Volume 17, Issue 6 (Nov. 2, 2016) by The Western Howl

THE WESTERN

OURNAL

WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2016 VOLUME 17 ISSUE 6

Expressionism on the stage Page 8

INSIDE THIS ISSUE...

Western students take back the night Page 5

Women’s soccer finish the 2016 season Page 6

WOU.EDU/WESTERNJOURNAL

Review: “Skyrim: Special Edition” Page 9

NEWS

The Western Journal Wednesday, November 2, 2016

THE WESTERN JOURNAL

345 N. Monmouth Ave. Monmouth, OR 97361 Student Media Department TERRY HOUSE NEWSROOM 503-838-8347

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF STEPHANIE BLAIR

journaleditor@wou.edu

MANAGING EDITOR ZOË STRICKLAND

journalmanaging@wou.edu

NEWS EDITOR JADE RAYNER

journalnews@wou.edu

CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR PAIGE SCOFIELD

journalcampuslife@wou.edu

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR ASHTON NEWTON journalentertainment@wou.edu

SPORTS EDITOR BURKE DE BOER

journalsports@wou.edu

PHOTO EDITOR KEITH MATHEW

journalphoto@wou.edu

DESIGNERS DARIEN CAMPO ELISSA SORENSON

journaldesigner@wou.edu

COPY EDITOR KRISTIN ECK

journalcopy@wou.edu

ADVERTISING MANAGER BRIAN TESCH journaladvertising@wou.edu

WEB MANAGER GEANELL BERNARDO journalweb@wou.edu

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER SAMANTHA DUNAWAY STUDENT MEDIA ADVISER RHYS FINCH finchr@wou.edu 503-838-9697

SUBMISSIONS THE WESTERN JOURNAL encourages readers to share their opinion through letters to the editor and guest columns. Submissions must be typed and include the writer’s name. Contact information will not be published unless requested. Unsigned submissions will not be printed and original copies will not be returned. Letters to the editor may be up to 300 words and guest columns should not exceed 500 words. THE WESTERN JOURNAL does not guarantee the publication of all letters or columns. THE WESTERN JOURNAL reserves the right to edit for punctuation, grammar, and spelling, but never for content. Please bring submissions to THE WESTERN JOURNAL at Terry House or email to journaleditor@ wou.edu. Submissions must be received by Monday at 5 p.m. to be considered for print. All opinions expressed in columns, letters to the editor or advertisements are the views of the author and do necessarily reflect those of THE WESTERN JOURNAL or Western Oregon University.

The role of ASWOU on Western’s campus

ASWOU can be a resource for students By TK Layman | Staff Writer When you think about student engagement on Western Oregon’s campus, The Associated Students of Western Oregon University should be a name that comes to mind. On campus, ASWOU plays a major role in creating new and exciting opportunities for students to not only get involved in campus life, but to also be a part of the school’s decision making process. The multitudes of positions available can range from v o lu nt e e r i n g in committees, interning with the executive cabinet or becoming an elected official on campus. Western O re gon’s A S W O U or g a n i z at i on is the student government or g a n i z at i on on campus that headways changes for students. “ASWOU… its mission is to protect and advance the interest of the students of the university,” Student Body President Alma Pacheco said in an interview. “(To) represent students of WOU in the affirmation and application of institutional policies that are both affecting academic and student affairs.” On campus, their main mission is to create awareness of any policy changes that may affect its student body, as well as be a communication tool to raise student awareness. “Not only are we representing them, but we are educating and communicating to

them,” Pachero said. “We’re supposed to (tell them) what is happening on campus, what policies are going to affect them and changes that might happen.” Students play a vital role in creating change around campus by becoming involved with ASWOU and its many committees. Students are able to become a part of a key organization that brings a new perspective for their generation. There are a few ways that students can get

involved, and the first step is to elect their student body officials, such as the Student Body President, Vice President, President of the Senate and Judicial Administrator. Students are also able to get involved with ASWOU through internships, committees and being a part of the executive board. As for applying to these jobs, Pachero offered that, “The vice president recently finished an application for students on OrgSync and we’re going to start off by marketing by next week.”

Being involved on campus doesn’t have to be as time consuming as working in the ASWOU offices, as there are many events and activities for students to be engaged and network with their fellow classmates. ASWOU recently finished their “Vote or Vote” drive, a campaign run by students to help register students to vote. The campaign was incredibly successful, and surpassed their goal of registering 300 students by over 500; they

Upcoming student activities being put forth by ASWOU are events such as World Kindness Day on Nov. 14, Burgerville day running Nov. 18 from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. The longest term activity being planned is the Spring Term Cooking Contest, being a cooking competition on campus to get people from around campus to come and compete cutthroat-kitchen style by paying someone in the food pantry to remove cooking supplies from the contestants. To keep students engaged and involved on campus Pachero stated, “This is an institution run and paid for by students, and folks don’t know the importance of being involved. It’s time consuming … but it’s not only an opportunity to enjoy their time but grow as an individual and find out the importance of finding their voice. Photo by AMBER HOLLAND own ended their campaign with I’m bringing this from a a total of 859 total students perspective of a Latina woman registered. who is also a DACA student Clubs and Organizations are and never in my life I thought a great way to get involved. I would have an opportunity “Coming up we are having to represent such a huge a club fair next term. And campus, so if I can do it, and continuing on letting folks I can be involved, I think this know that these organizations opportunity really helps them are student led and student grow as an individual.” run are important for them To find more information to be involved because college about ASWOU, students . . . is already hard,” Pachero can check OrgSync through said, “and being involved Portal. not only helps individuals grow but helps them have an Contact the author at opportunity to enjoy their tlayman16@wou.edu student life.”

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NEWS

The Western Journal Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Getting a head start on scholarships

What to do (and not do) when filling out those applications By Sadie Moses | Freelancer The WOU General Scholarship Application has opened up, which means it’s the time of year to start thinking about sending in your application. Natasha Roman, Scholarship officer at Western, recommends starting on applications as early as winter break. This year, don’t procrastinate on that essay—it could be the very thing that saves you $1,000 in loans. “The scholarship essay is really important. I always tell students that your grades and your activities and your work, they all speak for you, but your essay is your chance to speak for yourself,” said Roman. The judges of these scholarship essays have to read hundreds a day. Make sure to point out what you’re passionate about; this will catch the reader’s attention. “Find something that’s really special about you, and try to match it to the scholarship question,” she said. If you can write a great essay you can use it for multiple applications with minor tweaking. Most of the essay topics are very similar. Another key part of a solid essay

is paying attention to grammar and spelling. “If you do not spell ‘scholarship’ right, no one will give you a scholarship!” said Roman. One great resource she recommended for help is the writing center, located in room 301 of the Academic Programs

and Support C enter. Their hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday and Friday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., or by appointment.

The Financial Aid Office is also looking to do some workshops with students in the upcoming months. These aim to help students recognize the important things they can pull into their essay to make them stand out.

Photo by KEITH MATHEW

In addition to the WOU General Scholarship, the OSAC application is another great resource. According

to their website, they have over $18 million in scholarships. Anyone at any time in their college career can apply. Besides these, each department on Western’s campus has their own unique scholarships students can also apply for. Don’t give up before you’ve even applied. “There are so many different scholarships for so many different students,” said Roman. They’re not just for ethnic or low-income people. Anyone can get them. And even if you don’t win because of unmet circumstances, you might be a finalist, which can still be used on a resume later on. “At the end of the day, when you have your degree in hand, you have to face up to all those loans and all that interest,” said Roman. Five hours of time could save you $1,000 in loans. Start working on that essay today. Contact the author at srverville@ gmail.com

Election Day 2016: take measures to be informed

Vote smart when it comes to your education By Jade Rayner | News Editor

Photo by KEITH MATHEW

Election Day is coming up fast and many Oregon voters have already been, and will continue to receive their ballots in the mail. The key to voting for both first-time and experienced voters is taking time to read the Voter’s Pamphlet and do some additional research in order to make informed decisions on your ballot. Measure 95 is one of those decisions that could potentially have an impact on students, therefore it would be beneficial to research all sides before voting on it. As stated in the Oregon Voter’s Pamphlet, Measure 95 is a proposed amendment to the Oregon Constitution that, “allows investments in equities by public universities,” in order to try to reduce financial risk and increase

investments to benefit students. The measure would allow all seven of Oregon’s public universities, Western Oregon University included, to invest in stocks. This action is currently prohibited by the Oregon Constitution. Summarized on oregonvotes.gov, the measure itself would place zero financial requirements on the state or local government; it would be the responsibility of each individual university to invest or not as they see fit. According to Michael Shill, Edward Ray and Tom Insko, the Presidents of University of Oregon, Oregon State University and Eastern Oregon University, the goal of the measure is to, “create more opportunities

WOU.EDU/WESTERNJOURNAL

for middle-class Oregonians to access a college education,” by using investments to minimize tuition increases and reducing the amount of student debt. Currently there are no officially stated oppositions to Measure 95, but there have been reports of concern regarding risky investing and whether or not tuition costs would actually be lowered. As a voter, it is important to do your research and make your own decision when it comes to voting on any issue. This week, make sure to find reputable resources and look at all sides before sending out your ballot. Contact the author at journalnews@ wou.edu

CAMPUS LIFE

The Western Journal Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Abby’s House Our name: The name Abby’s House was chosen in honor of Abigail Scott Duniway, who fought for women’s right to vote and to own property in Oregon and nationally. She was the first woman to register to vote in Oregon.

Center for Women & Families

Our services: Resource and Referral Center

Located: Werner University Center

Resource and Gender Studies Library Educational Programming

Our mission: To provide the WOU community with educational programming, information, and referral services designed to promote equity and nonviolence. We embrace a feminist model that empowers all people to actively stand against all forms of violence, harassment, verbal abuse, discrimination, and hatred.

Courtesy of ABBY’S HOUSE

For more information: 503-838-8219 abbyshouse@mail.wou.edu - www.wou.edu/ abbyshouse

Whether your home is half a block away or half a world away, everyone can use a home away from home. That’s what Abby’s House is about. It’s a place to relax with a cup of tea, to meet with a group or to find the resources to overcome obstacles.

Abby’s House welcomes Aislinn Addington

Meet the new director of Western’s Center for Women and Families By Paige Scofield | Campus Life Editor Abby’s House has recently hired a new director, Aislinn Addington, Ph.D. Addington’s first day of work started on Oct. 3. “It’s fantastic so far, it’s been great,” she said smiling. Before becoming director at Abby’s House, Addington received her undergraduate degree from Pacific Lutheran University where she double majored in political science and sociology. She then received her Ph.D and Masters in Sociology from the University of Kansas. After her college education, she taught sociology at Pacific Lutheran University and University of Kansas. “I taught with specialities in women gender sexuality and religion and secularity. I also did some nonprofit work in arts education for young people with disabilities,” Addington explained. As the new director of Abby’s House, Addington’s job entails many different things. “On a day to day basis, there are 16 trained advocates that are students here, I manage them, and we as a group have a meeting

once a week. We put on programs like Take Back the Night that happened earlier this week,” she said, “the director of Abby’s House is a confidential position, so if someone comes in and has a situation they want to talk to someone about confidentially, I’m here for that as well.” Abby’s House is a resource and referral center for everyone. Their job is to help those in need find the services that they need. “I think of us kind of as the hub of a wheel. We have a lot of information here, both in terms of literature, resources and the 16 student advocates. If people come in with questions or concerns about any number of things … we have information to share, we have other resources on campus, as well as off campus,” she said, “come here and find what you need.” Contact the author at journalcampuslife@mail.wou. edu

WOU.EDU/WESTERNJOURNAL

Photo by PAIGE SCOFIELD

CAMPUS LIFE

The Western Journal Wednesday, November 2, 2016

“Together we fight to take back the night”

Cocktail Corner

By Shaylie Pickrell | Staff Writer

By Paige Scofield | Campus Life Editor

Abby’s House Take Back the Night event Oct. 25 was the annual Take Back the Night event held by Abby’s House on the bottom floor of the Werner University Center. This event is held on campus every October, during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Take Back the Night began with an informational piece about the origins of this event. The first Take Back the Night rally started in 1975 in response to the murder of Philadelphia-based microbiologist Susan Alexander Speeth, who was stabbed to death while walking home alone. During the event, a gong is struck every nine seconds, representing how often women are beaten in the U.S. During this everyone is silent; showing respect and reflection for the event and victims lost to domestic violence and sexual assault. The power of the silence intensified after every gong ring. Western’s President, Rex Fuller, was invited as a guest speaker. He expressed his feelings on the subject and shared some statistical facts surrounding campus safety and reported attacks. “Only 70 percent (of students) know where to go or what resources are available (after an attack),” said President Fuller. Mary Ellen Dello Stritto, the coordinator for Abby’s House, also spoke about her opinion on the matter and how domestic violence and sexual assault affects Western students. She shared details about Green Dot and the training information that Campus Public Safety receives. Dello Stritto also shared educational facts about on-campus resources, including the three sexual assault nurse examiners on campus. During the speaking portion, we also learned about

Nice and simple

the fears of the dark and human tendencies to blame victims. Following this, they had Courtesy of ABBY’S HOUSE a portion called the speak out. The speak out is to give those who came to the event the chance to share their opinions or personal experiences. Domestic violence and sexual assault are things that impact people’s lives and can be next to impossible to overcome. Take Back the Night participants marched through campus holding signs and candles to break the silence and to take back the night. “We are women, we are men. Together we fight to take back the night,” chanted students. Aislinn Addington, the director of Abby’s House, discussed some of the actions that Western students can take to break the silence surrounding domestic violence. “The most important step is bystander intervention,” said Addington, “the incident (any form of domestic violence or sexual assault) doesn’t just affect the immediate parties, but all of us. It’s our job to talk about it and raise awareness.” Take Back the Night occurs on campuses across the nations and serves as the, “hallmark event of Abby’s House.” Addington recommends that all students should, “take the pledge to take action.” Contact the author at spickrell15@wou.edu

For our last Halloween themed cocktail, I’ve chosen a quick, simple and mighty tasty beverage. All you need are two ingredients. That’s right, only two. You don’t need fancy shmancy liqueurs to have a delicious, relaxing drink. I present to you: The Whiskey Ginger.

What you need:

A cup Whiskey (any brand is fine) Ginger ale (any brand is also fine)

Directions:

Grab ingredients and mix to your preference. Personally I do a shot and a half of whiskey, and then add ginger ale until it’s to my liking. How strong or weak it is, is up to you. Although this isn’t an overtly Halloween themed drink, it will still get the job done. I hope this month of Cocktail Corner was to your liking. Happy Halloween! Remember to drink responsibly. If you have any cocktails that you think are delicious and would like to share, please contact me. Contact the author journalcampuslife@wou.edu

Closing circle reflecting upon Take Back the Night

Courtesy of ABBY’S HOUSE

WOU.EDU/WESTERNJOURNAL

Photo by PAIGE SCOFIELD

SPORTS

Men’s basketball ranked sixth in GNAC

Photo courtesy of WOUWOLVES.COM

The Western Journal Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Roster changes drop Wolves’ stock in preseason poll By Burke De Boer | Sports Editor The GNAC preseason basketball polls have hit, and coaches in the conference don’t see Wolves repeating last year’s success. The polls rank the men’s team sixth place. The GNAC is comprised of only 11 teams, placing the basketball team in the middle of the pack. This could be considered a surprise for the team, as it is coming off its most successful year in history. The 2015-2016 campaign saw the Wolves be crowned GNAC regular

season’s champions with a record of 31-4. And, while playoffs are notorious for unseating favorites and crowning underdogs, the Wolves proved themselves best and became GNAC tournament champions too. Then they won the NCAA west regional bracket. They advanced all the way to the final four of Division II’s tournament before losing to Augustana. Augustana would later be crowned Division II champs. This lead to being ranked third

in the nation by way of bracket, and sixth in the nation in the endof-season coaches’ poll. Coming into this season, coaches seem less sure. Sixth out of the 11 that are in the conference is a lot less impressive than sixth out of the 306 schools in NCAA Division II. The big reason for this is the turnaround of talent. Tanner Omlid is the team’s only returning starter. Last year was Omlid’s first season with Western, after transferring

from Division I Army. A Monmouth native, Omlid came home last year and became the team’s best shooter. Now beginning his junior year, Omlid has been unanimously voted to the preseason All-GNAC team. Like Omlid, head coach Jim Shaw was in his first year at Western last year, and also returns this year. Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

Women’s soccer closes out 2016 season

A win and a loss split soccer’s final week By Burke De Boer | Sports Editor

hosted St. Martin’s. In the next to last game of the season, soccer broke the month long winless skid they had been on. Trailing to St. Martin’s at the half, the Wolves came out in the second period determined to rally. First Dani Payne scored a headed goal from a Taylor Higa corner kick at the 55th minute. Then with time winding down, Sydney

Thomas scored the game winning goal at the 89th minute. Dacia Alexander provided the assist with a long pass. These final two games were played at Central High School’s football field in Independence, where every home game had been played since conditions forced the game against Western Washington off of the Western Soccer Field on

Oct. 13. The final week of the season was the final week of play for nine players. The campaign ended 5-11-1, with four of their five wins coming from play in MonmouthIndependence. Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of WOUWOLVES.COM

Seniors Hailey Berg and Michaela Rapozo were injured going into the final game of the season, and the final game of their collegiate careers. Both of them started the game then were subbed out after kick off. The Wolves ultimately fell to Seattle Pacific, losing the final game 0-2. Two days earlier the Wolves

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Senior soccer players pose for a picture after their final game.

SPORTS

The Western Journal Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Photo courtesy of UHCOUGARS.COM

Volleyball by the numbers

Breaking down volleyball’s week away in 12 statistics By Burke De Boer | Sports Editor

2: The number of matches played last week.

0: The number of total sets won.

374: Miles traveled from

Monmouth on the road trip.

7: The number of times

the Wolves lead against nationally ranked Western Washington.

College football’s biggest tease Big 12 conference leaves prospective schools hanging

increasingly viable as the time ticked towards announcement. Bob Bowlsby is the commissioner of the Big

“

Houston and BYU in particular seemed to be increasingly viable as time ticked towards announcement

12, and he and his board of directors reportedly never discussed specific teams when they voted on the option of expansion. Until the 1990s, the conference was known as the “Big 8.” Adding four powerful Texan

offensive leader Mariella Vandenkooy over the week.

.138: Average Wolves hitting percentage.

By Burke De Boer | Sports Editor Big 12 expansion talks flared up and died down in reliable fashion again this year. Next year the conference plans to add a title game.They are willing to do so with their current ten-team structure, rather than upping their number of affiliated schools to 12 or 14. The concept of a title game came as a way to help Big 12 schools compete with other powerful conferences to get spot in the College Football Playoff. Ten teams might seem too small to demand a championship game, so schools looking to better their own ranking profiles tried to seize an opportunity to climb the conference ladder. At the start of September this year, ESPN reported that BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and South Florida lead the dozen candidates. Houston and BYU in particular seemed to be

19: Kills recorded by

schools increased its profile immensely. But in recent years, Texas A&M left for the Southeastern Conference and Nebraska left for the B1G, taking all their rankings value with them. These are only two of the moves that were made in a rash of re-conferencing through the early 2010s. And the Big 12 isn’t out of the woods yet. The conference plans to announce within the next month whether or not they will split their conference into two divisions. This would help determine which teams play in the championship, in the style of the Pac-12 north and south or the Southeastern Conference west and east. Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

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36: Digs recorded by

defensive leader Christie Colasurdo over the week.

.225: Average opponent hitting percentage.

4: Home games left on the season.

2: Length of the at-home winning streak.

3, 5, 8, 10: Dates in

November to see Wolves at home.

7: The time each match starts.

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

ENTERTAINMENT

The Western Journal Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Look into the psyche of society

Western’s theatre program presents: “Machinal” By Paige Scofield | Campus Life Editor Western theater students took to the Rice Auditorium stage to rehearse for the 2016 fall show, “Machinal.” Despite the fact that the set remains unfinished, the students are eager to begin rehearsal to make this show as polished as possible. As stated by the Internet Broadway Database, “Machinal,” written by American journalist and playwright, Sophie Treadwell, premiered on the broadway stage on Sept. 7, 1928. Written in the style of expressionism, “Machinal,” brings an interesting and eccentric form of storytelling to the stage. According to the University of Delaware Library, expressionistic plays are known for their “unconventional” ways of showing the inner workings of the human psyche. Often employing the use of strange dialogue, unrealistic movements, distorted scenery and stylized acting. “The simplest way I could describe it (expressionism) is the idea of the individual

being crushed by the machine of society,” said Gabriel Elmore, a junior in the Bachelor of Fine Arts acting program and supporting castmate. “It’s not so much about the dialogue, as it is about the feeling that the dialogue invokes, from the

audience and the actors. My character is trying to be as real as possible, but she’s failing miserably at it, because, she has all of these societal pressures that are coming down on her.” said Meghan Doerfler, a sophomore in the Bachelor of Fine Arts acting program and lead in the play. When asked if she faced any challenges while taking on the role of, “Young Woman,” Doerfler responded, “I really enjoy working on it so far, because it’s my first lead role here at Western, and that in itself has been a challenge for me.” “It’s such an expressionistic play, and that’s something that I don’t think any of the actors in the show have ever done before, so it’s getting used to a whole new style of acting while still trying to act it,” she added.

Continued on page 12

Photo by PAIGE SCOFIELD

Nintendo switches things up

Nintendo announces new console: Nintendo Switch By Matthew Oldfield | Freelancer For quite a while, Nintendo has been secretive over their new gaming console, for a while calling it the “NX” system and keeping everything quiet. Slowly, news outlets rolled out information about what Nintendo’s been up to: stories of their patenting screen and controller designs. Now the secret is out and the Switch is here. On Oct. 20, Nintendo held an event to showcase their new console and all it can do. Aside from the usual function of a gaming console, the Switch comes with a modular like controller that can slide out of its holder and attach to a portable

screen that allows you to keep playing your game, similarly to the Wii U. Along with their technical display, Nintendo has announced some games that would be available for the system, such as “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild,” a new unnamed “Mario” title, “Skyrim: Special Edition,” “Pokémon Sun and Moon,” as well as future titles from third party developers like Activision, Sega and Capcom. Not much else is known at this time about what the new system is fully capable of. Nintendo has met with criticisms from consumers from the

WOU.EDU/WESTERNJOURNAL

Courtesy of POLYGON.COM

limited information, but with a demo presentation slated for Jan. 12 and the console releasing March of next year, there’s not much longer to wait. Contact the author at moldfield14@wou.edu

ENTERTAINMENT

Editor’s picks By Ashton Newton | Entertainment Editor

Editor’s Recommendations:

“Community” is a show about a study group at a community college who go through all kinds of trials and tribulations. It’s absolutely hilarious. Anyone associated with a college campus relate to a lot that goes on in the show. The characters deal with difficult classes, love, friendship and the occasional school-wide paintball battle. “Community” was created by Dan Harmon, who also created “Rick and Morty.” There are six seasons now streaming on Hulu and for years fans have been petitioning for a movie to be made.

The Western Journal Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Editor’s Disparagement:

Movie trailers that give away major plot details infuriate me to no end. There are some things in movies that should be kept a surprise. The best example of this is in the trailers for “Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice”. Doomsday’s reveal would’ve been so cool if they hadn’t tacked it onto the end of the trailer. The trailer for “Suicide Squad” does the same thing by showing almost every major Joker appearance. If I had better self control, I’d boycott watching the trailers altogether. The best movie trailers are the short ones that simply give a feel for the movie, rather than giving all the details of it away. Contact the author at journalentertainment@wou. edu

Photo by NBC.COM

Review: “Skyrim: Special Edition”

Remastered “Skyrim” brings incredible role-playing to modern consoles By Ashton Newton | Entertainment Editor

Courtesy of TWITTER.COM/SONY

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“The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” is a five-year-old game that has remained very popular with a huge fan base behind it. Fans have been asking for years for “Skyrim” to come to modern consoles, Bethesda responded by releasing the “Skyrim: Special Edition”, which brings the original game to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One with revamped graphics, mods and add-on content. “Skyrim” is a massive role playing game where players take control of the Dragonborn, the only person who can truly kill a dragon. As Dragonborn, players venture off into the province of Skyrim, doing quests, fighting monsters, slaying dragons and collecting weapons and armor. The world of “Skyrim” feels very much alive. Walking through villages, there are blacksmiths working at their forges, children playing, bards singing and so much more that just makes you feel like there’s a living world around you. It’s easy to get completely immersed. Part of playing in a world as alive as “Skyrim” is that there are consequences for your actions. Strangers will have conversations about things your character has done. If you wrong someone, they might send mercenaries to teach you a lesson. No wrong deed in “Skyrim” goes unpunished. In the special edition, the graphics are stunning. A lot of “Skyrim” is wilderness, so players spend the majority of their time in caves, forests and tundra’s. With the graphical revamp, these landscapes are brought to life more than they ever were before. Every still is worth a screenshot as you wander through a picture perfect world.

Continued on page 12

HUMOR

Random Thoughts

The Western Journal Wednesday, November 2, 2016

An eclectic crossword Ashton Newton

This week in completely made up horoscopes Compiled by Zoë Strickland

Aries 3/21-4/19 The stars are telling me that on Thursday morning you will wake up with a massive spider crawling all over your face.

2 3 4 6

5 7

Taurus 4/20-5/20 Don’t light any candles this week, Taurus. If you do, there will be flames in your future. I hope you have renters insurance. Gemini 5/21-6/20 If you eat a Koyotes burrito every day this week, the seventh one will contain a surprise.

8 9 10

Cancer 6/21-7/22 You forgot your mom’s birthday.

Leo 7/23-8/22 This week you will be cursed with neverending trick-or-treaters; they just don’t know when Halloween ends.

Virgo 8/23-9/22 You definitely failed that midterm, Virgo. This is why you should spend your time studying instead of consuming entire boxes of raw noodles.

Across By Ashton Newton | Entertainment Editor Doctor repellent 1 Across Moon; 3 Michael Cera's baby 2 1 Doctor repellent momma 42 5 Moon: Michael Cera’s baby momma Mode 7 of urban 64 Mode of urban transportation; transportation; Sandwich Sandwich restaurant 6 restaurant 7 10 Conjuror of magic 7 Conjuror magic 11 ofOregon lake; Sometimes left by bombs 88 Oregon Sometimes 99 13 lake; Violet’s metamorphosis left by15 bombs Sign of royalty; Tooth repair 10 Violet's metamorphosis 10 16 Super spy; Master of medieval Sign of projectiles royalty; Tooth repair 12 Super 17 spy; Contents Master 12 of of delinquent stockings 14 medieval projectiles 14 16 Contents of delinquent 16 stockings

Cartoonist wanted

Down Libra 9/23-10/22 Scum; Enemy of the Empire Down Ted Cruz is about to steal your Netflix That which funks you up Scum; Enemy of the Empire password and mess up your entire watch New Western building That which funks you up list. One who never forgets his New Western building towel One who never forgets his towel Scorpio 10/23-11/21 Little brown bird; Pirate Little brown bird; Pirate There’s a Scorpio meet-up at the Monmouth Lasagna loving Spiderman Lasagna loving Spiderman gazebo in five minutes; you better run. That which are to solve That which youyou are attempting attempting toSometimes solve used to Unknown person; Sagittarius 11/22-12/21 Unknown person; Sometimes describe things This Friday your kitchen sink will only used to describe Things Face jungle dispense off brand, caffeine-free Coke. Face jungle Potted; Dances to Jackson 5 Potted; Jackson 5 AmbitiousDances adventurer;to After fire Capricorn 12/22-1/19 Ambitious adventurer; After You may think you’re a Jess, Capricorn, but fire

You know what this page needs? A comic. If you agree, and can draw, send us your work. The Western Journal is looking for your comics, catoons and all around funny creations. Help us make this page funnier. No pressure.

everyone knows that you’re a Dean.

Aquarius 1/20-2/18 Sometime this week you will wake up in the middle of the test pond in front of Natural Science. The setting will feel homey to you.

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Pisces 2/19-3/20 Pisces, to rid yourself of your jealousy of Aquarius you should buy yourself a fish.

EDITORIAL

The Western Journal Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Give audiobooks a chance Listening to books is a perfect activity for students

Photo by KEITH MATHEW

By Ashton Newton | Entertainment Editor The first time I listened to an audiobook was when I had a job that allowed me to listen to music as I worked. Getting bored of hours of music, I decided to listen to Neil Gaiman’s “American Gods” on audiobook, and it took over my life. I found myself listening to it when I was driving, when I was walking, when I was working and even while doing homework. I found it so easy to be productive while thoroughly enjoying this story. Despite how busy life can get while in school, there is a lot of leisure time. Whether it is an hour in between classes or a lazy Sunday afternoon, time spent doing almost anything can be enhanced with an audiobook playing. This is why I think that audiobooks are a college student’s best friend. Not only are audiobooks great, but there are also audiobooks for almost every major text you’d need to read for an English class. It’s a much better experience reading “The Odyssey” when Sir Ian McKellan is reading it to you while you’re on a run or playing

video games. Plus, I’ve found that listening to audiobooks doesn’t take away from reading at all, instead, I don’t zone out or skip long passages, like I have the habit of doing. Finding audiobooks is extremely easy too. Spotify has a huge library of audiobooks in all genres. There are lots of short stories and novels available to listen to for free. Another good source of free audiobooks is YouTube. You can find almost any classic work there, so it’s a really good place to find books for English classes. My favorite place to listen is Audible. All you need is an Amazon account and $15 a month and you can get two audiobooks a month. This is a great way to get more recent books. While spending $15 on audiobooks a

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month is pretty high, you can always cancel the subscription if you think you won’t finish the book in time. A lot of skepticism surrounding audiobooks relates back to boring readers. It’s uncomfortable listening to anyone read a book to you, but if the reader’s voice is monotone and boring, it can be a struggle to listen to. My first audiobook, “American Gods,” was a full cast audiobook, so there were many different voices throughout the book which made it very pleasant to listen to. I’d recommend finding an audiobook of a book you’ve either already read or that you’re extremely interested in just to get a feel for audiobooks. After listening to “American Gods,” I listened to “Star Wars: Bloodlines” by Claudia Gray, which I got really into because I’m fascinated with the “Star

Time spent doing almost anything can be enhanced with an audiobook playing

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Wars” universe. Short stories are also great because they don’t have a huge time commitment and they’re easy to balance into everyday actions. Spotify has lots of free short stories in their library, from classics to horror. They can last anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, so they’re great to listen to while walking from class to class or at the gym. The best short story audiobook that I’ve listened to is HP Lovecraft’s “Call of Cthulhu,” but it’s a pretty scary one. Audiobooks are a great way to kill time and keep your mind entertained and sharp. The options of what to listen to are endless with free content all over the Internet. Next time you have a break between classes or a long car ride, consider trying out an audiobook. You might not like it but if you do your options are virtually endless on books to listen to. Contact the author at anewton15@ wou.edu

TAIL-END

The Western Journal Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Courtesy of BETHESDA.NET

“Skyrim”

Continued from page 9 Photo by PAIGE SCOFIELD

Machinal

Pictured above: sophomore Meghan Doerfler

Continued from page 8

“Machinal” is performing in Rice Auditorium Nov. 10-12 and 16-19 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 13 at 2:00 p.m. “Machinal is about your average Jane trying to survive in this society that she doesn’t know how to behave in.” Doerfler said, “She wants to find love, and everyone is telling her that is an impossible concept. ”

For purchasing tickets and additional information contact Rice Auditorium’s box office at 503-838-8462. Box Office Hours: 12:304:30 p.m. weekdays, reopening at 6:00 p.m. night of performance. Contact the author at journalcampuslife@mail. wou.edu

Mods in “Skyrim” have been around on the PC for a long time, but just got put onto consoles with the special edition. Mods are user made and can range anywhere from improving effects to adding new characters and buildings. Mods can sometimes give players an unfair advantage, so trophies are disabled while using them. Since modders have been hard at work for years creating content, the mods added onto the PlayStation and Xbox versions of the game give players a lot of new things to try out. The special edition includes add-on content

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game, so it’s for more of a role-playing experience and less of a casual one. For players looking to get lost in a game though, “Skyrim: Special Edition” is one of the best games out right now to do that. I’ve had hours of fun and I’ve barely scratched the surface. “Skyrim: Special Edition” is a fantastic game. One of the most beloved and immersive games in the last five years, “Skyrim” is back as one of the richest and most beautiful games out on modern consoles. Contact the author at journalenter tainment@ wou.edu

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that cost money in the original version. There are two add-ons that give new quests and content, “Dawnguard” and “Dragonborn,” and one called “Hearthfire” that allows players to adopt children and build a house. Each of these packs adds hundreds of hours of new content, but requires players to be a higher level to start, so players just starting out won’t see it for a while. Some may not like the game’s immersion, requiring lots of walking and reading dialogue. It’s definitely not a “pick up and jump into action”

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