9-23-2024 – Daily Emerald – EMG by Emerald Media Group

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The Scaries Sophmore

What you can do to manage the sophomore scaries, featuring quick advice from UO counseling services

How I tackled the overwhelming question some sophomores face: “What’s next?”

By Beatrice Byrd Opinion Columnist

I am familiar with the habit of nonchalant, horror-story-spilling. By this, I mean, the act in which you tell someone about a future event in your life that may be difficult to handle, and they meet you with an abundance of personal anecdotes about the topic that edge on fear-mongering. I experienced this drastically before the start of my sophomore year.

I heard that, as a journalism major, the dreaded Gateway to Media class would be the cause of death written on my academic gravestone. Others worried that my incoming role as a resident assistant would rob me of my beloved sleep schedule. One of the scariest phrases dealt to me was, “Oh, I hated my sophomore year.”

I’m not sure if it was the symphony of cautious voices concerned with the success of my second year or my own circumstances that led me to the collegiate void of stress, but by winter break, I reached a breaking point — which happened much more quickly than many of the horror stories warned.

My family’s cats gathered in the living room around me as I began to reveal the near-constant stressors my sophomore year had dealt me. Stress from my job as a Resident Assistant, slogging through sleepless on-call shifts. Stress from my upcoming classes in the honors college, dumping hours of extra work into my already-packed schedule. And stress from reckoning with the amount of enjoyment I actually obtained from my social

OPINION

SLEEP IS IMPORTANT. TRUST ME,

I’M

AN ATHLETE

By Brianna Carrasquillo Opinion Columnist

The University of Oregon: where institutional pride and athletic prowess converge. At the heart of UO, a vibrant lust for sports entertainment captivates the lives of students itching for college gameday.

Athletes are modern-day alchemists, transforming effort into excellence with each welltimed rest. The margin for error is razor-thin. As a D1 lacrosse player at UO, my routine is calculated down to the speed, exertion and force metrics we track with GPS technology. Sleep is more than a nightly pause; it’s a strategic component of our execution. The body repairs, the mind refocuses and the spirit strengthens. For active individuals, meeting the demands of sport hinges on quality of sleep, which prevents sickness, boosts cardiovascular health and sharpens memory. All propitious components for a balanced student life.

CITY NEWS

Volunteer Opportunities in Eugene Available for Students

By Joseph Chiu City News reporter

As students begin crafting their resumes, building their portfolios and searching for jobs or internships to apply for, many volunteering opportunities exist right in Eugene that are available for students at the University of Oregon to take advantage of.

These opportunities provide students with many options to choose from according to their interests or necessities for their future career goals. Joe Waksmundski, natural areas and trees volunteer coordinator in Eugene, said that students could learn many skills through these opportunities while benefiting the local community.

The Eugene Parks and Open Space Division offers many career-building opportunities for students with volunteer programs in the developed parks and natural areas.

(Stephanie Yang/Emerald)

NEWSROOM

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Tristin Hoffman

PRINT MANAGING EDITOR

Mathias Lehman-Winters

DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR

Alicia Santiago

CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR

Jasmine Saboorian

CITY NEWS EDITOR

Mathias Lehman-Winters

INVESTIGATIONS EDITOR

Tarek Anthony

A&C EDITOR

Jess McComb

SPORTS EDITOR

Brady Ruth

OPINION EDITOR

Beatrice Byrd

PHOTO EDITOR

Molly McPherson

COPY CHIEF

Alex Woodward

COPY EDITOR

Olivia Ellerbruch

VIDEO EDITOR

Kendall Baldwin

PODCAST EDITOR

Evan Giordano

SOCIALS EDITOR

Sydney Wolfe

VISUALS EDITOR

Noa Schwartz

DESIGN EDITOR

Sam Butler

DESIGNERS

Adaleah Carman

Eva Andrews

Gabriela Martinez Contreras

BUSINESS

PUBLISHER AND PRESIDENT

Eric Henry (X317) ehenry@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

STUDENT SALES MANAGER

Lola Tagwerker

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Cooper Gast

Elliot Byrne

Brent Lee

Ysai Hong

Nate Ghilarducci

THE DAILY EMERALD

The Daily Emerald is published by Emerald Media Group, Inc., the independent nonprofit media company at the University of Oregon. Formerly the Oregon Daily Emerald, the news organization was founded in 1900.

FIND MORE STORIES ONLINE AT DAILYEMERALD.COM

Students share their reactions to Trump vs. Harris debate via online survey conducted by The Daily Emerald

By Brandon Broch City News Reporter

Tuesday night, Vice President Harris and former President Donald Trump met face-toface for the first time for their only scheduled debate. The two candidates discussed hot button issues including immigration, abortion and the state of American democracy.

Ducks demolish

rivalry game

In the newest iteration of a storied rivalry, Oregon used a dominating second half to easily handle Oregon State

By Jack Lazarus Associate Sports Editor

There’s been a lot of noise surrounding Oregon State’s (2-1) standing as the college football world shapeshifted over the last two years. The Beavers were left out of the conference-realignment fun, which almost spelled the end of their historic rivalry with the Ducks (3-0).

Ducks at the next level

Emerald Media Group 1395 University St.,#302 Eugene, Or 97403 (541)-346-5511

After the conclusion of Week 2 of the NFL season, we’re taking a look at the highest performing Pro Ducks of that stretch

By Jack Lazarus Associate Sports Editor

With the 2024 NFL season well underway, there’s been a plethora of talented pro-Ducks that thrived in Eugene. The Ducks have one of the most robust groups of former players, with 25 on active rosters to start the season.

(Noa Schwartz/Emerald)

ABOVE: The “BEST CLUB” club fair

LEFT: The Duck wears a ghost costume and collects ghost friends

HOW UO DETERMINES ITS ACCEPTANCE RATE

The science behind offers of admission and how the university determines its enrollment goals

By Reilly Norgren

Campus News & Investigative Reporter

Every year, the University of Oregon sets an enrollment goal in order to determine how many offers of admission are necessary that year.

According to the College Board, the notfor-profit association that administers the SAT, UO’s current acceptance rate for incoming students is 86%. This means that for every 100 students who apply to the university, UO offers 86 of them acceptance.

According to Erin Hays, the director of admissions at UO, universities typically start with an enrollment goal before application season. To determine how many offers they will send, they work from an admissions “funnel.”

This funnel, from the top to bottom, describes the decision-making process and goes as follows: prospects, inquiries, applicants, admits, deposits and enrolls. Hays said that for schools to get the “right number” of enrolling students, UO will work off its historical data to “know how many offers of admission are necessary.”

When considering prospects, the funnel may be referring to what states UO has listed as “top recruitment areas.” It includes Oregon, Washington and California but also states across the country such as Pennsylvania, North Carolina and New Jersey. Inquiries likely refers to prospective students that fill out the Request for Information form either before or during the application process.

UO has welcomed its class of 2027, 5,057 students, which is the second-largest class in the university’s history. Based on the “formula” of offering admissions to 86% of students, there must have been around 5,880 applications to the university. However, this number of accepted students is based on day-one enrollment and may be different once the fourth-week census report is available from the university. This report includes students that started in the summer and will continue in the fall.

Student resources to know before the school year begins

Many resources are available to UO students to aid with transportation, classes, organization, finances and more

By Jasmine Saboorian Campus News Editor

The University of Oregon offers several different resources that are available for students to make their day-to-day lives more convenient as they become reacquainted with school.

UO offers different systems of support for students through transportation, class organization, clinics, finances and more.

Duck Rides is a resource offered by the university for nighttime transportation for students, staff and faculty to promote safety among university members.

The UOregon Mobile App is a mobile application available for students that aids with personal class maps, campus maps, emergencies, transportation, tours and safety.

With the UOregon Mobile App, students are able to personally organize and find their classes, a resource that is vital to new students coming into UO who may have trouble locating their classes or landmarks on campus.

The Navigate application is another mobile application by UO to help students in their day-today lives. With the Navigate app, students are able to schedule appointments with advisors, view their

schedules and holds, connect with classmates to create study buddies and more.

Navigate also holds resources to assist in academics such as tutoring, peer academic coaching, learning specialists and study skills.

Another resource that is offered by UO is Scholarship Workshops through the Financial Aid & Scholarships department. Scholarship Workshops are in-person and virtual workshops that help students search for and compete for scholarships as well as learn tips and tricks for essays and applications.

Some of the different scholarships that these workshops help students achieve are the Stamps Scholarship, the Presidential Scholarship, the Diversity Excellence Scholarship, the Summit Scholarship, the Apex Scholarship and many more.

For students who struggle with maintaining a work-life balance, the Duck Nest Wellness Center is a resource available by UO that offers “peer-led mental, physical and sexual well-being programming.”

Peer Wellness Facilitators of Duck Nest are there to provide students with the connections they need to improve their overall wellness.

According to the Duck Nest, it values peer-topeer support as a successful strategy to improve mental, physical and emotional health outcomes.

(Noa Schwartz/Emerald)

(Kemper Flood/Emerald)

The Sophmore

Advice from Guidance Counselors

By Beatrice Byrd Opinion Columnist

Sophomore year is a time to put more focus into your longterm goals at UO.

Some students likely tried a wide variety of extracurricular clubs, sports and social activities,” Jesse Nelson, assistant vice provost for advising and accessibility, said. “Some students likely tried a wide variety of extracurricular clubs, sports and social activities. Pick one or two that will contribute to your career goals. Students that weren’t as active may be looking for entry points, try volunteering.

Beatrice is the opinion editor for the Daily Emerald. She is a fourth-year student majoring in journalism and legal studies.

In her writing for the Emerald, she has covered topics including social media, student representation and mental health.

Sophomores face added pressures from various areas such as increasingly difficult classes, choosing a major and resume building. Nearly two years later, I’m facing some of the fears I had in my second year; they’re not as bad as they seem.

Continued from page 1

However, through my head ran a much simpler, much more dire phrase: “I still have two and a half years left.”

In the horror stories I had heard, I was warned about the increasingly difficult coursework, the pressure to have a large resume and the impending decision of what career I may someday want. But, no one had told me exactly what I was feeling.

Check out the Career Readiness Roadmap, particularly the section that says, “Your Next Steps.”

Set up an appt to visit with the Center for Undergraduate Research and Engagement (CURE) to explore opportunities for research and creative expression.

#1 #2 #3

Work with the career center to explore internship opportunities.

I’m not here to describe a story of my own that may leave you, or others, dreading your sophomore year. But, during my tumultuous time, I reminded myself that these are normal fears to have, especially when the intensity of academics prods each fear along.

While the sophomore scaries might look different for each person, in its most simple form, I believe it is the inability to continue the high expectations that are carried over from freshman year. First-year students experience an impetus with relatively assisted academic and social experience. The excitement of

“Some residents I talked to told me that when they moved out of the dorms, one of the hardest things was how ‘real’ everything felt

—Jakob Salao, UO Graduate

“

beginning college motivates them while dorm life and multiple dining halls give them a small sense of independence — in reality they may not experience this full independence until the following year.

Jakob Salao, a recent graduate of UO and a previous RA said, “Some residents I talked to told me that when they moved out of the dorms, one of the hardest things was how ‘real’ everything felt.”

Salao said that, being in the dorms, freshmen tend to have a wide array of resources that help them plan their lives such as roommates, individuals on their floors in search of new friends

and meals provided upon demand.

“But when you move out into your second year, now you have to pay for groceries, now you have to cook,” Salao said. “And it can be hard having to find a job or balance that job with classes.”

Salao mentioned the increase in responsibilities sophomores face and, combined with the usual stress of college, these equate to my feeling of the scaries.

In my sophomore year, I was learning much more about my major but, at the same time, I felt vastly distant from knowing what I’d need to know going into a workplace. I began worrying about careers even though I was more than

Scaries

two years away from applying to them.

According to University Business, eight out of 10 college students are worried about getting a job post-college. During my sophomore year, I especially felt my resume lacked professional experience and I doubted my ability to someday secure meaningful opportunities.

And, in the creaky, old recliner in my parents’ living room, I cried about the pressures I had been facing throughout the year. After some consolation and laughter — directed at the grouchy meow of my now rather old family cat — I learned that many of the expectations I felt were set by myself.

(Stephanie Yang/Emerald)

Now, entering my senior year, I have practiced a gentler approach while setting my goals. I’ve recognized my small achievements, such as finally doing my laundry or cooking a good meal, and I’ve looked for more laughter in moments — especially with my cats. More than anything, however, I haven’t been scared off by the warned experiences of others. I’m a lot more scrappy than their stories expect me to be.

OPINION

Sleep is important. Trust me, I’m an athlete

The track capital of the world needs its sleep, too

Continued from page 1

Brianna Carrasquillo is a Journalism Master’s candidate and student-athlete playing lacrosse at the University of Oregon. She is also an opinion writer for the Daily Emerald and enjoys covering topics ranging from self-care, sports, wellness, chronic illness, and mental health.

This topic was a selfishly inspired let-me-force-myself-to-read-up-on-thescientific-benefits-of-sleep wakeup call. At first, I was trying to eat healthier. Overnight, my infatuation with holistic health led me to fear BPA-laden receipts. The endocrine-disrupting chemical, Bisphenol A, is commonly found in thermal paper used for receipts, with adverse health effects linked to prenatal behavioral abnormalities and reproductive system issues. This isn’t to scare you, but it is meant to inform you of the benefits of proper sleep, athlete or not.

My universal, “I just got here, I’m still figuring it out,” is losing its luster. It’s been nearly two months, and I am happily ensconced in my cottage-esque home with my two wonderful roommates, but there’s still one thing missing: a good night’s sleep.

As a graduate transfer student, I was enthralled by the wealth of resources available within Oregon Athletics. I referred to a teammate, Cassidy Eckert, a fifth-year lacrosse player who ran me through her self-care habits to ensure a quality night’s rest for class and practice.

“[Our dietician] Lisa is great about getting us melatonin and other probiotics that will help us fall asleep, like tart cherry juice for recovery,” Eckert said, emphatically.

According to a 2013 Springer journal, sleep deprivation “affects memory by reducing encoding when it precedes learning and impairs consolidation of memory traces when it occurs after learning.”

I’ve unapologetically taken a page from Andrew Huberman’s book on the guidelines for a proper, succinct sleep routine. One of his takeaways that I adhere to religiously is reducing blue-light intake throughout the day.

My phone screen is blue-light blocking, I use blue-light glasses every time I open my laptop and, if I’m creeping on my computer at night, I’ll switch my display settings to red light. Call it overkill, but I find it helpful, especially as someone who suffers from chronic migraines. Blue light is ubiquitous and inevitable for UO students; it’s the first glow that welcomes you each morning, illuminating your studies throughout the day and tucking you in at night after you’ve maxed out your TikTok scroll.

A 2021 MDPI study on sleep quality among university students demonstrated how students who accessed electronic devices within two hours before bedtime experienced poorer sleep quality. The short-wavelength light (blue light) is known to hinder melatonin production, trigger acute alertness, disrupt circadian rhythms and alter sleep time.So, after scootering to and from the fields, attending lectures and office hours with professors, lifting, practicing and allocating much-needed time for self-care and homework, my nightcap ensues. One hundred seventy-five mg of magnesium glycinate, 8 oz of tart cherry mixed with coconut water and a dash of mineral salt, a clean face and silk bed sheets.

Call it the unsung hero of sport, sleep is the cornerstone of any discipline.

The student welcome center contains examples of all the room options avalible to students who will be living on campus. The University of Oregon’s new student welcome center is located on the first floor of the brand new dorm residence, Unthank Hall.

(Serei Hendrie/Emerald)

Volunteer Opportunities in Eugene Available for Students

Students are encouraged to apply for local volunteer opportunities to not only boost their resumes, but improve the quality of life in Eugene

These include trail maintenance, environment protection programs, native plant care or gardening projects, seasonal or one-off events that occasionally occur and weekly opportunities that students can participate in.

Waksmundski believes the parks’ volunteer programs are learning opportunities for students looking to expand their knowledge and interest in learning more about native vegetation, maintenance or habitat restoration.

“I think [participating in these opportunities] offers students the ability to become a part of the greater community of Eugene, so they’ll be giving back with their time and energy to the greater part of Eugene, getting off campus, experiencing new areas that they may not have seen,” Waksmundski said.

Waksmundski said the best place to look for more programs and their details is through the Eugene Parks and Open Space website and by contacting representatives. He emphasized that there is a very low chance of getting rejected from a volunteering opportunity and some have flexibility to fit work time into students’ schedules.

“We have a long and rich history with the university working with different groups and we would like to continue that for the new and returning students,” Waksmundski said. “We’re pretty welcoming and we try to cater the experience if somebody has a special need or a special request.”

Despite many volunteer programs being through the parks and open space department, other opportunities through community engagement such as work in the public libraries, cultural services and recreation with the city can largely benefit both student volunteers and local community members.

Volunteering in recreational positions presents a wide range of opportunities to help with activities and services for different groups. Waksmundski said these programs can give students the chance to meet new people, improve the environment in Eugene and build their resumes with useful skills they will learn throughout each experience.

“It shows that they volunteered and gave back to their community, so I think it’s a really good opportunity to build a skillset, to meet new people and to diversify whatever they may be doing at the university,” Waksmundski said.

Another opportunity concerning natural areas is with the Rotary Club of Eugene which involves its members with community service projects in opportunities to support local areas in need.

Northwest Youth Corps is a local youth conservation organization that offers different programs for young adults, including experiences that complete conservation work in the community such as wildfire protection or leadership development.

“I think [these opportunities] strengthen the community because it brings us all together under

RENTER’S RIGHTS IN EUGENE

From rent assistance to legal rights, here’s what students renting around Eugene should know

a common goal of preservation and enhancement of our natural resources,” Waksmundski said.

Volunteer opportunities with Food For Lane County are also available and accessible for students to work with, providing opportunities to participate through sorting, re-packing and distributing food at the facilities.

Some positions with the food bank include shifts preparing, sorting, distributing and growing food at different locations. Further information on the organization’s volunteer opportunities is listed on their website at foodforlanecounty.org.

By Mathias Lehman-Winters City News & Print Managing Editor

As fall term at the University of Oregon approaches, students from all over the country are coming to Eugene. Many of these students will be renting for the first time, in a city whose renter protection laws may be unfamiliar to them.

Kevin Cronin, a board member of the Springfield Eugene Tenant Association, has for years successfully lobbied the City of Eugene to pass Phase I and Phase II renter protections. These protections provide a myriad of support services for renters, including relocation assistance and a cap on application fees.

“[As a result of Phase I renter protections], landlords actually have to provide some basic information about your rights as a renter, and that should come with your lease paperwork,” Cronin said.

Cronin also said that the Springfield Eugene Tenant Association has a hotline for renters, which they can call to troubleshoot any issues they’re facing with a knowledgeable person.

“It’s good to have a conversation with someone who has been through that before, and has had conversations with hundreds of other students who have faced similar problems,” Cronin said. “We don’t really have that in other cities, and so that’s one of the big advantages of coming to the UO — is that you have strong renter protections in the city of Eugene.”

Wesley Krier, a rising sophomore at UO, said that he didn’t know about some of the services provided by the Eugene Springfield Tenant Association.

“I wouldn’t say a lot of renters, including myself, knew about that kind of service. But I think it is helpful for renters to be able to chat with people who are a third party,” Krier said.

Krier also mentioned that when he was signing his lease paperwork, there was a page with renters’ rights and protections detailed. This was something that came about as a result of Eugene’s Phase I renter protections.

One of the main issues that Cronin wanted students to be aware of was not only their rights as renters, but also of the assistance available to them.

“If you have a broken window, or a door wont lock, or your heat won’t work, those are all issues that need to be addressed [legally] within 48 hours,” Cornin said.

“If you can’t pay your rent…there is help available for students. Start to make a plan to find rent assistance. The last thing we want is for any students to end up homeless because they can’t afford their rent.”

Additionally, Cronin pointed out that the Associated Students of the University of Oregon legal services can be incredibly helpful for students attempting to navigate landlord-tenant laws.

Approximately 8% of undergraduate college students in the United States are experiencing homelessness. In a city such as Eugene where the average studio apartment price is over $1,200, it is vitally important for all renters, and especially students, to be aware of help available to them.

ABOVE: A volunteer works at Hearth & Table, a restaurant located in Lincoln City.

(Lulu Devoulin/ Emerald)

and coordinated several events, such as the Faerie Market and Pagan Pride, and said she’s elated to see the community being revived.

“It’s really crazy out there; I used to want to fix everything, but you can’t. It’s amazing to have a place to just be a magic maker and focus on that,” McElroy said.

In contrast with other communities she has lived in, McElroy described the people and creators in Eugene as being incredibly supportive of each other and focusing on being happy and creating rather than competing for sales or copying one’s craft.

Living in Colorado previously, McElroy said she noticed that handmade work was intensely undervalued and has found that to be the opposite here in Eugene, especially with its thriving artistic scene and options for small businesses to sell their wares.

“The community here really shows up and supports people in their endeavors and their dreams; in Eugene everyone tries to spread so much of the love around,” McElroy said.

Art has been and still continues to be thought of often as a hobby rather than a career, which is something that McElroy aims to change.

“We need to have people doing art and there is plenty of space for that to be a valid job,” McElroy said.

As her fairy wing sales increased, McElroy hired a few people to assist with the production of her products. She said she strongly values a fair and safe work environment and aims to create a collaborative process.

With her desire to create magic and beauty in our overwhelming world, McElroy provides a whimsical, unique and nature-derived piece to the Eugene community and markets across the U.S.