,” said Lambert. “And if my work as a volunteer and my donations to scholarship funds can help that next generation get those connections [and] have the access to education, so they can continue to make the world a better place, then I will have done my job as a volunteer.” In addition, Rush volunteers on the OSU Alumni Board of Directors and has been serving as the chair of the Board of Directors for six years now. Because of her expertise in career development, she uses it to organize professional seminars and workshops, which are meant to be of assistance to both students and alumni. Her

us—were there for us, and we feel obligated to pay that forward and we want to, and it’s also a lot of fun.” Along with Rush, Julie Lambert also volunteers on the OSU Alumni Board of Directors and has been involved with the OSU Alumni Association for about 10 years. She graduated from OSU in 1985 with a degree in business management and now has her own consulting firm named Lambert Group Corporate Solutions. Miller, Rush and Lambert all voice that OSU has the potential to transform students, and this ties in with their goal of wanting to support students so that new generations of Beavers can have the knowledge to change the world. “This is where I focus all of my time and energy at OSU, because I love to see the next generations coming up and solving the world’s problems and helping the world,” said Rush. To Lambert, the most important course of action to take is equal access to higher education, made possible by providing donations towards scholarships. “Oregon State to me is all about access to education for all,” said Lambert. “And if my work as a volunteer and my donations to scholarship funds can help that next generation get those connections [and] have the access to

involvement in this area had started within a few years after graduation. Similar to Miller’s story, Rush also had a network of support in college, so she wants to help students who come after her and continue that cycle of positivity. “It’s the right thing to do, it really is,” said Rush. “And I think members of the OSU community—including the teachers, friends, alumni, anyone that supported

PICTURED: LORI RUSH

education, so they can continue to make the world a better place, then I will have done my job as a volunteer.” Miller, Rush and Lambert all acknowledge that being a student had been much less expensive for them back then since the state had contributed a higher percentage of money towards university expenses, which resulted in a lower tuition. Miller even recalls that it had been cheaper to be a student than to not be in college at the time. He had graduated with only a few hundred dollars in debt. With all of this in mind, they all understand the financial pressure on students today as compared to before. “We [the OSU Alumni Association] attract a lot of alums who kind of feel the same way,” said Miller. “They’re basically people, for the most part, who’ve had a good experience here. And we want you kids to have a good experience, too. And you’re graduating into a world that’s a lot tougher than the world we graduated into.” According to Rush, the OSU Alumni Association has recently started a new endowed scholarship to offer financial aid to students. It’s a very rewarding experience when Rush attends the luncheon for the scholarship recipients, who express their immense gratitude. “We’re just so happy to help out,” said Rush. “It’s helping a Beaver, coming together to help people make their path a little easier through college and to go on to graduation, have a successful life. And there’s times where we’ve helped students, and throughout the years, they’ve come back to help out. You make those friends, and that Beaver connection is just very strong.”

Moreover, Rush and Lambert were thrilled to announce that, in response to the pandemic, the OSU Alumni Association has recently launched a new project called OSU Connections, an online portal that aims to build community by connecting students and alumni. For instance, if students are looking for jobs, they can develop connections by finding alumni who work in those fields, and these alumni can serve as mentors to help students land the job that they want. All in all, Rush notes that, although students may not know this, there is a community of over 200,000 alumni who are devoted to helping students no matter what. Reflecting back on when they were students at OSU, Miller, Rush and Lambert all feel so much pride, nostalgia and gratitude, each of them having graduated with a sense of purpose and life-long friends. “For every student who’s been on Oregon State’s campus, or if they’re there for one year or multiple years, whether they graduate or not,” said Lambert. “I would hope that as people reflected back on their time in Corvallis, it would be positive; that they would remember how special a place it is and just kind of keep that in their heart as they go on and are doing other things. “I always have found Beavers to be open, welcoming, kind, generous with their time, and we just need more of that in the world, and I really like that that’s part of the culture of our campus and our unit.” Find the full article on Beaver’s Digest website.

How to Spread Joy, Whether it’s One Mile or One Room Away

CREATE

WRITER: JEREMIAH ESTRADA PHOTOGRAPHER: SOLEIL HASKELL

Staying at home, isolation and online learning— we’ve been at this for a little over a year now, and it probably has not gotten easier for most people. Luckily, performing acts of kindness for the people in your life to warm their hearts and put smiles on their faces can help improve your mood.

For the People You Live With Start with the people closest to you, since these are the people you see on a day-to-day basis. Regardless if it’s a roommate or sibling, these thoughtful ideas should work nicely to raise their spirits and yours. Who knows, maybe they will treat you to dinner this week. Preparing a treat for someone you live with is a good way to brighten their day, and easy enough to do with all the free time there is. A simple beverage like a cup of tea or hot chocolate is quick and easy to make, ideal for sipping on while studying or watching a movie. You could also bake some brownies or cookies for the people you live with to nibble on. Whether you’re a skilled cook or not, you can’t go wrong with a yummy snack or drink. Let’s say you notice the laundry basket is piling up, the living room is getting dusty or maybe the sink is getting stacked with dirty dishes. Your relative or roommate might be too busy for chores at the moment, so what can you do? Give them a helping hand! Supporting them by taking care of these household tasks is a good way to relieve their stress and bring them

joy. Doing this small, good deed can benefit everyone, simultaneously putting this person in a better mood and making your home cleaner. To uplift your living companions’ spirits, a new addition to your home can also do the trick. Pay a visit to your local home goods store and look for the perfect plant, painting or small piece of furniture that would look great in your dorm, house or apartment. This purchase will let them know that you’re thinking of them and hopefully make them happier.

For the People Not So Close to You It’s probably been a while since you last saw some of your close friends or certain family members, and you all miss each other’s company. These are the people who might be the most important to reach out to right now. Offering them some kindness, even from afar, can be a good chance to reconnect and offer joy. Amidst the pandemic, ordering a meal for someone you know can be a nice surprise that fills both their tummies and their hearts. You can browse different restaurants or fast food chains to order from, choose their favorite comfort food and save the person you’re doing this for lots of time, money and energy spent preparing a meal. Although you might not be able to see some friends and family face to face, seeing them virtually is the next best thing. Arrange a phone or video call to watch a movie or just catch up.

Hang out virtually with as many people you like. Playing online games or eating a meal together are also safe ways to spend quality time remotely. If you’re looking to keep things traditional and thoughtful, sending a handwritten letter to people in your life is another route to go. The contents of this letter is all up to you: update them about your life or write a few jokes to make them laugh. You can send notes and letters for holidays and birthdays. They will be able to get your kindness and love in an envelope in just a few days.

For Other People in the World While being kind to your family and friends is important, there are also many people outside of your circles who could use good wishes too. Try donating to a charity or offering a simple hello and smile to someone you see on the street. It’s always important to spread the joy, even to your neighbors or a stranger miles away. Being out and about can also make for a good opportunity to act kindly. If you find yourself in line at the drive-thru for a Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts, tell the cashier that you can also pay for the car that’s right behind you in line. This can save the stranger a couple of extra dollars and is also a nice surprise.

If you live in a neighborhood with many elderly people or know of an elderly person nearby, offering them some help is another way of being kind, especially in a pandemic that renders them more vulnerable to the virus than younger p e o p l e . O f f e r i n g to buy and deliver some groceries, w a l k i n g their pets or watering their plants are just a few small gestures to help make their lives easier. And since these folks are more susceptible to disease, wearing a mask and approaching them safely is necessary. Maybe later you’re in your pantry and spot a lot of canned food items. Wondering what to do with them? Donating extra rations to a local food bank could help more people than you think. There are many people who struggle with food insecurity and financial troubles, so donating what you are able to would be a great help. These are all noble actions that you can’t help but try during the pandemic, but it’s also important to be kind to yourself. Remembering to check in on yourself will help to maintain your mental health. Try taking a break from your work, going out for a walk and taking yourself somewhere on a self date. Ideas like this and more can ensure that you’re happy right now, just like the people around you.

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EXPERIENCE

ACCOUNTABILITY AND ACTION Reflecting on OSU’s Antiracist Strategies

WRITER: SUKHJOT SAL PHOTOGRAPHERS: JESS HUME-PANTUSO, JOSH SWANCUTT The past year has been one of national reckoning; from the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for murdering George Floyd, to increased coverage of Black Lives Matter, keeping their mission to eliminate systemic and institutional racism in the media spotlight. But as with all important movements, change starts at the local level—in our neighborhoods, cities and within Oregon State University, which comprises innumerable, overlapping systems within the institution itself. Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer Dr. Charlene Alexander is responsible for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives for OSU, specifically the implementation of OSU’s first Diversity Strategic Plan. The Diversity Strategic Plan, which launched in 2018 as a five-year plan to end in 2023, affirms the university’s dedication to diversity and inclusion, and ensures that diversity is an integral part of the OSU identity. According to Alexander, over the last academic year, various notable antiracist initiatives were implemented and several more are in the works. “On Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020, thenPresident King Alexander announced the steps the university is undertaking to move the university forward and undertake actions

in response to calls from members of our community,” Alexander said in an email. “Those actions are outlined on the Moving Forward Together website.” The actions are organized in eight distinct areas: staff and faculty, public safety, immigration-international studentsDREAMERS, teaching and learning, student services, leadership, university relations and marketing, and bias response. “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts occur by several units across campus and we will celebrate those efforts during our State of Diversity Address later this spring,” Alexander said. First-year environmental sciences student Zoë Bishop is a rower on OSU’s Women’s Rowing team. “In my opinion, for an initiative to be antiracist, I believe it should be a message that emphasizes the importance of education in inclusivity,” Bishop said. Spreading the meaning of inclusivity and equality help to improve people’s understanding of what the term ‘antiracism’ really means, she explained. “Since I am a student-athlete here at OSU, the most active anti-racist initiative I’ve been aware of is DAM Change,” Bishop said. PICTURED: ZOË BISHOP

“DAM Change is a studentathlete platform that brings awareness and understanding to systemic racism.” Bishop noted that DAM Change is very active on social media, spreading a lot of information on multiple media platforms. “There are also athletes from all teams at OSU that represent DAM Change so there are many perspectives in affiliation,” Bishop said. “They have a lot of Zoom workshops with conversations involving racial inequity, education and current racial attacks. They do a great job conceptualizing productive problem solving.” Bishop also said she thinks OSU leaders need to make more of an effort to not only educate its students on antiracism, but emphasize the importance of equality. “Since I’m the only African American person on the Women’s Rowing team, our Athletic Director and Chief Diversity Advisor Kimya Massey reaches out to me very often about topics like anti-racism,” Bishop said. “He does a great job making me feel comfortable about these topics.” Bishop also said ideologies like equality and equity teach students of all backgrounds about acceptance, allowing for a much more

open-minded and productive community. One of OSU’s new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts includes the Pre-Doctoral S c h o l a r s Program. “This is a new initiative designed to enhance and recognize the scholarship of pre-doctoral scholars from all disciplines who are committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion,” Alexander explained. “The goals are to increase the presence of DEI committed scholars on campus, create opportunities for scholars to meet with OSU faculty engaged in similar areas of research, and to introduce scholars to the OSU community.” Another upcoming diversity plan this spring includes having conversations with the President and CEO of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, Dr. Antonio Flores, as OSU explores becoming an emerging Hispanic-Serving Institution. HSIs are defined as colleges, universities and other systems or districts where the total enrollment of Hispanic students comprises at least 25% of total enrollment. This spring, Alexander said OSU had conversations with the Southern Regional Education Board, Rochester Institute of

Technology and Xavier University of Louisiana to discuss recruitment and networking with Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as well as Minority-Serving Institutions. MSI is an umbrella term referring to higher education institutions that serve minority populations, such as HBCUs, HSIs, Tribal Colleges and Universities and Asian American and Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions. In addition, Alexander noted senior leadership at OSU have been reading Dr. Ibram Kendi’s book, How to be an Antiracist, and attended the Provost lecture series on April 14, which featured Kendi and discussed lessons from his book to develop actionable items for their respective units. Along with the book, senior leadership had access to a summary of Kendi’s Antiracist Framework, which included detailed descriptions of what it means to be antiracist and racist, as well as definitions of a racist idea, racist policy, antiracist idea and antiracist policy. According to Kendi’s Framework, an antiracist is “someone who takes action to challenge racial inequity.” “Racial inequity is created and reinforced by racist policies, which are in turn defended by racist ideas. To be an antiracist, one must fight to eliminate racial inequity as well as the policies and ideas that cause these inequities.” President for the Associated Students of Oregon State University Isabel Nuñez Perez said Diversity and Cultural Engagement has been working on very powerful initiatives to support students. “This is the first year that there has been an on-campus living community for Black and Indigenous students,” Nuñez Perez said. “The

Nia Black Scholar and munk-skukum living learning communities - I think this is a huge step towards cultivating spaces on campus for students to feel safe and be in community in a way that hasn’t previously existed.” However, Nuñez Perez said for years OSU leadership has faced immense pressure from the OSU community to become more antiracist, adding that generations of student organizers have been fighting this fight. “I also believe that given the current social and political climate, they are beginning to listen to students,” Nuñez Perez said of OSU leadership. “To an extent. This for sure has impacted them in that some of them are starting to learn, but there is still a long way to go as much of this work still gets delegated to other diversity initiative-based sectors of the university.” According to Nuñez Perez, there needs to be a shift in the attitudes of how these issues are addressed, not from a reform mindset, but from that of abolition. “The university represents a colonial state by being a land grant institution nor were universities established with the intention of letting in [Black, Indigenous and people of color] and queer students,” Nuñez Perez explained. “Until we acknowledge what this system is perpetuating then we can work towards justice and seek out ways to do better.” ASOSU Vice President Metzin Rodriguez also shared her goals for OSU’s future in anti-racism. “My hope for OSU is that they are able to implement sustainable and long term change and recognize what’s performative anti-racist initiatives and what’s not,” Rodriguez said. “Also, actually providing a system for support for students and actively listening to them instead of only passing the mic to BIPOC communities and being a bystander.”

PICTURED: CHARLENE ALEXANDER Rodriguez also noted continuing to improve anti-racist Baccalaureate Core initiatives is important, as well as providing support to OSU students and faculty who put tremendous amounts of work into it, calling it an exhausting process.

“Anti-racist work is more covert than some people think; for us, it has been about having a different leadership style than in the past,” Nuñez Perez and Rodriguez said. “Yet, unfortunately for this we have faced immense backlash for being who we are.

Nuñez Perez and Rodriguez noted they have openly talked, discussed issues and carried “Despite the wins, we too have been added to themselves in a way that has been previously the long history of the ASOSU discriminating against women of color. We hope that ASOSU deemed “too radical” for ASOSU. can be better because they must be better. They added the “too radical” attitudes extend For ASOSU to truly change, there needs to be towards everyone in their team, in terms of more people like us.” advocating for students through a lens of “We are the first,” Rodriguez said, “but we intersectionality. won’t be the last.”

WELLNESS

Finding Food and Community

Understanding Food Insecurity and Campus Resources WRITER: DAVID NGO PHOTOGRAPHER: ALEX REICH

A study conducted by Mark Edwards, the sociology program director at Oregon State University’s Policy Analysis Laboratory, estimated that nearly one million Oregonians were experiencing food insecurity as of May 2020. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, food insecurity consists of two types: low and very low food security. Low food security is defined as “reports of reduced quality, variety or desirability of diet. Little or no indication of reduced food intake.” Very low food security is defined as a “report of multiple indications of disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake.” This high rate of food insecurity has been attributed to the loss of employment seen in Oregon and across the country. “There has been such a catastrophic loss of jobs [and] livelihood resulting in food insecurity, housing insecurity [and] homelessness, and mental and physical health decline that it is hard to even estimate the cost to families,” said Annie Hoisington, a nutritional educator and associate professor for the College of Public Health and Human Sciences at OSU’s Portland campus. Despite the increase of food insecurity since COVID-19 began, there are many services and resources provided by OSU and the state of Oregon for students to access. Emily Faltesek, the food security programs coordinator for OSU’s Human Services and Resource Center confirmed that the numbers regarding food insecurity in Oregon in Edward’s report were accurate with what the HSRC has experienced. “The research findings are very consistent with what we had at the HSRC,” Faltesek said. “Our numbers went up a ton.” However, despite the stresses that COVID-19 has imposed on Oregon’s safety net services, the system has held up quite well. “When the pandemic hit, there was tremendous cooperation and innovation in getting food to kids who were no longer able to go to school and receive reduced price lunches, or to quickly get emergency food to the many more people who were visiting food pantries, or to quickly get newly unemployed people signed up for [the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program],” Edwards said in an email.

PICTURED: KATLYN VARNEY Those who qualify for SNAP, previously known as food stamps, will receive an Oregon Trail card which is reloaded every month with funds for groceries. The HSRC also provides sign-up support for SNAP and one-on-one assistance to students who have questions about food security services. Students can schedule an appointment with Miguel Arellano Sanchez, the HSRC basic needs navigator, to sign up for these services. Furthermore, on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the HSRC provides grocery support. This program offers shelf-stable items like rice, pasta, beans, corn and even Indomie instant noodles. Grocery items also include tofu, frozen meats, shelf-stable and refrigerated kinds of milk and milk alternatives. The program is open to both the OSU and public community, and no ID is required. If you can’t make it during their official grocery support hours, you can make an appointment for another time. In addition, the HSRC has the Healthy Beaver Bags program every Friday from noon to 2:30 p.m. This service is only available to OSU students. It offers fresh produce, ingredients and instructions for meals students can prepare at home. “It’s like a recipe kit for trying out new recipes at home during COVID-19 that focuses on

fresh, healthy ingredients,” said Faltesek. The fresh ingredients and produce provided in the kits are sometimes sourced from local farms. According to Faltesek, past kits have included a French bread-making kit and a ramen-making kit which gives instructions on how to dress up your Ramen. Although volunteering for the HRSC is not currently available for students and the greater community, you can still help food assistance efforts in many ways. This includes providing food donations, fostering conversations about food security and spreading the word about services like SNAP and the HSRC. “Those connections between people and the information sharing inside a community is a really powerful thing students can do right now,” Faltesek said. “Even if there aren’t specific opportunities to stock shelves and offer service in that way.” Edwards said these programs and services exist to serve during times of need and are part of a system that we have paid our money into. “When those who do not use programs like SNAP communicate to others that they should avoid using these programs, they communicate that food insecurity is a shameful thing,” Edwards explained. “It’s not; it’s something that happens to people, not usually something they brought upon themselves.”

CREATE

WRITER: AGRIZHA PUSPITA SARI PHOTOGRAPHER: SOLOMON MYERS

Turning 21 when you’re facing a dark time like the pandemic is challenging, as you can’t celebrate your birthday as you normally would with friends and family. Celebrating reaching the legal drinking age, which often feels like the last stage in becoming an adult, should be the best moment of the year. But now that we are all isolated in a pandemic, how have students experienced turning 21? Blair Stone, a fourth-year student studying animal biology at Oregon State, said that she is in a sorority and a bunch of her friends turned 21 around the same time so she was hoping to throw a little party at her new apartment with friends and go to the bars together. “I was totally bummed out,” Stone said. “However, a lot of my friends are the same age and were experiencing the same thing so knowing I wasn’t the only one made me feel a lot better. I was grateful to be home and around family during these times. “There were definitely more freedoms involved with it, as in finally ordering drinks at restaurants and going to bars, but when I was freshly 21 a lot of those things weren’t an option.” For Leah Kahn, a third-year student studying management and theatre arts at OSU, she hasn’t really compared what her 21st birthday would have looked like outside of the pandemic. 34

“I think I’ve been in COVID-19 period for so long, that I didn’t even think of what I wished my birthday would be like in a non-COVID world,” Kahn said. “I do miss big parties and having all my friends under one roof. But focusing on what I can’t have just makes me sad, so I learned to focus on the exciting things I can do.” When students reach the legal drinking age, they often have a wish list or bucket list of things to do, possibly years in advance, to celebrate the milestone. With the pandemic, this wish list has changed for some students as they turned 21. “I jot down a list of things I need to do and accomplish by certain times, including little things like showering or cleaning my room,” Stone said. “Crossing these things off helps me feel more accomplished and productive. So, essentially, just taking things a day at a time helps me stay sane.” “My mom took me to get my hair and nails done, and then we edited my book of poems in the backyard together,” Kahn said. “Then we got dressed up and went out to eat with the rest of my family at Del Alma downtown. Then we came home, opened presents and played part of the 1980’s game, ‘Dragonmaster,’ before we got too tired, and all went to bed. “I was very happy and satisfied with what I had. I had a really awesome day and got to eat incredible food. Most people might think

spending the day with their mom was lame, but honestly, we have the best times together.” When people turn 21, they often want to do something more ‘adult,’ like drinking an alcoholic beverage to celebrate the milestone. But during COVID-19, people have adapted to celebrate their growth in other ways and found some new ambitions. “I find that I have been drinking a lot more since I’ve turned 21, having at least a beer a day,” Stone said. “I find that it helps ease my mind and anxiety a lot. Unhealthy coping mechanism, I know, but since turning 21, I now have that option. I think I’m not alone with this sentiment.”

“I guess now I’m an official, official adult. But I don’t drink, or plan to start drinking, or gambling so I’m not sure there’s too much that comes with it. I guess it is a milestone, I’m older. But I don’t feel any different, if anything the older I get the more flawed I feel,” Kahn said. “For religious reasons I won’t, and for personal reasons I don’t want to consume something that impairs my judgement or makes me addicted.” Abram Smith, a third-year student studying horticulture at OSU, said that he is comfortable consuming alcoholic drinks and using recreational marijuana as he reached the legal age in California. His favorite pairing is wine with hash.

“Obviously you have to watch for dependency and do research to see if these substances are right for you,” Smith said. “I want to get a job on a cannabis farm this summer. It’s something I’ve been looking forward to ever since I was recommended medical marijuana by my doctor.” Celebrating a 21st birthday can be a bit disappointing with the pandemic making students unable to throw a huge birthday party as normal. COVID-19 however may have also affected some students’ mental health as they enter this stage of adulthood. Stone said that COVID-19 did not really affect her mental health as she turned 21. As someone who has faced severe anxiety and depression growing up, being under quarantine made Stone’s mental health decline rapidly. Although she is an introvert, she does need distractions such as gym time, hanging out with friends, and seeing a therapist when there is no other option to get out of the house. “Honestly, we’ve been doing the COVID-19 guidelines for so long now that it wasn’t a huge deal. I live with five members of my family, so we were able to celebrate together and honestly that was party enough for me,” Kahn said. However, Kahn feels that COVID-19 has absolutely affected her mental health as she reaches adulthood and Smith is frustrated with the transition to a virtual world as well. “It’s been a complete fucking nightmare,” Smith said. “Not being able to hang out with my friends at the start of COVID was really difficult,” Kahn said. “And doing Zoom classes has made me feel so cut off and isolated from campus, even though I live five blocks away.

“Some days I do eight hours of Zoom, and by the end of it I physically cannot do any more homework. I just want to stare at a wall or go downstairs and socialize with my family because I feel lonely and need to socialize, but if I don’t do more homework, I fall behind. It’s a perilous balancing act, and often I don’t do the homework, or save it for later. COVID-19 has messed with my mental health, but I have not let it defeat me. I have grown so much during this pandemic and learned what’s actually important to me.” For anyone who is concerned about being alone when they reach the age of 21, it can be helpful to think positively about what they do have.

“I feel lucky and blessed that I am healthy and have my family and friends beside me. Also, the pandemic won’t last forever, as vaccines are out now and there will, hopefully, be many other birthdays you can celebrate.” “Take a day off from work, maybe school too I might’ve skipped some classes on my birthday, hang-out with someone who loves you, and get out and do something fun! As my grandma said: ‘You only turn 21 once,’” Kahn said. These students have tips to maintaining your well-being, studies and work throughout this difficult time and have experienced turning 21 during a pandemic. “I like to cook, so I work, so I can afford to buy good ingredients. I try to get into a good groove of things and maintain my health through food and exercise,” Smith said. “Connect with your friends safely, I’ve found video games to be a good way to stay connected even though it’s kind of sad.”

“You are not alone in turning 21 during this time,” Stone said. “It helps to stay grateful and appreciative of the things that you do have. I take time every day to reflect on things that are going well in my life and think of things I have to look forward to.

“Obviously I still have some things to figure out,” Kahn said. “But I try to get all my homework done before the weekend, to try, I rarely succeed but it’s the thought that counts. I stop working at 4pm. I never do homework on Sundays so I have a whole day to dedicate to God and not worry about things. I get outside for a bike ride or walk almost every day. I focus on what I can control, I pray a lot, and I don’t worry about things until they happen.” “My advice to the world now that I’m 21: Surround yourself with people who love you and support you, learn to say no, do what you love, and for all our sakes: be kind.”

CREATE

Freaky Fashion from the New Roaring ‘20s WRITER: SARAH EXNER PHOTOGRAPHER: CLAIRE NELSON

This year has been a wild ride in every which way possible. While our lives have done a complete 180, so have most of our wardrobes. 2020 and 2021 are judgement free zones, as can be shown through most of our outfit choices. When a few generations down the road dresses up for their spirit days as “The 2020’s,” what will they look like?

Look #1:

Business on top, bedtime on the bottom With most work and school related meetings now transitioned to remote, why waste a good pair of pants for no one to see? Hair and makeup should be done in accordance with the event, along with a nice top and maybe jacket. However, instead of some slacks, switch them out with your comfiest pair of sweats. No one ever has to know. This way, as soon as you click off of Zoom, you can switch that blouse back into your favorite oversized t-shirt. It’s all about thinking smarter not harder these days.

Mask up, but make it trendy Who knew that wearing a mask in public would turn into the latest trend in fashion? This can be one’s best accessory, in fact for many people it is. Making sure your mask matches your outfit is key, even if you are just running to the grocery store. Most of us only get one or two outings a day, so every outfit counts. Maybe you want a more neutral look, or you’re looking for a pop of color. There’s a mask out there for every look in the book. Get rid of the disposables, and add cute and trendy masks to your wardrobe!

Look #3:

Look #4:

Since most of us go days without putting jeans on, there’s nothing wrong with making pajamas fashionable. Run to your local Target or shop at your favorite online store for the perfect matching PJ set.

With big events like weddings and dances being canceled, there’s nothing wrong these days with still dressing up for the occasion at home. Make sure to take lots of pictures and videos, and try to make the event be as fun and meaningful as possible! Grab your bubble of friends and family, put on that nice dress or suit and have a quarantine-friendly gathering.

Fashion PJ’s

Whether they’re shorts for when it’s warm out or long pants for when it’s cold, make sure your closet is stocked up with the cutest pajamas around. Find your inner fashionista and transpire that energy into comfiness!

Look #2:

Dress to Impress from home

PICTURED: LONG NGUYEN

EXPERIENCE

Boys II Men:

OSU Fraternity Members Share Their Experiences WRITER: JAMES FLECK PHOTOGRAPHER: JACOB LE

When you think of Greek life, what’s the first movie that comes to mind? Animal House? Neighbors? 22 Jump Street? Lots of people get their first impressions of fraternities and sororities from movies like these, and while they’re fun, they’re far from an accurate portrayal of what Greek life is truly like. “My perception of Greek life was ‘80s movies, jocks, the daddy’s money, a bunch of wild hooligans always battling the dean, wacky adventures and they never go to class,” said Theta Chi member Mason Crawford. “And then, very quickly, that changed. I realized that that’s not realistic because obviously no one could survive in college and have educational success in any sense, socially as well, acting like that.” Of course, there certainly are cases of bitter fraternity rivalries, conquests against the dean and never going to class, but that’s just scratching the surface—much of the true Greek experience is what you don’t see in the movies. Right off the bat the biggest thing going Greek provides is an introduction to new people. “Meeting people and getting out of my comfort zone is a big thing for me,” said Delta Chi President Chase Pettibone. “I didn’t want to go to a fraternity where I wasn’t going to

meet new people. I didn’t have a crappy high school experience, but I didn’t want to be stuck in high school.” Most Greek organizations boast a long list of histories and traditions, especially at older schools; there’s no shortage of stories and wisdom for older members to pass down to younger members. “It was cool getting to be a part of something that had such a rich history, I didn’t realize I was gonna get that opportunity,” said Crawford. “Being able to explore the house and go through our old history books and see past brothers and alumni who’ve sat in the same study chairs I did or were doing the same thing as me is really humbling, and it made me realize, ‘Wow, college is definitely the right spot for me and I know I can be extremely successful, as well.’” Lots of students enter college not planning to participate in Greek life, only to have a chapter stand out to them when they least expect it. “I wasn’t really big into fraternities in the first place, it was kind of like, ‘free food, why not go there?’” said Sigma Nu Vice President AJ Grover. “I went to Sigma Nu and played a couple video games with the guys and I really

“I’ve pursued more official leadership positions and also some quasileadership positions. I wanted to get involved in everything I could,” said Pettibone.

PICTURED: CHASE PETTIBONE enjoyed the friendships I made with some of the members, and kept on going back just to see and I was also getting my lunches paid for, which was really nice… five days of free lunches got me there.” Beyond being a hub for meeting new people, Greek life also holds plenty of leadership and networking opportunities for members with the desire to chase them. “I’ve pursued more official leadership positions and also some quasi-leadership positions. I wanted to get involved in everything I could,” said Pettibone. Since joining Delta Chi, Pettibone has served on several committees, been his chapter’s alumni chair and now serves as president. At Sigma Nu, Grover has served as public relations director and chaplain, and now serves as his chapter’s vice president, as well as vice president of public relations and marketing on the Interfraternity Council.

“If you’re hesitant to join Greek life, you’ve gotta dip your toes in the water,” said Crawford. “Meet the members of each one you visit and [consider], ‘Are these the people I wanna surround myself with and eventually grow into?’ Especially if they’re older members. Look at what their organization has been doing and then see if there’s a spot you could fit in to really practice or hone in your skills.” “Of course it’s gonna be a difficult experience, you’re meeting people who are looking at you like fresh meat,” said Grover. “My advice is be comfortable, be yourself and ultimately understand that you don’t have to join this fraternity for any reason other than yourself. If you feel like you’ll be okay with this group of people, that’s when you join, there should be no other reason.”

PICTURED: AJ GROVER “These leadership experiences are going to benefit me later on in life, so why not try them out now in a low-stakes environment?” said Grover. “Fraternities are not really that big of a deal when it comes to delegation so it’s a nice low-stakes environment to get yourself in that leadership position; get your feet wet.” Looking back, Grover, Crawford and Pettibone all agreed that the time they’ve spent with their fraternities has had a net positive impact. “If you put a lot of passion into it, you’re going to get a lot out of it, you’re going to meet a lot of people, you’re going to have a good time, you’re going to talk better than you did before,” said Grover. “It’s a really positive experience ultimately, that affected my communication, affected how I treat people, affected how I make connections and friendships; it’s all been improved.” Going Greek can be scary, especially if you’ve never been to a big school before, but what students often find is that the hardest part is just showing up.

After over a year of Greek life being dormant, Pettibone was optimistic about the state of the upcoming school year. “We’re coming up on a time where Greek life is going to take off,” said Pettibone. “My entire live-in chapter is vaccinated at this point, so really we’re just waiting on the school [and] state to update their policies... The switch is going to flip and you’ll want to be ready.”

Seven New Businesses to Support in Corvallis

EXPERIENCE

WRITER: COLIN RICKMAN, PHOTOGRAPHER: JACOB LE Do you always just go to the usual places? I get it, you know what you like so why change it? Well, you might be missing out on some of the newest businesses in Corvallis so we’ve made a list of new shops and restaurants to check out. We often forget that cities are always changing, undergoing metamorphosis to transform into better versions of themselves. Corvallis is no exception, but amidst the COVID-19 pandemic businesses everywhere have been suffering. Now that restrictions are lightening, our community needs us now more than ever. Visiting these new businesses is a great way to show your support and switch up your routine. Common Fields It might be in the name, but there is nothing common about it. Opened in February 2021, Common Fields offers three diverse food trucks and a plethora of beer, ciders and wine from their taproom. Grab anything from a lamb gyro to a homemade pie, then sit down and enjoy your meal in their

beautiful outdoor atmosphere with heated benches and multiple fire pits. They have 16 beers on tap, all from breweries right here in Oregon. Not 21 or older? No worries, they offer plenty of nonalcoholic beverages as well. They also put on events throughout the week like Trivia Tuesdays and live music performances from local artists on Wednesdays. Common Fields is open every day of the week from 11 am to 8 pm for dine-in or take-out and can be found on the corner of 3rd and Western. Five Guys The critically acclaimed burger shop is finally here. Opened in March 2021, Five Guys is flipping burgers and slinging fries at full throttle. Every burger is cooked to order, so you always get a fresh patty straight off the grill. Choose from any of their 15 free toppings to customize your meal to perfection. Their fries are also critically acclaimed. They are cooked in 100% peanut oil, which is safe for most people with peanut allergies but it is important to check with a doctor first. Better safe than sorry. Are you a shake and fries type of person? That’s great because they offer vanilla milkshakes with 10 mix-in options, such as chocolate or bacon. Five Guys is open every day of the week from 11 am to 10 pm for dine-in or take-out and can be found on 9th next to Samaritan Hospital. PICTURED: RHYAN SHULTIS, KELLAR EDWARDS

Pollen

No, not what plagues the allergyafflicted in springtime. Opened in February 2021, Pollen is a superfood cafe run by a mother and daughter duo. They pride themselves on providing healthy and affordable options and have partnered with local businesses to make that possible. Grab one of their five acai bowl varieties, with optional toppings such as cacao nibs, honey and granola. Pollen literally offers bee pollen as a topping. It is claimed to be a superfood, but there are no firm studies on the benefits of it yet and should be avoided if you have pollen allergies. Nutritional smoothies, fresh salads and some interesting toasts are also in their menu lineup. Pollen is open for dine-in or take-out on Monday through Friday from 8 am to 6 pm, and on Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm. It can be found on Monroe next to Qdoba.

Bobahead

Now that’s some quali-tea boba! Okay I’m sorry, I’ll see myself out. Opened in February 2020, Bobahead has quickly become an Oregon State student favorite. With so many tea and smoothie options, what’s not to like? Jasmine, earl black, hibiscus, green, the list goes on and on. They also offer fruity tea options like guava lime and mango. All of this is available with their signature boba, or other add-ins like aloe and lychee. Curious about what boba is exactly? Traditionally, it is tapioca orbs added to iced milk tea. The orbs are the boba, but usually the entire drink is referred to as boba tea, or bubble tea depending on what area you are from. Bobahead is open every day of the week from 11 am to 8 pm for dine-in or take-out and can be found on Monroe next to Interzone.

Keep these cookies away from children. Opened in April 2021, Cookies is the newest dispensary in town. It is a branch of a national chain of dispensaries co-founded by the rapper Berner. Check out strains like lion’s mane, cereal milk and the strain created with Oregon State’s very own Gary Payton--called Gary Payton. While they mainly sell marijuana, they also sell CBD-infused lotions and balms. And yes, they do indeed sell cookies. THC-infused cookies to be exact, along with gummies and chocolates. Most recently, Cookies has collabed with rapper Snoop Dogg to create the doggy bagg strain which Snoop Dogg calls “the breakfast of champions.” You must be 21 or older to enter. Cookies is open every day of the week from 8 am to 10 pm and can be found on Madison next to Many Hands Trading in downtown Corvallis.

Kraken Cards

Man, these puns are kraken me up. Just me? Okay. Opened in April 2021, Kraken Cards is bringing tabletop gaming and trading cards to downtown Corvallis. As the storefront for the online retailer of tabletop gaming accessories, Inked Gaming, they plan to bring that same quality and enthusiasm to their new brick and mortar location. They offer everything a tabletop gamer needs, from playmats to deck sleeves to cute plushies. If you love Magic the Gathering or Pokemon TCG this is the spot for you. They have a vast selection of trading cards, and collectible sports cards are on the way. Plans for wargaming tournament events are in the works as well. Kraken Cards is open Thursday through Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm and can be found on 3rd across the street from Wise Cracks.

The Bière Library Can’t Bière these puns? Don’t worry, that’s the last one. Opened in October 2020, The Bière Library is the perfect place to have a bite to eat, have a drink and get lost in your favorite book. Classic Belgian-inspired food and up to ten draft beers in rotation all in the cozy atmosphere of a library is a recipe for success. Charcuterie boards, Soup du jour and sweet or savory crêpes are all standard options at this very Euorpeanesque establishment. They have a take-one-leave-one style library inside so you can always pick up something new to read. The Bière Library is open for dine-in and take-out on Monday and Wednesday through Saturday from 11 am to 10 pm, and on Sundays from 11 am to 8 pm. You can find them downtown on Monroe next to TacoVino.

CREATE

History Has It’s Eyes on Us Looking Back at Honored OSU Graduates WRITER: JESSICA LI ILLUSTRATOR: SOLEIL HASKELL On October 27, 1868, Oregon State University was declared as Oregon’s land-grant institution. Over the years, students have graduated from OSU and soared their wings to help change the world, leading some of them to even win honorable awards. “It’s [OSU] a long tradition of working to be of service to Oregon and producing graduates who serve Oregon, too,” said Lori Rush, a 1978 OSU graduate who now volunteers on the OSU Alumni Board of Directors. “It’s been around for a long time, and it’s the one thing that I’m so proud to share with people.” The following list provides just such examples of five notable alumni and the impacts they’ve made. See our website for more! (1) JAMES WITHYCOMBE Because of his expertise in farming and livestock raising, he was appointed Oregon State Veterinarian in 1889 and joined Oregon State University (which was then the Oregon Agricultural College) as the head of the college’s experimental farming station in 1898. He was also named the governor of Oregon in 1915. Withycombe Hall is named in his honor. (2) ED ALLWORTH Shortly after he had graduated in 1916, Allworth earned the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1918. Following World War I, he significantly supported fundraising for construction of the Memorial Union and came to be the building manager. In 1925, he held the position of secretary and director of the OSU Alumni Association.

(3) LINUS PAULING He is the only person to have ever received two unshared Nobel Prizes, one for chemistry in 1954 and one for peace in 1962. Pauling was a graduate in the OSU class of 1922 and worked as a scientist, humanitarian and peace activist. His research focused on micronutrients and their use in human health and disease prevention, and he founded the Linus Pauling Institute, which continues his work. The Ava Helen and Linus Pauling Papers contains an archive of his materials and awards. (4) CARRIE BEATRICE HALSELL WARD In 1926, she was the first African-American student to have graduated from Oregon State University with an undergraduate degree. After having obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce, she went on to teach business education at Virginia State University and South Carolina State University. Halsell Hall, a residence hall on the south side of the OSU campus, is named after her. (5) BILL TEBEAU Tebeau Hall on the east side of campus honors him as the first African-American male to have graduated from OSU in 1948. He later established a career in highway engineering and education.

CREATE

Online Classes Are Having People Hit the Wrong Note WRITER: JEREMIAH ESTRADA PHOTOGRAPHER: COOPER BASKINS If you were a band kid, maybe you remember sitting in class and blowing into your instrument while watching the conductor direct the band. Over the past year, that’s been replaced with computer screens and a lagging internet connection. Music instructors and students have had to make a big transition and adjust to a virtual world which isn’t very rhythmic at times. When the pandemic first hit, the methods of instruction had an impact as everything moved online and music classes experienced significant changes. Oregon State University’s Native American Flute instructor, Jan Looking Wolf Reibach, was able to prepare for these changes in teaching. He said he had maximized his use of Canvas and the technical functions of the eBook he wrote in his course.

“Over the course of several years we worked to develop an eBook for the course that includes interactive hyperlinks, external hyperlinks and content formatted so it corresponds with the course curriculum which is based upon oral tradition, cultural diversity and musical self expression,” Reibach said. “The eBook is provided for free to our students.” A cultural diversity baccalaureate core course, Native American Flute course has been successful remotely during the pandemic and the students are thriving, according to Reibach. There are challenges he has faced with his instruction though, such as meeting the high demand of course registration and a general fear of the unknown from the pandemic. The university was able to support Reibach through this process by providing tools like instructor trainings, policy guidance, and technical assistance. “I have found that obtaining input from the students to develop class activities in remote modality can really help with the course,” Reibach said. Marin Monteith, a second-year student studying biochemistry and biophysics with a minor in chemistry and music performance, said they think music classes can be especially challenging in this online format.

Monteith said small details when performing fly under the radar and are much harder to correct since instructors can’t really identify them in the first place. They also said there is a lot of trial and error when trying to source out problems, since they hide in camera angles and microphone blips. “Playing an instrument, especially one like the cello, is a very physically involved activity,” Monteith said. “Posture makes perfect and sometimes every millimeter on the string or the minute finger positions of the bow hold can be the difference between shrieks and masterpieces.” Stephanie Hanson, a soon to graduate student studying music, said music classes like aural skills, conducting, band, choir and orchestra are incredibly challenging to navigate online, especially for professors. Those difficulties include WiFi connection, lag in audio and how it now takes twice as long to learn new material. Hanson said those who are pursuing a music education degree have been able to learn firsthand how to teach over Zoom as well, which has given those students a taste of what it’s like to be their professors during this time, which isn’t easy. “Another challenge is practice [and] class space,” Hanson said. “Many students live in apartments or dorms on campus. Thankfully, the Memorial Union has practice rooms available and there are tents available outside of Community Hall. No one wants to listen to their neighbor practicing piccolo or singing opera for hours every day!” According to Reibach, the in-person connection to music is very important for his students. He said it is valuable to the learning environment for students to hear each other play with no latency or issues with synchronicity. Reibach has worked to replicate that experience successfully by using Canvas and high quality studio equipment.

PICTURED: STEPHANIE HANSON Reibach learned some advantages to being remote, such as how students are able to make their own music and improvise. This process is easier for students in an isolated environment, which allows them to experiment and express themselves. He said he plans to continue using Zoom for those class sessions where students have to practice techniques and create their own music. According to Hanson, in-person classes for music students are vital to the degree program and education of students. She said it takes longer for professors to provide individual feedback which keeps students from learning efficiently. For band and choir to operate on Zoom, everyone needs to mute themselves while a track or piano is played by the professor.

invitation to join the first flute circle when it returns and that they are always welcome to stop by one of his classes. “You really cannot replace a physical event with 600 plus students at the event, but what I’ve done with my students during the pandemic is I made sure that even in the subsequent terms I’ve stayed in touch with them. They will be invited to the first flute circle that we can have, hopefully spring of next year,” Reibach said. Monteith said so much of the physicality is lost when not in person, as it’s infinitely harder to build a relationship with the instrument and the piece of music. In ensembles, they said there’s much more guidance playing with other musicians with timing, pitch, dynamics and the general feel of the piece. “When I sit in a room and play my cello or listen to my friends play their drums or pianos, you can literally feel the music and the vibrations,” Monteith said. “Online, you’re alone at sea.”

Professors can only hope what they are teaching is being absorbed by their students until it’s exam time or videos are due. “Unfortunately, not everyone can sing, play their instruments or conduct all at the same

“Online, you’re alone at sea.” time while unmuted,” Hanson said. “It takes longer to provide individual feedback, and students aren’t able to learn as effectively.” During a normal school year, students of the Native American Flute class participate in a flute circle near the end of the term. This usually takes place at the Student Experience Center plaza on the Corvallis campus and includes students from all of Reibach’s sections. He said that his current students will receive a special

Although the nature of online music classes presents a struggle, Monteith said they have been trying to focus on the positives of it. They said they are grateful for being able to play music and improve their skills during the pandemic. “I must also give immense credit to my instructor, Anne Ridlington, for making the online format an absolute pleasure; if anything can make or break an online class, it’s the instructor,” Monteith said. “I’ve been extremely fortunate in that regard. Even though the format is funky and a lot is lost in translation, my experience with OSU’s virtual music classes has been a very pleasant one and I’d recommend it to anyone. Music has been my solace in the pandemic and I can’t imagine not having that space throughout this last year.”

EXPERIENCE

Looking for the Silver Linings WRITER: SUKHJOT SAL ILLUSTRATOR: CYAN PERRY For some students, the past year of pandemic life was their first glimpse of the college experience, while for others, it was the final one. While the year has been challenging, this time of isolation and feeling of uncertainty had many people discovering new things to appreciate about their surroundings, about their loved ones and most importantly, about themselves. (1) Jessie Patterson, third-year political science and sustainability student What I’ve come to appreciate is family and friends. My mom was stuck overseas for five months in another country during the pandemic and wasn’t able to get back into the U.S. I realized I took advantage of having her around and didn’t realize how much she did for our family and to have her not be here for a long time was really hard. So I’ve learned it’s those little things that you get to appreciate about people and same with friends, relying on them for social interaction even if it’s over Zoom has been really huge. (2) Leah Venkatesan, third-year environmental sciences student I appreciated being by myself a lot more. I’ve really been able to do more on my own, I’ve been doing a lot more art and that’s been really fun. Getting to learn more about who I am is really cool. (3) Megan Baus, second-year chemical engineering and ecological engineering student

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I have come to really appreciate the technology I have access to, and the ways it has allowed me to stay connected to family and friends when I can’t see them in person. Additionally, I appreciate my peers and the communities we’ve formed through Discord and other sites that have allowed us to help navigate online courses together. I also really appreciate my peers that turn their cameras on when their pets are in the room. (4) Kira Kilstorm, second-year environmental sciences student What I’ve come to appreciate more is the ability to bond with people around the world over video games, because that’s something that I picked up during the pandemic. (5) Alexander Perigon, seniorW environmental sciences and geography and geospatial sciences student I’ve come to appreciate houseplants more, because I love having them and having them keep me company, and it seems like a source of bonding with other people over Zoom. Everybody’s talking about plants and happy to share their plants, so I’m just appreciating them all that much more. (6) Amanda Front, second-year liberal studies student with minors in leadership and studio art The pandemic has given me time with myself that I otherwise wouldn’t have had. I have really learned what self care means to me and the kinds of people I want to surround myself with. I have been able to really develop my sense of self in a deeper and different way.

(9) Callie Steed, secondyear environmental sciences student I’ve learned to appreciate working out more, because I worked out pretty consistently pre-pandemic but with the gyms being closed on and off throughout the pandemic it ruined your routine. You had to be creative in finding ways to work out at home. I struggled with it a lot during the first part of the pandemic but after I found a routine that worked it really helped me feel like I gained some more control over my life since the pandemic had altered a lot of my plans. Now, if I don’t feel like going to the gym today, whatever, I can just do a home workout, it’s no problem. Working out is important for your mental and physical health so finding some routines that work for you for both your home and the gym is advantageous. (7) Jess Bradley, third-year environmental economics and policy student

(8) Jay Liang, third-year mechanical engineering student

Something I’ve really come to appreciate is just having different hobbies. I feel like I’ve gotten the confidence over this pandemic to just try new things because why not? I’m stuck at home, if it goes poorly, it goes poorly just in my own house. So that’s been a lot of fun, I’ve picked up new hobbies and met a lot of new people online doing that.

One thing I appreciate is being able to reflect on myself. I always felt so pressured over classes, tests and other things, but the pandemic made me realize that I need to explore and go outside, take a breather for once.

(10) Katie Papineau, second-year environmental engineering student I have come to appreciate how easy game nights have become! No one has to drive anywhere or buy snacks because we can just set up a Zoom meeting or hop in a Discord voice channel, and people can come and go as they please! Lots of free online games to play, and we all have a good time connecting with one another regardless of where in the world we are.

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Beaver's Digest VOLUME 6 ISSUE 3

Articles inside

Looking for the Silver Linings

Online Classes Are Having People Hit the Wrong Note

History Has Its Eyes on Us

Seven New Businesses to Support in Corvallis

Boys II Men

Freaky Fashion from the New Roaring ‘20s

Turning 21 in 2020

Finding Food and Community

Accountability and Action

How to Spread Joy, Whether it’s One Mile or One Room Away

Beavs Backing Beavs

Socializing in a Novel Society

Masking Confusion

Boosting the Box Office

Ngo: Best Corvallis Restaurants, According to Students

Socially Distanced Sports & Sonnets

College: Then and Now

Staff introduction

Letter from the Editor