9-27-23 Emerald Media Group - Week of Welcome

WHO CAN AFFORD TO LIVE IN EUGENE?

UO’s undergraduate and graduate students are struggling to live reasonably. Finding affordable housing is the culprit.

NEWSROOM

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Evan Reynolds

PRINT MANAGING EDITOR

Emma J Nelson

DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR

Romie Avivi Stuhl

NEWS EDITOR Tristin Hoffman

A&C EDITOR

Reilly Norgren

SPORTS EDITORS

Nina-Grace Montes

Brady Ruth

OPINION EDITOR

Sophia Cossette

PHOTO EDITORS

Molly McPherson

Jonathan Suni

DESIGN EDITOR

Liz Blodgett

COPY CHIEF

Olivia Ellerbruch

SENIOR COPY EDITOR

Alex Woodward

VIDEO EDITOR

Anne Marie Armstrong

PODCAST EDITOR

Mirandah Davis-Powell

SOCIALS EDITOR

Alicia Santiago

VISUALS EDITOR

Stella Fetherston

BUSINESS

PUBLISHER & PRESIDENT

Bill Kunerth X317 bkunerth@dailyemerald.com

VP OPERATIONS

Kathy Carbone X302 kcarbone@dailyemerald.com

DIRECTOR OF SALES & DIGITAL MARKETING

Shelly Rondestvedt X303 srondestvedt@dailyemerald.com

CREATIVE & TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

Anna Smith X327 creative@dailyemerald.com

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Lola Tagwerker

Cori Caplinger

Cooper Gast

Taylor Baumgardner

ON THE COVER (Stella Fetherston/Emerald)

LETTER

FROM THE EDITOR

Welcome back to campus!

It’s supposed to be another classically rainy week in Eugene as students return to UO for the first week of classes (as editor-in-chief, I take no responsibility for changes in the weather between now and the time of this article’s publication!). It’s an opportune time to reflect on the year ahead.

Since I took over this job in June, the biggest misconception I’ve dealt with has been countless friends and family asking me what it’s like to “work for the university” — whether I’ve signed my union card, who I report to and more. It’s always a mild surprise when I tell them the Emerald is, in fact, not financially affiliated with UO at all.

The Daily Emerald has been an independent publication since 1971. We receive no funding from the university administration or the journalism department; in fact, our only source of UO funding comes from student fees recently negotiated with ASUO. Our media company, Emerald Media Group, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that derives most of its annual revenue from print and digital advertising, fundraising and donations.

Independent student media is like a unicorn — increasingly rare and particularly exciting. It allows us to deliver impactful journalism and storytelling to our readers and the campus community without sacrificing editorial autonomy. Over the years, Emerald reporters have pushed boundaries, held local institutions accountable for wrongdoings and helped define what it means to be a student journalist.

There’s a lot of news happening in our community. There’s an impending election process that could create the largest undergraduate student workers’ union in the country right here in Eugene. University athletics’ move to the Big Ten has stoked simultaneous excitement and outrage, with enormous implications for student travel times and class schedules. And, of course, there’s a new president on campus — many are wondering how Scholz and his team will address tuition hikes, salary negotiations for faculty and graduate employees and other pressing issues.

The Emerald has a key opportunity to reassert itself as the paper of record on the key issues facing our community. Let us help you make sense of it all –– and offer an independent, student-led voice to help move us into the future.

Evan Reynolds Daily Emerald Editor-in-Chief

HOW IT’S REPORTED

Alicia Santiago, a third-year journalism and public relations student, wrote about how the university does not do a good job advertising affordable housing options for students. The issue first came to her attention, she said, when she began looking for housing at the end of her first year. However, Santiago realized while writing this story that the issue goes beyond undergraduate students.

“This issue is a lot larger than just me and the people I surround myself with,” Santiago said. She went on to cite the different struggles

IN OTHER NEWS

BY EMMA J NELSON • DESIGNED BY LIZ BLODGETT

graduate employees faced when seeking housing, such as how Graduate Village was turned into quarantine rooms during the pandemic, which limited GEs’ options for affordable housing, Santiago said.

“GEs get talked about so often in the GTFF conversation but not as much about their everyday life,” she said. Santiago hopes that the article pushes the UO administration to consider which housing options it should prioritize advertising to students, she said.

Santiago has been a news reporter for the Daily Emerald since summer of 2022 and this is her second cover story.

Numerous areas in and around campus are under construction as students return for classes, bringing longterm improvements and short-term inconveniences.

(Ian Enger/Emerald)

Opinion writer Aishiki Nag argues that Gov. Kotek’s veto of a bill studying sex work decriminalization will disproportionately impact communities of color .

We want to hear from you:

Email editor@

to submit a tip or a letter to the editor. The ideal length for a letter is 200-500 words, but we publish letters of various lengths online.

(Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

“‘AFFORDABLE’ OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING OR LACK THEREOF” BY ALICIA SANTIAGO

INCOMING UO FRESHMEN SETTLE INTO THEIR NEW HOMES IN ON-CAMPUS RESIDENCE HALLS

BY REILLY NORGREN • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART

NEW DUCKS UNPACK

On Sept. 21 and 22, the University of Oregon had its move-in days, dubbed ‘Unpack the Quack.’ These are traditionally the days when new students and freshmen enter their new on-campus dorms.

The university estimates that 4,500 students arrived across the two move-in days, in addition to ones who moved in early. Last fall, the university welcomed 5,348 new students— the largest firstyear class in the school’s history.

To ease congestion, streets near the university were restricted so that only students and families participating in move-in could access them. Students were also given assigned check-in times for their residence halls.

Mia Gabiglio, an art major who moved into Hamilton Hall, said that her move-in experience went exactly as she expected.

“My experience was pretty typical,” Gabiglio said. “I just wanted to throw all my stuff upstairs, you know, and do a little organization. And then, you know, tearful goodbyes with my parents.”

Gabiglio said that she and her family had some difficulty finding Hamilton, and that the guides on campus, volunteers for Unpack the Quack, were unable to help.

Outside of that, Gabiglio said that she feels great about meeting the neighbors in her new residence hall.

“I feel great,” she said. “I love meeting new people. I met a lot of friends at orientation, too, so it’s good.”

Destanie Olson, a psychology major who moved into Unthank Hall, was able to move in early with the Pathway Oregon program at UO. She describes her move-in as a ‘lot easier’ because she was able to move in earlier than other new students and was able to avoid a lot of the congestion in her building.

“Watching this move-in, the regular move-in, is crazy,” Olson said. “Like, the elevators are being manned so people can bring their stuff up, but a lot of people are just bringing their stuff up the stairs instead.”

Students, along with their families and boxes of belongings, were waiting in lines for several minutes outside the Unthank elevators.

Olson described issues with key cards and

people she knew in her hall that were unable to leave their rooms because the door would lock behind them, unable to be opened again.

“My key card didn’t work,” she said. “I had to go to Global Scholars and be like, ‘hey, can I get this fixed?’ and they fixed it, but I went back to my room, and it wouldn’t work again. So they had someone meet me up there so I could get to my room.”

Olson also said that it had been very easy to socialize with other people in the dorm. She said that she was able to meet and get to know other Pathway students that moved in early.

“I like to leave my door open,” she said. “Or if I walk past and see someone else’s door open, I stop and say hi. And there was a lot of mingling and events for [Pathway students]. It’s pretty easy to socialize.”

Whether or not the class of 2027 ends up being larger than the previous year, the addition of two new residence halls will likely only further encourage the university to keep growing its freshmen admissions.

The Duck stands with a student’s phone as they laugh after The Duck takes a selfie with them. For the majority of students living on campus, fall move-in took place on Sept. 21 and 22, 2023. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)

A man pushes a small child in a cart down the middle of the street. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)

PHOTO SPREAD:

MOVE-IN DAY

PHOTOS BY MOLLY MCPHERSON • DESIGNED BY PAYTON LIEBELT

The Duck falls to the ground after getting stuck in the back seat of a Tesla. For the majority of students living on campus, fall move-in took place on Sept. 21 and 22, 2023. (Molly McPherson/ Emerald)

University and Student Services volunteers help unpack a car outside Carson Hall on campus. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)

Volunteers sort through trash looking for recyclable items. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)

A student stands and listens as a resident assistant explains where important locations are around the dorm. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)

Volunteers empty the back of a car. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)

An individual pushes a cart down the middle of the street. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)

University and Student Services volunteers place items in a cart so it can be brought inside. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)

The Duck sits in the backseat of a Tesla while volunteers unload the car. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)

Students push carts of their things along the sidewalk as they move into one of the new dorms on campus. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)

An “Oregon Mom” stops and throws her “O.” (Molly McPherson/Emerald)

Piles of new Speed Pak carts lay around campus waiting to be opened and used during move-in. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)

University and Student Services volunteers wear bright, neon shirts that read “Student Move In Team” on the back. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)

GAMLEN: THE HARMFUL SIDE OF BANNING VAPES

BY MILLY GAMLEN • DESIGNED BY ESTHER SZETO

The teen vaping epidemic is one that many of us are aware of. The truth ads seem to show up on every social media platform I have, and seeing anti-vape messaging has become as normalized as vaping itself. However, while most can agree the epidemic of high school students addicted to vaping is a huge problem, the current anti-vape messaging efforts seem to do nothing to stop it.

“It was the natural procession,” said Ava, a college student looking back on what prompted her nicotine addiction in high school.

“They targeted children with the colors and the flavors,” Ava said when asked why she thought vaping was such a prevalent part of the high school experience. There have been many studies into why vaping is so entangled with the high school community. The conclusion that CU Denver reached was a scary one: the community that schools offer often lends itself to children becoming addicted. They need friends who have their own vapes to offer, and to keep offering until the dependency develops.

For a while, I think there was a calmness surrounding how many kids were vaping because it was allegedly better for you than smoking. However, as new studies emerge, we are realizing that the two share more risks than initially thought. While vaping is still not viewed as worse than cigarettes, it is also becoming further removed from the myths that it’s just water vapors.

Vaping is a harmful thing. No one is disagreeing with that statement. It is harming the general population of young people. That is another true statement. Due to vaping, Gen Z is the generation that uses nicotine the most — that one’s actually not true.

Even with vaping, Gen Z comes in second. Millennials allegedly vape the most at 33%, while Gen Z falls just short with 31%. And when including smoking cigarettes, Gen X has the title of using the most, with 42% being smokers.

So, my question is this: if Gen Z isn’t the worst generation of smokers we’ve seen, why are millions being spent on banning vapes and “warning” us about the dangers? Is this overload of potential logical fallacies doing more harm than good? Are we being pushed towards cigarettes?

My answer is yes, and here’s why.

“My mom vapes,” Ava said as she explained how her mother switched from cigarettes to vaping. Vaping is often cited as a resource cigarette smokers use to wean off nicotine. So, by banning vapes in so many places, government agencies are effectively banning one of the most popular methods of quitting smoking.

In fact, that seems to be a trend in the smoking stratosphere – switching to vaping when trying to quit. On top of that, there is the reverse problem of people with nicotine addictions who will smoke

whether vaping is available or not. So, in banning vapes, cigarettes become the natural progression.

In general, it’s a better idea to abstain from inhaling chemicals. But if that isn’t the decision you make, many studies highlight that cigarette usage is worse for the body than vaping. None of them claim that vaping is good for the body, but so far it seems to be far less harmful.

The millions of dollars being pushed on anti-vaping campaigns would be much better spent making cigarettes a thing of the past, and would probably be more effective. Ultimately, the banning of vapes in different cities and states is doing more harm than good.

Opinion: The anti-vaping industry has been forcing itself into the minds of America’s youth for years. But is the messaging effective? Is this actually helping the masses?

KAVANAGH: THE STUDENT UNIONIZATION MOVEMENT FIGHTS ON

OPINION: THE UNION HAS MOVED TO A NEW CERTIFICATION STRATEGY AFTER GETTING MIRED IN BUREAUCRACY

BY EMILY KAVANAGH • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART

On Labor Day, University of Oregon Student Workers made the announcement on their social media that they will now be holding an election to certify official union status. The vote will be held Oct. 5 to 24 and is open to students who have worked any hours in between April and Sept. 20 this year.

Last school year, UOSW undertook a massive campaign to get union cards signed, in hopes that they could get them certified by the Oregon Employment Relations Board. According to their counts, they collected over 2,000 signed cards from student workers across campus.

However, shortly after the process of certification began, the university refused to provide accurate lists of employees and their information. This caused UOSW to be caught in an endless legal loop, with the certification they had been fighting so hard for being delayed indefinitely.

“The issue was that the job titles were only listed as student worker or RA. This wasn’t helpful when dealing with a 4,000-person list,” said Carolyn Roderique, an RA on campus and UOSW member.

In April, shortly after the union cards were delivered to the Employment Board in Salem, the university HR sent out emails to all students that had signed union cards that read: “This email serves to notify you that the university has been ordered to provide your name, physical address and job classification to the Employment Relations Board (ERB) insofar as it is responsive to the student worker petition for union representation.” It then gave students the option to object to the disclosure of their information, which would make their endorsement of the union null.

“We had to go through all of the employee lists by hand and pick out who worked here and who doesn’t,” Roderique said. “The burden of UO’s lack of recordkeeping fell on us.”

The email, as well as UO’s general unwillingness to help make their records less confusing, was a clear tactic to create confusion among students. They wanted to see if it was possible to lower the count of students in the union and put responsibility on them to gather all the records of student employment.

The Employee and Labor Relations section of the UO website was recently updated to state “the university is actively preparing for the launch of the election, and additional information will be provided as it becomes available.” Previously, it had a section on the union card process, but it was completely scrubbed. Students

will be sent the link to vote through their UO email, where they can vote yes or no.

“They [UO] have been very cooperative,” Roderique said. “We both agreed on the terms [of] the election settlement.”

Though their union status hasn’t been made official yet, there’s still been major progress on campus. This includes raises for both dining workers and RAs, as well as incremental raises for other student positions. This has and continues to be a major organizing point, but there are always more ways to improve the workplace, especially when students can work together.

“If we had not settled with an election, it’s very difficult to say what would have happened,” Roderique said.

At Kenyon College, student workers undertook a similar process as UOSW to form their union, and they are now enmeshed in talks and processes with their college administration and the National Labor Relations Board indefinitely.

Despite the university weaponizing bureaucracy against UOSW, the union has continued to reach

closer to its goals. Student workers should be sure to check their emails starting on Oct. 4 and make their voices heard.

“When we have the power to bargain and bring UO to the table and address the conditions of our workplaces, it’s a lot more powerful than talking to our direct bosses,” Roderique said. “A union is really the most effective way to get what we want and what we deserve.”

(Stella Fetherston/Emerald)

“UO HAS BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE, WE BOTH AGREED ON THE TERMS OF THE ELECTION SETTLEMENT.”

CAROLYN RODERIQUE campus RA and UOSW member

“AFFORDABLE” OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING? THINK AGAIN.

Off-campus options for UO students are few and far between –– leaving lower-income students behind

BY ALICIA SANTIAGO • DESIGNED BY PAYTON LIEBELT

When students apply to college, they often consider how good the academics of their prospective university are, the school spirit, scholarships granted to students and what dorm they might live in. However, the cost of living in their college town after dorm living can sometimes slip potential students’ minds. That is, until the time for independent student living comes back around after their first year with a price point higher than they had prepared for.

For students who are financially independent or take out student loans, finding affordable housing can be a crucial factor in being able to afford to go to the University of Oregon. Some undergraduate and graduate students feel overwhelmed by the lack of affordable housing options in Eugene.

In Eugene, the average cost of living in an apartment is roughly $1,531 per month and the average cost of gas is $4.18 per gallon. For students living on their own, this price point may be more than they are willing or able to spend, therefore taking a large toll on their mental and physical well-being.

THE UNDERGRADUATE BATTLE

Students like Margo Cumming, a UO junior, have struggled to find affordable housing and have grown to recognize the privilege many of her fellow students have.

“I applied to be in an [academic residential community], so I didn’t think about off-campus housing,” Cumming said regarding the Media and Social Action ARC she was in her freshman year. Incoming freshmen at UO are required to live in student housing during their first year. Few receive ample resources or information on what happens after the freshman year.

Cumming is from the Bay Area, where she says the rent is already quite high. According to the same article from Forbes, the average rent in San Francisco is $3,734, a difference of over $2,000 a month from Eugene.

“Honestly, the prices have gone up to live in Eugene off campus so much that it’s not even that big of a difference,” Cumming said about living in the two cities.

Cumming said that UO fails to advertise affordable off-campus housing options for freshmen during their first year. This can leave students scrambling to find affordable housing in a safe location until the last minute, often leading to them settling for a high price point or unsafe rentals.

Resources for off-campus housing from the UO can be found on its website with rental listings from all around the Eugene off-campus area. It lists some of the apartment units that are close to campus such as The 515, 2125 Franklin, Union on Broadway and many more. However, at the bottom of the page, two entire paragraphs state that the UO does not inspect or endorse any of the listings

above, and that they rely on the rental property owners to report information fairly and accurately about their units to them.

Many rental listings on the website are over $1,000 per person per month. Some are over $2,000.

Oftentimes, apartments advertise themselves as student housing when actually they offer housing to both students and non-students, which can cause safety concerns for some. Property owners at 2125 Franklin said they do this, but claim they are not directly partnered with the UO. They do, however, advertise at various sporting events by handing out rally towels at football games or goodie bags at firstyear orientations.

This form of advertising can often lead first-year students to believe these are among the best and only options for off-campus housing.

SAFETY VS. AFFORDABILITY

Destiny Martinez, a junior at UO, took matters into her own hands to find affordable housing.

“To find inexpensive housing I went to roomies. com and I found my new roommates and there were better deals,” she said.

Martinez added that this low price came with it being in a “sketchier” area than the property’s counterparts, such as The 515 and 2125 Franklin.

“A lot of students still live in this area; it’s just sketchy,” she said.

When asked if she would have felt safer if she had paid extra to be in a more luxurious apartment or in one closer to campus, Martinez said “Definitely.”

The high rent prices through competing properties can often separate the more privileged students from those with lower incomes.

“I have to work full time to be able to support myself financially and working full time and going to school full time…my social life?” Martinez said.

She said balancing the two limits her to socialize with the people in her classes and those she works with.

“I try to squeeze in some fun,” she said. “My mental health last winter term honestly was pretty bad.”

This term she will be working a lot more and taking more classes and said she is worried about how that will affect her mental health.

“I just have to learn how to balance everything, I guess,” she said.

For a lot of UO students, balancing “everything” is the only solution if they want to graduate.

GRADUATE STUDENTS STRUGGLE

The affordable housing issues don’t end at the undergraduate level. They often extend to the graduate educators at the school.

Allison LaSalvia is a GE in the chemistry program and a part of the bargaining team for the Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation at

2125 Franklin is a student housing complex located on Franklin Blvd. Individual bedrooms are priced anywhere from $800 to $2,000 per month. (Henry Ward/Emerald)

UO. After moving from Illinois to Oregon for the chemistry Ph.D. program, it took her months to find housing that was within her price range after moving across the country.

“I ended up having to live a little bit further away in Springfield, so it was a good 15 to 20-minute commute every day to get to the university,” LaSalvia said. “Luckily I have a car, but I know for a lot of people within my cohort, not having that transportation option, they couldn’t choose that.”

She said that living far away made going back home more inconvenient, causing her to stay on campus all day and oftentimes overworking herself.

“Just the additional financial toll of having to pay for gas and having to pay for parking,” LaSalvia said.

Like undergraduate students, the resources given for affordable housing are few and far between for GEs.

“The only thing that they offered was the chemistry department sent out a spreadsheet of ‘Here are people looking for housing’ and that was useful to find roommates but there wasn’t really any other information,” LaSalvia said.

Having just moved to Oregon, LaSalvia had to navigate finding housing alone.

“I was not made aware of [graduate housing] until I got to orientation,” she said. “That was something that was not publicly talked about and even then they

were like, ‘Oh yeah you could apply for next year.’” LaSalvia said that the application process includes a long waitlist, and the people in charge don’t inform applicants where they are on the list.

“You could potentially not hear back for months and then if there’s an opening you pretty much immediately move in,” she said. LaSalvia said that applicants who already have a lease have to decide if they want to pay double rent since the process is so unpredictable.

WHAT COMES NEXT?

LaSalvia said that there has been a lot of discourse about housing options in the wake of COVID-19. During the pandemic, she said the university kicked out GEs to use the space for quarantine rooms. With the increase in the student body with incoming freshmen classes, there are worries amongst GEs that this will happen again if the UO runs out of space in the on-campus dorms.

“UO is one of the largest employers in the state, let alone in Eugene, so they’re bringing all these people here and then they’re having a negative impact on their employees’ livelihood while also being one of the biggest real estate owners in the city as well,” LaSalvia said.

She said GTFF is using its collective power to

bargain with UO to address this long-overdue issue of housing options for GEs.

“It is [UO’s] problem when you’re over-enrolling undergrads, therefore you have to buy more land which takes away other land and housing opportunities for other people,” LaSalvia said. “And there are more undergrads who are trying to find housing and community as well.”

While taking on a second job is not often talked about amongst GEs, LaSalvia said it’s something a lot of them have to do to be able to support themselves in Eugene while also studying and working at UO.

With the continuous yearly increase in UO’s freshmen class, housing options could become more and more competitive for undergraduate and graduate students. GTFF continues to bargain for higher salaries to supplement the rise in the housing market, but LaSalvia says that change in the accessibility of affordable housing might be after her time at the university.

“It seems like having these conversations would be the first step but having something like, what if our salary was based on the average cost of housing? That would be a way to directly make the UO care about what housing costs,” she said. “Hopefully, this will continue and we can be better stewards of our community as a whole.”

959 Franklin is a student housing complex located on Franklin Blvd. > Individual bedrooms range from roughly $1,100 to $1,900 per month. (Summer Surgent-Gough/Emerald)

< The 515 is a housing complex located on East Broadway that houses hundreds of UO students. Prices for individual bedrooms range from roughly $1,000 to $2,000 per month. (Summer Surgent-Gough/Emerald)

PLOP. CLINK. SIZZLE. SCRATCH. DIVE INTO THE WORLD OF TINGLES

Autonomous sensory meridian response lives in a space between hard science and placebo. College students at UO shed light on what ASMR is and why they use it.

Whispering, scratching, writing, tapping and drinking: these are “triggers” for autonomous sensory meridian response, better known as ASMR.

But what is ASMR? In its essence, ASMR is the term used to describe the body’s response to certain stimuli, either audio, visual or a combination of both. The University of Nebraska Medicine describes this bodily response as “a tingling, static-like or goosebumps sensation.” The sensations spread across the entire body from head to toe.

ASMR has had a meteoric rise over the past decade. What started as a niche community with a small presence on YouTube has exploded in popularity. ASMR artist Afterglow ASMR, who has over 100k followers on YouTube, became enthralled with an ASMR story over five years ago which led to her start in the genre.

“I got really invested in a vampire roleplay series by a channel called Redacted Audio. I was obsessed,” they said.

That storytelling aspect is now where they spend their time creating. They focus on creating engrossing stories to help their listeners relax and get lost in a detailed narrative.

“I like writing little love stories with fun dialogue and ambient sounds. My goal is to make the listener feel like they’re immersed in a mini rom-com,” they said.

The reported benefits of ASMR are abundant.Though research is still few and far between, a study by University of Sheffield in 2018 found that “results are consistent with the idea that ASMR videos regulate emotion and may have therapeutic benefit for those that experience ASMR by, for example, reducing heart rate and promoting feelings of positive affect and interpersonal connection.”

UO sociology graduate Derek Evans started using ASMR in his sophomore year of college, 2020. For Evans, using ASMR was twofold: “background noise to fall asleep to,” and “something to reduce the anxiety,” Evans said. Evans’ use of ASMR videos is a common one for many.

ASMR is a tool many people use to help relieve the stress that builds up in everyday life. One population that experiences high levels of daily stress is

BY JONATHON MEDIA • DESIGNED BY ESTHER SZETO

college students.

Madison Jones, a UO public relations graduate of 2023, has utilized ASMR as a means of stress management throughout her time in college.

“I love watching ASMR food videos and slime/soap cutting videos. It helps me relax after a long day and takes my mind off responsibilities,” Jones said. Just as yoga or exercise is an outlet for some, Jones uses ASMR in a similar way. “Over the last few years, I’ve implemented ASMR videos as a crucial part of my nighttime routine,” Jones said.

Boston University School of Public Health completed an eight-year study examining mental health trends in young adults. They found that from 2013 to 2021 there was a nearly 50% increase in college students who met the criteria for one or more mental health issues. The study also highlighted the urgent need to address the mental health inequalities college students face.

Third-year UO environmental studies student Madison Brown started using ASMR around the age of 12. “One of my good middle school friends put me on to slime poking videos,” Brown said. She finds that they are a “good way to make my brain shut off, and almost meditate in a way,” Brown said. Because of its calming state, Brown mostly pops it on at night before bed. It’s her way of winding down after a long, stressful day, especially in college.

Popular ASMR creator Gibi ASMR has a nearly hour-long video on their YouTube channel dedicated to slime and slime noises, which has 1.9 million views to date. ASMRMagic, another YouTube creator, has an over three-hour-long tapping video with 89 million views. TikTok, Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter, all have ASMR videos with views in the tens of millions.

From a tiny corner of the internet to an ever-prominent section, ASMR has become a culture of its own as well as a tool millions of people use to alleviate the strain of life and unwind at the end of a long day.

(Noa Schwartz/Emerald)

CAMPUS MUSEUMS ARE WORTH CHECKING OUT

UO’s major museums offer rich and rewarding respite from the rain

BY DAVID CHANDLER • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART

Ducks are fortunate in the riches they get to enjoy on campus, and prime among these are two world-class museums: the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art and the Museum of Natural and Cultural History.

At the JSMA there is always a robust and varied mix of permanent, semi-permanent and temporary exhibits. Among the permanent ones are excellent collections of Japanese and Chinese art.

In the Japanese collection you will find, among other things, a fourteenth century samurai sword, ancient ceramic artifacts and many tempera-onwood depictions of feudal village life. Included also is an assemblage of art and artifacts of the Ainu, the indigenous people of the Land of the Rising Sun, who have suffered cultural marginalization and colonization similar to that experienced by America’s Indigenous peoples.

Among the Asian exhibits are “Half the Sky: Women in Chinese Art,” and “Capital and Countryside in Korea.”

Throughout its rotating collections in the galleries, the JSMA has boasted works by such art world luminaries as Cy Twombly, Mark Rothko Kandinsky, Frida Kahlo and Basquiat. Ancient Etruscan, Greek and Roman plates and sculptures, as well as stone Buddhas, are also worth ruminating upon.

An insightful collection of hagiographic art, “After Life: The Saints of Russia and Greek Orthodoxy,” contextualizes the historic

importance of Eastern Europe’s tradition of adoration of saints (and the Madonna). Also worth viewing is “The First Metal,” which centers the significance of copper in the British Arts and Crafts movement of the late nineteen hundreds. However, the standout attraction right now at the JSMA is a video installation, “Lessons of the Hour: Frederick Douglass,” from the esteemed British artist Sir Isaac Julien. Filling an entire room, it consists of ten screens which are back projected by what could most simply be called a short film. The screens sometimes display the same scenes, but mostly are used for different scenes tied together visually or thematically. The titular subject is portrayed by an actor in period dress; he speaks, directly or in voice-over, the words of the great abolitionist, writer and former slave. Anyone wary of innovative contemporary art should come and absorb this visually stunning and impactful work.

On the other side of campus, in the shadow of the law school, is the Natural and Cultural History Museum. The stand-out here is the world’s oldest pair of shoes, discovered in a cave right here in Oregon. Woven and nearly fully intact, they could give any pair of Nikes a run for their money.

On the cultural history side of things are exhibits on magic in medieval Europe; Additionally, dioramas of pre-Columbian Native life and an extensive collection of indigenous artifacts from Oregon, including arrow heads, grinding stones and woven baskets. It is fitting that the original inhabitants of our state have pride of place here, as

we should all better educate ourselves about their rich and ancient history.

In the medieval magic display are examples of objects considered to give luck, like keys and locks, horseshoes and “saints cakes,” the precursor to Halloween candy, handed out to strangers knocking on people’s doors. Harry Potter fans should definitely check out the toadstones, “serpent tongues” (actually fossilized shark teeth), bezoars, goose feathers, mandrake root and a display about animal familiars.

There are also displays on regional geology from volcanoes to earthquakes and tsunamis and an interactive exhibit on plate tectonics. Don’t miss the many fossilized remains of both flora and fauna from Oregon, including a massive mammoth femur, a fully reconstructed giant sloth skeleton and various other plants and animals that used to thrive here (including rhinos and banana trees).

The most comprehensive exhibit is “Outliers and Outlaws,” a cultural history of the local lesbian community. Eugene has historically been a mecca for lesbians, who came here and established a flourishing culture that continues to this day. It is an affecting exhibit, demonstrating both how far American society has come and how far it still must go in loving one another as equals and truly embracing our rich human diversity. It remains open through the end of the year and is among many of the fantastic art and history exhibits worth seeing on campus.

The Museum of Natural and Cultural History is located on East 15th Ave. in Eugene, Ore. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

This Wednesday’s editor’s picks...

Breakfast at the Bike Bridges

Rise, shine and grab a bite on your daily commute!

Running out the door and realizing you missed breakfast? There’s an easy solution this Thursday from 7 to 9:30 a.m.! Stop by any of Eugene’s bike bridges on your daily commute for a free breakfast of bagels, cream cheese, coffee and juice. If you have time to stick around, you’ll learn more about local transportation, get free bike bells and safety checks, and more. Participating locations include Amazon Path & 24th, Blue Heron Bridge, Buck Street Bridge, DeFazio Bridge, Frohnmayer Bridge and Greenway Bridge.

Cribbage Tournament at Falling Sky

Beginners and seasoned pros can battle it out in this fourgame tournament!

For the third year in a row, “Bill and Dave’s Cribbage Adventures” is hosting a weekly cribbage tournament at Falling Sky Delicatessen, Thursdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. With just a $5 buy-in, participants can participate in a four-game tournament to brush up on their skills. If you’re a new player, no need to fret –– the “American Cribbage Congress Code of Congeniality” (what a mouthful!) pledges to make new players feel welcome and comfortable.

Weyes Blood at McDonald Theatre

The folk-pop singer-songwriter’s tour makes a stop in Eugene!

Weyes Blood, the experimental folkpop artist, is coming to Eugene on the heels of last year’s album release “And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow.” Her thematically challenging yet uplifting material should make for a terrific and thought-provoking night! Lower balcony reserved seats for those 21 and up start at $40, while all-ages floor tickets start at $32. Doors open at 7 p.m. with music following at 8.

(Turner Maxwell/Freelance)

CROSSWORD

25 Fire-breathing Greek monster 26 Stubble remover

SUDOKU

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OREGON SOFTBALL

RELEASES FALL SCHEDULE

The Ducks will use eight home games to prepare for their 2024 season

BY BRADY RUTH • DESIGNED BY PAYTON LIEBELT

Oregon softball is riding high after a 2023 season that saw the Ducks go 38-17, 14-10 in conference play, make the NCAA Tournament, win the Fayetteville, Arkansas regional and play in the Stillwater, Oklaho for what Oregon can do in 2024. The Pac-12 looks to be an extremely competitive conference once again in its final year, and the Ducks need to do everything they can to prepare for it.

Some of that preparation comes in the form of fall ball. Oregon will host eight games against other schools from the Pacific Northwest region. The Ducks, who were 8-7 at Jane Sanders Stadium last season, will look to build their depth and see just what their team is capable of ahead of the real season, which doesn’t have a set starting date quite yet.

Aside from the games that Oregon will be directly competing in, Jane Sanders Stadium will also host three games where some of the teams that travel to Eugene will get to face off with each other.

MAUI RELIEF GAME - OCT. 8, 2023

The Ducks will take on the Corban College Warriors for their first game of the fall season. Corban, located in Salem, went 10-34 in 2023. The game will bring awareness — and hopefully, funding — to the Maui Relief effort after the wildfires suffered on the island earlier this year. The Oregon football and volleyball teams have already dedicated games to the effort, and softball will do so in its first game.

SOCK DRIVE WEEKEND - OCT. 14 & 15, 2023

Four teams will travel to Eugene in mid-October for the Ducks’ sock drive weekend. Boise State (3217 in 2023), Western Washington (26-23 in 2023), College of the Siskiyous (26-23 in 2023) and Oregon Tech (54-10 in 2023) will all face off with Oregon across the span of two days.

The Ducks will play Boise State and Western Washington on Saturday, as well as host a game between the Broncos and Vikings.

The College of the Siskiyous and Oregon Tech will also play each other at Jane Sanders Stadium on Sunday, along with both the Eagles and Owls facing off against the Ducks in what will be a bird-filled Sunday.

Fans are encouraged to come support their team and bring some socks to donate to the great cause!

TOY DRIVE GAME - OCT. 18, 2023

A midweek clash with the Western Oregon University Wolves will serve as Oregon’s fall Toy Drive Game. Fans will be encouraged to bring toys to be donated to less fortunate families and children. It’s sure to be a heartwarming, chilly fall evening for the 5:30 p.m. first pitch. The Wolves went 22-30 last season and look to have a better showing in 2024.

PINK GAME / CANNED FOOD DRIVE - OCT. 22, 2023

During Oregon’s Fall Family Weekend, the Ducks will cap off their fall season with two games against Southern Oregon University and Mt. Hood Community College.

The first game will be against the Southern Oregon Raiders, who went 50-12 last season. Then, Oregon will play Mt. Hood Community College for its last game of the fall campaign.

Southern Oregon and Mt. Hood Community College will also play a game against each other between Oregon’s two games.

The pink theme will bring awareness and support to fighting breast cancer, and the canned food drive

will be a great chance for community members to give back to Eugene.

The fall season is a tremendous opportunity for head coach Melyssa Lombardi to figure out just where her team is ahead of the 2024 season. The Ducks’ schedule looks like it’ll have a healthy mix of Oregon-favored matchups and competitive preseason games.

The focus on the field will be getting the team ready for the gauntlet that is the 2024 NCAA Softball season. But, off the field and in the stands, Oregon is using its fall slate to host some incredible, charitable events and promotions.

With a good team, and an even better turnout, the Ducks can be both winners on the diamond and in the community this fall.

Paige Sinicki (38) celebrates with her teamates as they continue to fight. Oregon Ducks softball lost 0-2 in a league series against the Utah Utes on May 7, 2023, at Jane Sanders Stadium. (Kemper Flood/ Emerald).

OREGON WOMEN’S SOCCER IN THE BIG TEN

Breaking down what the Ducks’ new conference opponents will look like

As Oregon women’s soccer continues what has been a difficult season, it’s time to look toward the future at what the Ducks’ new conference will look like moving forward.

The university announced in August that it will leave the Pac-12 conference for the Big Ten in 2024. Washington, UCLA and USC join the Ducks in exiting the Pac-12 for the Big Ten. For women’s soccer, the conference that was once the highest level of competition for collegiate soccer in the United States has essentially collapsed.

Although the Big Ten likely won’t be as strong as the Pac-12 has been for many years, there will be no lack of talented programs. The conference will have 18 teams in 2024. Here’s a breakdown of five of the top programs the Ducks will face next season:

UCLA

The Bruins will be the toughest opponent in the Big Ten for the foreseeable future, and one that Oregon is very familiar with. UCLA is the defending National Champion, having won against North Carolina in 2022. It also won the National Championship in 2013 and was the runner-up four times since 2000.

The Bruins have defeated the Ducks pretty convincingly in recent years. It may be a more difficult program than Oregon is ready to contend with at the moment, but it will add a sense of familiarity to the new conference.

USC

The Trojans will be another familiar foe the Ducks will face off against in the Big Ten. USC is also a two-time NCAA Champion, winning in both 2007 and 2016.

The Trojans aren’t quite on the level of UCLA right now, but they’ll still be a difficult opponent for Oregon to prepare for. Most recently, USC handed the Ducks their worst loss of the 2022 season, beating them 4-0.

The two Los Angeles schools will, however, make traveling a little bit easier for Oregon. The Ducks can spend a weekend playing two games in one city rather than traveling back and forth across the country.

USC and UCLA give the Big Ten a huge boost of talent. Oregon could benefit from continuing to play those schools. If the Ducks have a winning record and defeat or hold the Bruins and Trojans

to a draw, that would add to Oregon’s resume and its argument for an NCAA Tournament appearance.

PENN STATE

The Nittany Lions have the most history out of existing Big Ten programs. They won the National Title in 2015 and have won the conference nine times. It has produced future World Cup Champions, with Ali Krieger, Alyssa Naeher and Allie Long all being notable alumni.

Pennsylvania State University made it to the third round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament. This season it is currently ranked in the top five nationally. The Nittany Lions have been the team to beat in Big Ten women’s soccer for a while now and the Ducks will have to make some major improvements to contend with them for conference titles.

MICHIGAN STATE

The Spartans are the current champions of the Big Ten conference. They won nine of their 10 conference games in 2022 and also made it into the third round of the NCAA Tournament. This season, Michigan State University currently stands third in the Big Ten as it got off to a 2-1 start.

BY LILY CRANE • DESIGNED BY ESTHER SZETO

The Spartans likely won’t be quite as difficult for Oregon to face as the top teams it’s seen in the Pac-12. Still, Michigan State has made it to the NCAA Tournament, and the Ducks aren’t on that level yet.

NORTHWESTERN

The Wildcats don’t have the history of Penn State or as much recent success as Michigan State, but they’re another decent program that Oregon will have to contend with. Northwestern University has appeared in seven NCAA tournaments, including 2022, where it made the third round.

Like all of the teams on this list, the current Ducks squad might have a difficult time against programs at the top of the conference. Unlike Oregon, though, the Wildcats haven’t had to play against powerhouses like Stanford and Cal. The Ducks may find it easier to finish at the top of the conference now that they’re not playing against stronger Pac-12 competition.

Oregon women’s soccer has struggled to get positive results over the past couple of years. The conference change with new opponents could prove to be a good thing for a program that needs redirection.

Oregon midfielder True Dydasco (5) rests her hand on teammate Chardonnay Curran (4) while she stretches out a cramp. Oregon Women’s Soccer takes on Arizona State University at Papé Field in Eugene, Ore., on March 12, 2021. (Summer Surgent-Gough/Emerald)