Going to community college as a high schooler can seem like a very daunting and intense challenge. It may seem as though the courses will be much harder than high school, and that you will be drowning in the amount of homework you have to complete. Some say that college teachers are much stricter with how they operate their classes and that you will be on your own for getting your work done.
While that may be true for some, that is sure not what I have experienced going to Mt. Hood Community College as a high school student. I have seen many benefits in coming to MHCC, such as very helpful tutors, more interesting and in-depth courses, a wider range of academic focuses and courses, and finally, a much greater sense of freedom and responsibility.
Before starting my first term at MHCC I was extremely nervous to be taking college classes. I was worried that it would be hard to manage my time and keep up with all the due dates. And while it can be hard at times to manage my time, and make sure that I turn all my assignments in on time, I found that the college environment is much more conducive to being able to focus on my classes and getting the help I need.
One of the many benefits of college has been the value that tutors can bring to my
assignments. In high school it can be hard to find and afford a tutor that can help with your coursework, but in college I found it rather easy to get help from a collegeprovided tutor.
Another way MHCC has differed from high school is the more understanding and caring instructors. While in high school I noticed that most of my teachers were strict, and since they had such a tight schedule of classes, there was minimal time for me to get help on my assignments. Compare that to college: Most instructors are friendly and open to answering students’ questions as well as helping them during office hours.
While there are many challenges that come with going to college as a high schooler, one big benefit has stuck out to me: The opportunity to have much more freedom and responsibility. Being able to have a greater selection of courses to take and being able to create a school schedule that will work for me has been one of the many advantages I have found here.
It is always scary and daunting to make a big change in your life, and especially when it involves changing your academic path. But as far as I am concerned, I have seen many benefits of choosing to go to college as a high school student. The wide range of courses and majors, plus the ability to choose a schedule that works for me, is just one of the many reasons I encourage high school students to think about going to college.
Crop tops made their debut in the 1980s, the trend of the decade that was brought on by the artist Madonna after her music video for “Lucky Star” dropped. In the video she wore a cropped mesh top, and the trend began.
The midriff-showing trend has now come back, to the point where nearly every shirt in the women’s section has the same amount of fabric as a baby’s onesie and shows one’s belly button, and occasionally some under-boob, even when wearing a pair of high waisted pants.
I went shopping at a Levi’s store after Christmas and every single shirt was cropped. I’m a female-identifying person who will wear a crop top on the occasion, such as going to the gym, but I expect to go to Levi’s or a similar clothing store and find a “women’s” shirt that covers my stomach.
It’s not even about the fact that I don’t feel comfortable showing my stomach, or that I get cold easily: Any person should be able to find a shirt that’s in the designated women’s section that is comfortable to wear and doesn’t show an enormous amount of skin. Even all the jackets were cropped – how is that comfortable? Not every person who shops the women’s section wants to show their midriff or have to wear high-waisted pants to cover said midriff. I am a fan of neither, and know many people who feel the same.
Crop tops and high-waisted pants are the only garments I could find in my size, and neither make me feel comfortable with my body. Levi’s is known for its jeans, for having a large variety of styles for both men’s and women’s fits, and yet I couldn’t consider a single one of them without discomfort. There are many people who love their crop tops and high-waisted jeans, but there are many, like me, who don’t. So, why can’t we compromise? Why can’t we have full-length shirts and crops? Why can’t we have the same print/color in both styles, or a variety of options for both?
Give us our damn full-length T-shirts and mid-rise pants so we can feel even remotely comfortable in our skin.
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According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there are currently over 100,600 people in need of organ donations in the United States. Of those in need, 17 awaiting organ donation die every day.
These people are why you should register as an organ donor today. If you register as an organ donor, you can save up to eight lives after you pass away. Additionally, your tissue can enhance the lives and health of over 125 people.
While it is impossible to save everyone, these are people you can directly aid. A donor who invests five minutes of their life to register as an organ donate could gift decades of life itself, and improved health, to scores of people.
According to Donate Life America, 95% of adults in the United States support the idea of being an organ donor, yet only 54% are actually registered organ donors. Why is this? Well, there are various factors, but some of the biggest reasons are that people do not believe they qualify to become an organ donor, believe their religion would prevent them from registering, or think it is a difficult process to register.
However, it is likely that none of these are true.
First, many people do not understand that there is no requirement to be young or super healthy to become an organ donor. There is no age limit to becoming an organ donor. In fact, the oldest person to donate organs in the U.S. was 95 years old. Second, most medical conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, and HIV, will not automatically disqualify someone from donating organs.
And, while people often mistakenly believe their religion is opposed to organ donation, all major world religions are either indifferent to or openly support organ donation. Of course, as a potential donor, you are encouraged to research if yours has any rules regarding organ donation.
Becoming an organ donor in Oregon is a easy process. Register through Donate Life Northwest either online or by mail. Learn more:
Lastly, becoming an organ donor in Oregon is a very easy and straightforward process. There are three ways to become an organ donor.
The first and most common way is to register by checking a box when applying for a driver’s permit, license, or state I.D. at the DMV office.
If you will not be at the DMV any time soon, you can also register through Donate Life Northwest. You can register either online or by printing and mailing a paper form. Finally, if you have an iPhone, you can register through the pre-installed Health App (iOS 10+).
To learn more about the latter two options, see the QR codes on the right.
If you have an iPhone, you can register through the pre-installed Health App (iOS 10+). To learn more about this option, visit:
Matana McIntire is the Design Editor for The Advocate, as well as a managing editor alongside Rory Myers. A first-year graphic design student in the Integrated Media program, she oversees the content management and production schedule for The Advocate. She attended MHCC in her early 20s where
she started developing skills in layout design by helping out during Advocate production days. Now that she’s back at MHCC pursuing a formal degree in Graphic Design, she’s excited to train others in design principles and help the staff execute creative and conceptual designs. She loves everything cre-
ative, such as writing, crafting, and projects around the house. Her free time is spent working on design projects for her family and friends, and dreams of someday designing a coloring book for fun.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY OVER 100,600 PEOPLE IN NEED OF ORGAN DONATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES.
Since the COVID-era shutdown and eventual reopening of Mt. Hood Community College’s Aquatic Center, there has been a big piece missing. That would be the 25-meter indoor pool.
After the two-year pandemic hiatus at the Aquatic Center, it was discovered that there was major damage to the popular pool. Andrew Jackman, the Aquatics Center’s director, said workers discovered leaks in the pool originating from cement lining.
“Significant damage was discovered to the cement lining of the decks, gutters, viewing room, and viewing room window seals,” he said. Along with the cement liner being repaired, new pool lights and a “durable, non-slip epoxy” on the pool deck will be coming to the Center, with repairs slated to be completed next month (March).
Previously, the 25-meter pool has been home to many activities for the wider Mt. Hood
and east Multnomah County community and students in the area. Community swim lessons, water exercise, and swim courses for MHCC students are slated to return along with the 25-meter pool opening. However, in order to run the Aquatic Center, the college needs additional staff. Jackman and others want students and the public to know that MHCC is currently hiring. To find out more on the Aquatic Center, check out its website and social media channels: https://www.mhcc. edu/Aquatics/ and https://www.facebook. com/MHCCAquaticsCenter.
Personally, the 25-meter pool and the Aquatic Center has been a staple of my life since I was little. Starting in elementary school and throughout middle school I took
swim lessons in the 25-meter pool. Along the way I learned the importance of swimming, made new friends, and had lots of fun.
I was in the final term of my swim lessons before officials closed the pool due to the COVID pandemic. To say I was devastated would be an understatement. The Aquatic Center is such an important place to me and the community because it offers such a fun and healthy activity. It is also the only such swimming center of this size in the area. Closing meant there was no place to swim for many area children and adults unless they had a costly gym membership. Which brings us now to the schecduled pool reopening, granting our community low-cost access to what would otherwise be a cost-prohibitive
activity.
Swimming comes with a multitude of benefits that many have been missing out on during the closure. Swim lessons save lives; teaching children how to swim from a young age can help prevent drownings. It is also great exercise – swimming provides a full body workout.
There is also something about the sensory experience of the pool you just cannot match. When I plunge underwater the sound goes muffled, and I feel weightless. I can effortlessly glide from one end of the pool to another while looking through the blue-tinted water. It is like I have been transported to another planet, isolated from all my worries.
Swimming in Mt. Hood’s most userfriendly pool is an experience that I and the community have missed since the beginning of the pandemic, and I am excited to plunge back into it, come March.
CORRECTION: ISSUE 5 - FEB. 3
complete the season sweep and get her 40th point of the game – tying a single game scoring record!
The Mt. Hood Saints and the Clark Penguins womens basketball teams met for the second and final time this season on Feb. 15. Mt. Hood took the first match, 79-78 in 2OTs, on Jan. 18, so Clark was looking for a little revenge.
The game was tight throughout, with the Saints holding a narrow 31-26 lead at halftime. The Penguins trailed for most of the game but they came back and took their first lead in the final minutes. The Saints weren’t done, however – and 40 minutes was not enough for these two teams to decide a winner. They played an additional 5 minutes but that still wasn’t enough: Double overtime, again! Each team kept it close and with 3.5 seconds remaining, tied at 86, it was Saints guard McKenzie Kosmicki who took the inbounds pass and hit the game-winning three to
The mens game was also very exciting. The Saints started very hot, hitting 3s from all angles and growing their lead to a 47-31 at halftime. The Saints knew they weren’t done; Clark is known as a secondhalf team and they showed it, starting with a 13-0 run to pull close.
Mt. Hood maintained a small cushion before Clark finally broke through, taking their first lead late.
The Saints weren’t finished, though: Wayne Hampton hit a clutch 3 with 45 seconds to go and that helped the Saints hold off the Penguins, 88-85, redeeming themselves after being dominated 89-62 in their first meeting.
Yours truly called all of the exciting action – see Saints’ clinching shots on QR codes above!
“The only way out is up”: a powerful and simple quote I was able to grab from the undeniably outstanding Jill McPherson. She’s the Forestry Club president at MHCC and this week’s focus among the awesome students here on campus.
Jill is a second-year student at Mount Hood working in the Natural Resources Technology program. Being a transplant from Las Vegas, she only moved to the PNW a couple of years ago. She says she was in a sausage shop in Portland when a “serendipitous man” struck up a conversation about nature and told her all about MHCC’s NRT program.
Now, Jill hopes to graduate with a four-year degree in forestry and in ecology, hoping to get into a career that combines nature and the world we live in today and how people interact with the ecosystems around them – claiming that one of the best things about this Mt. Hood program is the diversity in opportunities that it creates.
She then explained how “Nothing exists in a vacuum; it is all connected.” In this way Natural Resources students can learn about nature as part of a full spectrum and really focus on it for holistic and educational purposes.
What’s more, the Forestry Club at MHCC is the perfect way to dip one’s toes into the ecological world with weekly meetings full of outdoor activities. Jill was the student to revitalize the club after it had been wiped out by COVID. She says her main goals of re-establishing the group is to “create a space for a community to gather and learn,” adding the only reason she is in charge is because she had the dream and the ambition and gumption to pull it off.
J.McPherson5@saints.mhcc.edu
HIKES WEEKLY
9 AM every Sunday or Monday
Locations change each week
Carpooling and transporation assistance options are available!
MEETS WEEKLY
10 AM every Wednesday in the MHCC Student Union
Any Mt. Hood student that interested is welcome to join!
CLIMBS WEEKLY
5:30-8:30 PM every Wednesday MHCC rock wall
Beginners welcome!
Not only is this busy bee a full-time student, running the Forestry Club and hosting weekly events, she is also a part of our new MHCC community garden project that is planned to be started this spring.
If you are interested in the great outdoors or connecting with your community, please contact the amazing Jill Mcpherson to get more involved, at j.mcpherson5@saints.mhcc.edu, or at 702-595-6615. For more on the Natural Resource Technology Program, see: https://www.mhcc.edu/NRT/
Ellen von Fortune The Advocate
One of the most talked-about award shows in the modern-day music industry, the Grammys, took place on Feb. 5, hosted by former “The Daily Show” host Trevor Noah. Fans awaiting the announcements and performances from the top recording artists know how big these awards can impact a career. And the 65th annual award show was a surprising night in many ways.
Beyoncé had a record-breaking evening, becoming the person with the most Grammys ever won. She got this title when she won Best Dance/ Electronic Music Album, along with three other awards this year. She has had 88 nominations and now, 32 wins, at the Grammy’s; over 30% of the Grammys she has been nominated for, she has won.
Harry Styles was nominated for six awards and won three of them, including Album of the Year for his newest album, “Harry’s House.” In his acceptance speech, Styles said, “This doesn’t happen to people like me very often.” He quickly received backlash for it online. People responded on Twitter, viewers writing “saying that when a Black woman hasn’t won the award since 1999 is crazy
lol” and “says the white man who uses queer aesthetics to sell records and won album of the year over a Black woman.” Some people came to Style’s defense, saying that it was just a bad choice of words in the moment. While it seemed a well-deserved award, however, clearly not everyone saw it that way; a fan in the Grammys audience yelled “Beyonce should’ve won” in the middle of his speech.
Taylor Swift was nominated for four Grammys and she won Best Music Video/
Short Film for her 10-minute version of her “All Too Well” (Taylor’s Version) video starring Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brian. Swift has won 12 of her 46 Grammy nominations during her career. What is unique about Swift’s Grammy nominations is that she has won them across the spectrum of the music industry, in categories ranging from Country to Pop.
Song of the Year is one of the most debated awards each year at the Grammys because it can be from any genre of music, so winning
this award is a huge honor. The nominees this year were mostly pop songs, including “As It Was” by Styles, “About Damn Time” by Lizzo, and “Easy on Me” by Adele. They all were beat out by blues singer-songwriter Bonnie Raitt, with her song “Just Like That.” This came as a surprise to most pop music and pop culture fans, shocked that one of the many pop songs did not win this title.
All the live performances were unique and well done. In my opinion, Lizzo had one of the best performances of the night. She opened with an a cappella, slowed-down version of her hit “About Damn Time.” Then she transitioned to her song “Special,” where she was accompanied by a gospel choir –making everyone watching feel special.
The Grammys this year had an estimated 12.4 million Americans watching the show, everything from the outfits the musicians were wearing to the interactions with fellow artists and all the amazing performances. In reality, Styles put it best when in his acceptance speech he said, “It’s obviously so important for us to remember that there is no such thing as ‘best’ in music.” Every artist always has something unique to bring to the industry, where people are truly being themselves and we (as listeners) are just lucky enough to be able to enjoy it.
The Advocate
For two winter weekends every year – including this Friday-Saturday, Feb. 10-11 – Portland lights up in a dazzling array of colors. The streets and plazas are strung up with lights, and performers create evocative lights shows.
which was a brazier that launched a fireball into the air every few minutes.
I arrived at the event a short while before the opening ceremony, which gave me the opportunity to witness the tailend of a performance by Spencer Sprocket, a local carnivalstyle performer. During the portion of the performance I saw, he was carefully balancing on a motorized unicycle outfitted with bright LEDs, juggling large bowling pins that glowed in every color imaginable.
The opening ceremony itself was a fire performance, right in the center of Pioneer Square. Numerous performers in dazzling clothing flowed around the square with countless flaming items, from simple batons to hand fans and swords. It was quite a spectacle to behold, watching these practiced professionals transition from one motion to the next, leaving flickering trails of light in their wake.
This is all part of the Portland Winter Lights Festival (https://pdxwlf.com/), an annual event taking place over the course of two weekends since it began in 2016. The Light Festival is a volunteer-run event, and is entirely free to attend and features numerous attractions all throughout downtown, and beyond.
I was able to attend the event in person during its opening weekend, Feb. 3-4, this year.
The Pioneer Courthouse Square served as the center of the event, in a way, with a number of attractions present and the opening ceremony being held there, as well. One display
After that, I traveled to a collection of nearby food carts for the LED Drag Show. The show was scheduled at the same time as the opening ceremony, but appeared to have only just started when I arrived. It consisted of a number of short dances by individual performers, set to music. Most of the performances only featured color-changing ambient lighting, but one dancer actually had hundreds of colorful lights integrated into their outfit, which created a spectacular image as they moved around their stage.
There were other events on the different days that I wasn’t able to attend, but, overall, I had a fun time at the few I did see.
(As this article is being written, the Winter Light Festival has not yet been confirmed to be returning next year. However, it attracts hundreds of visitors from all over and has sponsors such as Portland General Electric (PGE), so it’s likely to continue.)
The thing about the new year is that in the first two months there is motivation and freshness in our lives.
That’s the idea that I think about or see on social media; there is a lot to look forward to and I think I most anticipate the new seasons of shows and releases of movies on streaming services. Here are some movies and TV shows to look for on different streaming services:
Beginning with Netflix, there are three TV shows to highlight:
“Ginny & Georgia” comes back for a second season, also released in January. This show explores the complexities of a single mother’s past and how it affects the relationship between mother and daughter.
subscription you can listen to ad-free music, watch Hulu and SHOWTIME all in one bundle for $4.99 each month(!). These three Hulu TV shows have newly released seasons.
conversations on how to parent. There are 12 families that are put in different situations to learn more about raising their family differently.
Next are newly released movies that are highly acclaimed, also on Netflix:
“Daughter From Another Mother” released its third and final season in December. This Mexican comedic drama tells the story of two mothers whose daughters were switched at birth. Both mothers come together to raise their daughters and go through trials in their personal lives with family, friends, and lovers.
“That ’90s Show” was released in January and is the sequel to “That ’70s Show.” The old cast of the lattter comes back for fun appearances. The characters in this sequel are the children from the original gang that would hang out in Eric Forman’s basement.
“You People” stars Jonah Hill and Lauren London as a couple that fall in love. The ultimate challenge, it seems like, is meeting each other’s families.
We all know the classic story of Pinocchio, a story of a father and his wooden son becoming a real boy. Guillermo del Toro succeeds again with his art and film making in the 2023 Oscar nominee, “Pinocchio.”
Movies that are adapted from novels often have some high expectations to meet. “Bullet Train,” released in August 2022, is based on a novel full of action, especially interconnected missions. The cast features amazing members including Brad Pitt, Bad Bunny, and Sandra Bullock.
Thanks to Spotify’s premium student
“Abbott Elementary” (also airing on ABC) is a documentary-style sitcom following the lives of teachers and school staff on very relatable situations of public schools in the U.S., specifically in Philadelphia. There are new episodes every Wednesday to watch!
“The 1619 Project” is a six-part documentary series that highlights the contributions of the Black community in the United States in different areas such as music, capitalism, and democracy.
“The Parent Test” (also on ABC) is a show that explores parenting styles and
One last streaming service is Disney+. Two notable recent releases are “Wakanda Forever” and “Proud Family Louder and Prouder.”
Wakanda
Forever has moved from the big screens to our own TV or computer screens. In this movie the people of Wakanda are in a fight for their home and mourning the loss of King T’Challa.
Proud Family Louder and Prouder is an animated series that follows the show “The Proud Family” (2002). In this series, the main character, Penny, is much older and experiencing different situations in modern times.
Web photos
I recently watched “Avatar: The Way of Water” – without even watching the first “Avatar” movie – in a different language and country. I went to the Cinemex in my second home of Morelos, Mexico, to watch this latest highest-grossing movie.
I can say from this experience that you can really enjoy a sequel without watching the first movie. I think it makes the sequel so much better; while watching this movie I was just putting information together and I was able to understand the sequence of events. I experienced the Avatar sequel in 3D, and I definitely felt immersed in the water, so much that I think I faced my fear of the fathomless ocean.
I didn’t exactly wait anxiously during the 12 years of production for the 2022 film like others did, but I am glad I was able to experience the aqua-blue aesthetic Avatar has
brought to the screen.
I had some knowledge about Avatar: I remember some scenes of the blue creatures because my family enjoyed the 2009 sci-fi movie. In the first Avatar movie, Jake Sully is sent to Pandora to learn and create a connection to the Na’vi people.
With the new sequel comes a new adventure that does bring up past characters. It begins with Sully, his wife, Neytiri, and their children, focusing more on the children and how they have to adapt to their new home. Their lives are in danger because the ‘sky people’ are back to destroy Sully: The antagonist, Col. Miles Quaritch, is in search of Jake and his family.
Sully and his family join a new clan that lives and thrives in the ocean. The Metkayina clan teaches them everything, from swimming with sea creatures to the importance of connecting with the ocean. A specific scene was quite nerve-racking, when one of Jake’s sons, Lo’ak, goes off to a far area of the ocean to bond with boys of
the Metkayina. He is then left stranded in the middle of nowhere, not knowing how to get back. A large whalelike creature, called a tulkun, saves Lo’ak and actually helps the family and Metkayina clan when they are captured by Col. Quaritch and his army. There are two more scenes that are worth mentioning without too many spoilers. Neytiri plays such a beautiful and
strong role as mother of her children. In one scene, she displays immense pain and anger that were somewhat frightening but also reasonable reactions to what happened to her son. And I think a very touching and eyewatering scene was Jake and Neytiri staying with the Metkayina clan and reconnecting with their memories where they see their son, Neteyam, one last time.
I think I was like many people who watched the movie, expecting a lot of blue visuals but not knowing what would happen from the overall plot. ‘The Way of Water’ is a beautiful film that I recommend watching, possibly best on the big screen with popcorn and with limits on liquids (you wouldn’t want to miss any scenes for bathroom breaks, and the movie is three hours long!).
We will have to see what “Avatar 3” will bring, and hope to not have to wait 12 more years again.
February is often referred to as the month of love, where people express their love for others, and especially themselves.
The Advocate
Have you heard of KMHD2?
If not, it is Mt. Hood Community College’s very own HD and streaming radio station and the
Advocate has taken a look at the history and future of the station. We even found out that students can have their own radio show on KMHD2. To learn more, scan the QR code to watch the video.
However, the past few years have been challenging for students, with the COVID pandemic disrupting their lives and limiting social interaction. It has been a struggle for many students to practice self-love and to spread love to their loved ones.
In light of this, MHCC helped students celebrate and promote love through the Love Yourself event, appropriately held on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14.
‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ Review:
Emily Phoun, special events coordinator for Mt. Hood’s student body government, highlighted the challenges that students have faced during the pandemic and how the event aimed to rekindle the act of showing love to themselves and others. She said the event was designed to help students “promote self-purpose and self-love.”
Phoun noted that roses, chocolates, and goodie bags are traditional, and excellent ways to spread love.
But students were also encouraged to write letters to their friends, family, or even themselves, sharing words of love and encouragement. Writing letters to loved ones is an excellent way to share love, and it can be a great bonding experience.
From Phoun again, here are a few specific tips to help someone practice self-love and spread love to others:
First, writing down personal goals and achievements is an excellent way to practice self-love. It helps to remind us of our worth and progress towards our goals. Second, spending time with family and friends is a great way to share love. It is essential to create time to catch up, have fun, and enjoy the company of the people we love. Last, writing letters to distant loved ones or friends can make a world of difference. It is an excellent way to let them know that you care, and you are thinking of them.
Even though the Love Yourself event has passed, we can all practice self-love and spread love to our loved ones all year round. A little act of love can go a long way, and it is essential to make it a part of our daily routine.
THE EVENT WAS DESIGNED TO HELP STUDENTS “PROMOTE SELF-PURPOSE AND SELF-LOVE”
