The Oregon Women's Report - Women's News from Oregon

Taking Care of Freshmen

By Erika Weisensee, Oregon Writer

Being a freshman is challenging. The university I teach at started school this week and I welcomed among my students several freshmen. Like many people, I was a freshman twice, in high school and college.  Both of those years were exciting and both were also more difficult than other years of my schooling, with the exception of junior high.

Because I interact with college freshmen, I try to be aware and sensitive to their challenges during what is a unique time of transition. If you know a college freshman, here are some things to be aware of, and ways to help them adjust:

The freshman year of college is a time of transition for young people because:

• They are searching for independence but may still be emotionally and financially dependent on their families.
• Moving away from family and friends and pets can be very difficult.
• College freshmen report higher levels of depression than students in other years of school.
• They are eating different, and perhaps less healthy food, and may gain some weight. This phenomenon is known as the “Freshman 15.”
• There may be more pressure in their lives than ever before to consume alcohol.
• They may be sleep deprived from late night study sessions and/or socializing.
• They may be struggling to figure out their new role in the family.  No longer under the roof of parents, visits home can be awkward when young adults and their parents struggle over rules and responsibilities.
• They may be stressed and overwhelmed by a new and challenging academic environment.
• They may be assigned to a college roommate, whom they have never met before. It could be the first time they have ever had to share a room.

You can help your college freshman adjust to his or her new life by:

• Checking in frequently with whatever method your “freshman” prefers—phone, texting, emailing, Facebook, etc.
• Sending care packages. Especially when students are  a considerable distance from home, care packages will lift their spirits.
• Encourage students to seek out and utilize campus resources, such as the counseling center, support groups, study groups and tutoring services, as well as campus clubs and activities that promote healthy social activities, like intramural sports.
• Encourage students to make contact with their advisors and instructors. The vast majority of professors I know care personally about their students and appreciate when students ask questions and show that they care about doing assignments correctly. All students should make contact with their advisors and check in regularly.
• Be supportive. Even if students seem to be enjoying their newfound independence, they will still need emotional support and encouragement from loved ones—we all do.
• Make a visit.  If it’s a reasonable travel distance, make a visit to campus and take your student out to dinner. It will be a lovely break from dorm food.

Erika Weisensee lives in Milwaukie and teaches communication and journalism classes at the University of Portland.

How a cheap date became one of the best

By Jen Rouse
The Short Years
Oregon Blog

It was our anniversary yesterday. Nine whole years with this guy. That’s not counting our years of dating and engagement. I’ve now spent more than a third of my life linked to this one particular human being. It’s weird and it’s wonderful, and in honor of the occasion we went out on one of the nicest dates we’ve had in a long time. And it was almost entirely free. It doesn’t get any better than that.

First we foisted the kids off on my mom and dad. That’s Step One: obtain free babysitting from grandparents, friends, or some other sucker who’s willing to care for three kids all day and night in return for the sheer joy of their company. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Tips for taking photos of your kids

By Heidi von Tagen
Gorgeous Bits Blog,
Portland.

Sometimes I take for granted the fact that my adorable kiddos have grown up mugging for the camera.

I’m biased of course. Being the typical proud mom and part time professional photographer, I think my children are adorable and photogenic. All kids are photogenic, and really, all parents can take professional looking photos of their rugrats. You don’t even need a fancy or expensive camera.  But there are some tricks.

Trick #1:

Take your camera everywhere – One reason why my kids always look relaxed in photos without the awkward squinty-eyed overly dramatized smile is because they are used to me shooting photos of them. ALL THE TIME. I wear a camera like jewelry, and consider it a part of my outfit.

Romance success tied to web use

Web Connection Raises Chances of Romance
HealthDay News –

Folks with Internet connections are more likely to be in a romantic relationship than folks without access to the Web, a new study shows.And it’s likely that the Web will soon replace the old standby, “friends,” as the number one way to meet your soul mate, Stanford researchers were to report Monday at the American Sociological Association annual meeting in Atlanta.

Virtual connections are proving especially fruitful for lonely hearts from minority or tough-to-find-a-good-mate segments, such as middle-aged heterosexuals and gays and lesbians.

Tell your kids you love them

Parenting Tip: Tell Your Kids You Love Them
by Jean Tracy
NW Writer
KidsDiscuss.com

Kids Love to be Loved

My friend, Mercy babysat my boys. Her firm discipline, loving manner, and sense of humor endear them to her to this day. Now Mercy and I get together twice a month and have fun with our grandsons. Like my boys, I love being with Mercy.

This Is Mercy’s Tip

“Tell them you love them. When my boys were growing up, I didn’t wait until they did something good to tell them I loved them. They heard  it often. Now they keep in touch every day. They love to tease me too.

Pro-anorexia websites: I could not believe my eyes

By Evergreen,
Oregon writer

This I could not believe until I saw it on television.  Websites that are a support group for people who want to be anorexic and even are bulimic.  These sites offers tips on how to make it work and how to eat less to the point of starvation.  I would link to these sites but I dare not give them any traffic or credit.  Instead I offer this video which shows you these terrible websites and the women who used to visit them.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Portland Project Runaway — Hats off to you

pdxneatsheet.com
Portland style, shopping, trends.

By Erin Flesch, NEAT contributor

This week’s Project Runway 8, Episode 4 recap might be a bit shorter than most, and here’s why: In our humble opinion, it was one of the most unwatchable episodes in recent memory and a travesty given the potential for awesomeness of the “Hats Off To You” challenge. It might also have been the fact that the giant Italian sub we consumed while watching sent us on a nausea-induced shame spiral of epic proportions (curse you Jimmy Johns! Never again).

Saving Money on Back to School

By Erika Weisensee, Oregon Writer

Ads are everywhere reminding parents to buy, buy, buy for back to school. School supplies, new shoes, backpacks, not to mention the latest fashions—it can cost a small fortune to send kids back to the classroom.  But there are ways to save money and still keep the kids happy.

Here’s how:

- Find out where the good sales are and shop those stores.

- Since we tend to have nice weather the first few weeks of school, consider waiting a few weeks to buy clothing for colder weather.

Even comedians get the blues

Sharon Lacey,
Portland comedian
Moments from a Road Comic’s Life #7

Comedy is the one career where you have to fail, repeatedly and in front of an audience, in order to improve. I wrote this a year and a half ago, but didn’t share it with anyone.  It just hurt too much.  Now it’s time:

REJECTION

I was booked to feature in a major comedy club in Detroit. Two weeks before the date, the owner of the club saw me do 8 minutes of my act in the Detroit Comedy Festival.   A few days later I got an e-mail from him telling me he’s demoting me to mc, replacing me with a better feature act.  He was kind about it, and said he was just being honest.

Make your Home Inviting: Bring in new Color

By Sandy
The Reluctant Entertainer Blog
Oregon Author, Entertainer and Blogger

I was looking around my living room the other day, realizing that it was drab and lacked pizzazz. I really like to move things around and freshen up the room, but this time I decided to bring in a brand new color – a teal blue.

City vs. rural folk see pets differently

Fido’s Family Status May Depend on Where You Live
HealthDay News

– A pet’s status in a family may be influenced by where the owners live, new research suggests. People who regard pets as children tend to have a city background, for example, while those in rural areas have a more practical attitude, said study author David Blouin, of Indiana University.

Guide: When to pick veggies

By Judy Scott,
Oregon State University Extension Office

CORVALLIS, Ore. – When garden produce is ready, don’t hesitate too long before you harvest. That’s the advice of Ross Penhallegon, horticulturist with the Oregon State University Extension Service.”Regular picking encourages vegetable plants such as sugar peas, cucumbers, squash, bush beans, peppers, broccoli, and eggplant to produce more,” he said. Even a few mature fruits on a cucumber plant will stop new fruit from setting, he added.

How much does an Interior Designer cost?

from Interior Design Angle,
Angela Todd’s Portland Oregon Interior Design Blog

How much does an interior designer cost in Portland, Oregon you might ask?  How do they charge and what can you expect from the relationship?

Initial Consultation: Your initial consultation with an interior designer is a method for both of you to determine if the interior designer is the right fit for your project.  Some designers charge for initial consultations, some do not.  In that appointment your interior designer will discuss with you your preferences, the scope of your project, and what you want to achieve.  Some clients aren’t sure how to articulate their taste or preferences.

Time to fire Oregon’s chief bully – LeGarrette Blount

Time to fire Oregon’s chief bully – LeGarrette Blount
By D.D.
Portland writer,

This week my 13-year old confessed to me how scared she is walking down the halls of her school.   She said she lives in fear of making a mistake least the bullies notice.    It breaks my heart on how bullies have victimized entire grade levels of kids and have so ruined the childhood school experience.    That was yesterday and now today I read the front page of The Oregonian with the headline “Blount hits another player”.     The story is about former Oregon Duck player LeGarrette Blount getting upset and hitting fellow teammate while practicing for his new teams the Titans.   Another player?    Another  headline?    The video has been on TV and now You Tube.

LeGarrette Blount has become Oregon’s most famous bully.

Only Sandra Bullock survives public remorse survey

Oregon Women’s Report Survey,

We asked the question of our readers.  “Do you have any remorse for the recent travails (right or wrong) of any of the below celebrities?”. The response was pretty bleak for these troubled celebs as only one out of the six garnered a majority of sympathy vote — that being Sandra Bullock.

Answers for zucchini fatigue

By Erika Weisensee, Oregon Writer

I used to like zucchini. Then I planted it in my garden. If you’ve ever grown zucchini, you know what I mean. One single plant can overtake a small garden—you pick one and ten more are there the next day. Did I mention how big they get? Who really needs a zucchini the size of a log?

An article in this week’s Food Day section of the Oregonian addressed this very topic: The ubiquitous zucchini and how to make it interesting. In the article “The Menu From Z to Z,” writer and food blogger Deena Prichep offers an entire menu of creative and tasty sounding zucchini recipes. Thank you, Deena!!!

It’s enough to make me want to try zucchini again, not that I plan to grow them anytime soon. But that’s okay because I know plenty of people with plenty to share.

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Erika Weisensee, a writer and native Oregonian, lives in Milwaukie and teaches journalism and communication courses at the University of Portland.

5 survival tips for long drives with kids

By Jen Rouse
The Short Years
Oregon Blog

I just got back from a road trip with three small children. And yes, I’m still (reasonably) sane. We drove from Albany, Oregon, to Stevensville, Montana. And then back again, five days later. That’s 644 miles one way. Twelve hours in the car, with three children ages 6, 4, and 2.    And you know what? It went great.

There was a little bit of whining. A little bit of complaining. One urgent request for a potty break that turned out to be completely fictitious. But overall? Awesome. There was no puking, no total meltdowns. Not once did we have to resort to “I’m going to pull this car OVER if you don’t stop…” (Although I did once threaten to throw a My Little Pony out the window).

Here are the things that I think contributed to our success:

August is the caution light to craziness

By Kelli Warner,
KMTR-TV Morning News anchor, Springfield

If June is the inaugural kick-off to summer, and July is the gooey center, then August is the downhill slide towards the finale—the last, few leisurely weeks until the new school year begins in September.

For me?  I feel like August is a bright yellow caution barrier, complete with flashing lights, signaling: “Craziness ahead!” Let me explain why.  In the last week, I’ve received an email from my kids’ schools about making sure they have their immunizations up to date in time for registration.  I got the postcard reminder in the mail to not miss the pre-scheduled eye exams.  Sign-ups are already underway for fall soccer.

We’ve been barraged for weeks now by back-to-school sales. (That was, of course, after all those “Christmas in July” sales)  And to top it off–my husband, who works for a large grocery retailer, just informed me that their shipment of Halloween candy will be here by the end of the month.  No kidding.

Missing kids took off on airplane by themselves

Three Florida kids, 15, 12 and 11 got the hunch to go to a theme Park in Tennessee. In no time they bought plane tickets and took off without telling their parents or being questioned by any airline procedure. Upon landing they ran into trouble and had to call home. Imagine what that call sounded like “Um Mom, can you pick me up…1,000 miles away.” I do not fault the airlines or airline security because kids travel all the time on their own. I zero in on the parents — something fishy here if you ask me. Anyways, enjoy the video below.