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Be presentable online, clean up your image

Posted by :jprokop On : May 8, 2013
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Category: Opinion

Many of our lives are clearly on display on the Internet, and with everyone’s eyes viewing our lives, many of us have some things to clean up.

Whether you are on Facebook, Twitter or a blog, this applies to everyone. It’s not only your friends and family who you have to worry about seeing what you post anymore.

We all must worry about future employers and other individuals who make crucial decisions for our futures.

One of the first things students should work to rid their social media and other Internet outlets of is drunk photos, stories and references.

While we are in college, it might be funny now to look back at last night’s photos, but employers and others might think that this is you every night.

Why give them the wrong impression?

It’s not that people shouldn’t have these photos or stories online, but you should limit those who can see them.

Make a personal album, where only you can see, and laugh about it with your friends later when you are together. This will make them private, but accessible.

The second thing everyone should fix throughout their Internet lives is bad grammar, spelling errors and hard to read sentences. It’s not like you need to go back and fix every little mistake on the Web page, just be diligent about future posts.

It looks really bad when someone views your social media outlets, and they are riddled with missing words, made up words and bad grammar. Just take a minute when you’re done typing whatever you are posting and read it again out loud. This makes it easier to find mistakes.

Finally, the third thing we should all aim to fix is the use of profanity and words that are substituted for profanity. I’m sure there is another way to express what you are feeling that doesn’t involve these words.

If not, it might be time to step back and look at why you are so angry or why you feel the need to use these words. Employers are not going to want to hire someone who swears like a sailor.

With all this in mind, nothing is more important than being yourself online. Avoiding fake-ness and ranting, it should be pretty easy to fix up your social media and make it presentable.

I like to live by the rule that if I wouldn’t show my 94-year-old great grandma, then something needs to change or be put under a private setting.

It is also important that you understand the privacy settings because sometimes things change and the things you were hiding before appear for the world to see.

 

Kaylyn Peterson/Copy chief

Kaylyn Peterson can be reached at linfieldreviewcopy@gmail.com

 

January Term should offer more financial aid options

Posted by :jprokop On : May 8, 2013
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Category: Opinion

Linfield College has a wide range of students from various socio-economic backgrounds.

This can be looked at as a good thing, but also a bad thing. Due to Linfield’s increasing costs, the financial burden can be higher on some students than others.

Linfield’s financial aid department does a great job helping students find scholarships, grants and loans that every student can take advantage of.

This helps ease the financial burden and also lowers the economic divide to some extent.

However, there are other areas of campus that worsen the economic divide to an extreme extent. January Term is one example of a time where the campus is extremely economically divided.

There is no financial aid available for this term and can leave students at an extreme disadvantage.

There are many students who would like to be on campus during the month of January to take classes and get ahead in credits, but money often keeps them from being able to fulfil this desire.

The lack of financial aid for January Term does not help students get ahead and take classes because they cannot afford the costs.

There are many students who feel that January Term is meant for people who can spend the extra money. This does not help the school foster economic diversity.

There should be some sort of aid available for January Term.

There ought to be a way for the school to find donors to help aid students who wish to get ahead and take classes or study abroad during this optional term.

The situation can become worse because people who are not able to partake in January Term find themselves at home, usually struggling to find jobs.

There are few businesses that will hire someone for a month.

This further harms our system because now students cannot even work for a January Term to pay for the next year’s January Term.

The optional term continues to wreak havoc into the summer months.

Due to the month of school that Linfield students have off in the middle of the year, the school year ends at most a month later than schools who do not have the long break.

This continues to harm students’ chances of finding summer employment. By the time students return home from school, they find that a lot of the jobs have already been taken.

These last two points do not have much to do with Jan Term, specifically, but they do have a correlation. There are many students who wish for something to be done with Jan Term so they can be here to take classes.

Some have also said that if there can be no financial aid they would like the ability to get back home so that they can find easier summer employment.

 

Julian Adoff/Multimedia editor

Julian Adoff can be reached at linfieldreviewonline@gmail.com.

 

 

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Posted by :jprokop On : May 8, 2013
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Category: Opinion

I had always envisioned myself as a self-starter. After all, I worked really hard at whatever goals I set for myself.

I was driven to do my best in all aspects of my life, whether in school, sports or work. I believed that I depended on no one; all my accomplishments had been mainly achieved by my personal determination.

Sure, a few people had helped a little, but 98 percent of the credit had to go to me. Wow, could I have been more conceited and arrogant?

It took me a few years to realize that my perception of myself was seriously flawed.

Would I have done as well in school if my mom hadn’t created an environment at home that supported my learning?

Would I have done as well in sports without dedicated coaches and a parent willing and able to drive me to and from practices?

The hypotheticals go on and on, from my grandparents who taught me a strong work ethic to all the teachers, professors, supervisors and mentors who have challenged me.

Despite the fact that these are all hypotheticals, and I could have done fairly well without those people, I doubt that I would be where I am now without them. In short, I now realize that all these people have had a tremendous impact on my achievements.

I may have put in a fair amount of work, but their support system was absolutely vital.

To honor and recognize the people who have supported me and created opportunities for growth, I choose to donate. But oddly enough, it’s extremely difficult to donate to individual people.

My parents scoffed at my mention of wanting to “donate” to them since they make far more than I do and their cost of living has dropped precipitously with their number of dependents at zero.

Instead, I choose to give to organizations that in some way represent people that I honor or that strive to accomplish missions that I admire. For me, one of those organizations is Linfield College.

Linfield College not only provided me with a superb education and fantastic opportunities—both during and after college—but it also opened my mind to new and different ways of thinking.

I only managed to enjoy these benefits due to the investments that Linfield made in me through several scholarships. As a result, I feel a deep, personal gratitude for Linfield.

Above all, I feel a strong connection to Linfield.

To support their mission of providing integrated learning opportunities for current and future students, and to give thanks for my own personal benefits, I choose to give.

True, I am a recent college graduate on a tight budget and what feels like a mountain of debt through school loans looming over me.

My gift reflects my tight budget; I give $10 a month to Linfield. That $10 is a tiny drop in an enormous bucket. But for me, giving isn’t about the size of the gift.

It’s a symbolic gesture that demonstrates appreciation and love. And those are certainly feelings that I have with regards to Linfield.

 

 

Lauren Ross,

Class of 2011,

Seattle, Wash.

Linfield, wineries make a great pair

Posted by :jprokop On : May 8, 2013
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Category: Opinion

McMinnville and the surrounding areas are known for their beautiful wineries. Linfield sits within the center of Oregon wine country and is home to the International Pinot Noir Celebration.

It only makes sense that the college takes advantage of this industry.

Linfield has been doing a great job of helping students learn more about wine and also providing them with the opportunity to get involved in the industry.

One of these opportunities is the Linfield College Oregon Wine Industry Experience.

In this internship, students learn about the business of wine through experiential learning. This is a year-long internship that starts during the summer, continues through the fall harvest and ends in spring.

During the summer, students get an overview of the industry. Fall is spent with hands-on harvesting experience at a single vineyard.

January Term is an opportunity for the selected interns to learn about the multitude of jobs that are available in the wine industry.

Finally, spring is spent working with staff to develop a wine experience.

This kind of experience is priceless for many students, as they begin their job search after college. An internship can greatly add to a candidate’s resume.

This internship also provides networking contacts for future employment opportunities and a chance to apply a liberal arts education to a local industry.

In addition, Linfield College is involved in a project dedicated to preserving Oregon’s wine history.

The Oregon Wine History Project is an online accumulation of photographs, history and information located in Nicholson Library, while the Oregon Wine History Archive is the physical source.

This resource allows students the opportunity to learn more about Oregon wine history and get involved in local endeavors.

Ultimately, these opportunities are great for Linfield and the communities surrounding it. Students get a chance to learn from hands-on internships and employers get some eager new employees.

This ongoing partnership has the potential to help the economy, create jobs and give students a wonderful opportunity to start their lives after Linfield.

It is a special and wonderful opportunity, and we hope students really do take advantage of it.

 

-The Review Editorial Board

Sybil, the love bug

Posted by :jprokop On : May 8, 2013
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Category: Features

While there have been rumors of recent ant, spider and termite sightings across campus, one bug species is not being terminated: Volkswagen bugs.

Sophomore Jack Nunn, an art major from Seattle, Wash., is restoring Sybil, a pearlescent pink ’68 Volkswagen, for his girlfriend, sophomore Brittany Amling, an English major and education minor, before the school year ends.

Sybil came from an ad on Craigslist in Grants Pass, Ore.

“Jack found the car, and we had it towed to Linfield a couple weeks later,” Amling said. “Sybil arrived in March at three in the morning, and we have been working on her ever since.”

Nunn is teaching Amling how to restore Sybil in the parking lot outside of the College Avenue Apartments.

“I just love the body lines, shapes and how Volkswagens look and function,” Nunn said. “Newer cars have become such a banal thing. When you see an old car, you should have some sort of appreciation.”

Nunn suggested to Amling that she sell her 2008 Hyundai Elantra because insurance was too expensive. He said that buying a new car would be too costly, and Volkswagens are easy on the budget and a fun car to drive.

Working on Sybil has strengthened Amling and Nunn’s relationship.

“Sybil forces us to teach us to work as a team,” Amling said. “We are forced to rely on each other. A lot of gestures and grunts are involved and must be understood in a timely manner or else one of us would drop a piece of the engine on each other’s face.”

The couple began working on Sybil two months ago in Nunn’s dorm room in Whitman Hall. Nunn was testing the engine when he was asked by Residence Life and facilities to move out because the chemical emissions and cleaning fluid smells were disrupting students.

“Growing up, I worked on anything that was broken,” Nunn said. “I helped my dad fix washers and dryers, doors and anything that needed to be fixed. My dad was not a mechanic but was very intuitive and taught me how to restore things.”

His father gave him a Volkswagen for his birthday in sixth grade to repair on his own. Nunn finished building Rochelle during the summer before his freshman year of college.

“Volkswagens were the first cars I worked on,” Nunn said. “And, I fell in love.”

Nunn has applied what he learned while building Rochelle, a suave black ’69 Volkswagen that was painted robin’s egg blue, to Amling’s once red, green and yellow colored Sybil.

“I enjoy getting my hands dirty and learning how old cars work,” Nunn said. “It’s sad to see a bunch of quality old cars in a junk yard deteriorate. Every car is unique based on its year and model.”

Nunn is a proud Volkswagen owner. He recently got a tattoo of the Volkswagen logo on his inner wrist to remind him of his love for cars.

“If you own an old Volkswagen, regardless of who you are, you become a part of a group of people who love their vehicles,” he said.

Nunn dreams of one day opening his own hot rod restoration shop in Southern California. But for now, he will finish working on Sybil for Amling and spend his summer restoring a ’49 Hudson Commodore 6 four-door.

He plans to attend an auto restoration school in Seattle during the next two summers to learn more about building cars.

Upon its completion, Amling is excited to drive Sybil.

“I’ve always loved old cars, and Sybil is a pretty spunky one,” Amling said. “I’m excited to drive her and have people check out my car. The art of repairing cars begins with understanding what old, rusty cars can look like with a little tender, love and care.”

 

Sarah Mason/Features editor

Sarah Mason can be reached at linfieldreviewfeatures@gmail.comPhoto courtesy of Chrissy Shane Sophomore Jack Nunn is helping his girlfriend sophomore Brittany Amling save money by restoring a ’68 pearlescent pink Volkswagen named Sybil. Nunn rebuilt his own Volkswagen, Rochelle, and is applying his experience to Sybil.

 

You do not need vision to be on key

Posted by :jprokop On : May 8, 2013
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Category: Features

Tags:, , ,

Olivia Marovich/Staff writer Freshman Darren Abrahamson practices the piano in the Fred Meyer Lounge. Abrahamson learned how to play the piano last semester through a music class at Linfield. You’ve probably heard him on your way to class or while chatting with friends in Jazzman’s. Or, perhaps, you’re one of the people who stop and take a moment to listen to his music. But chances are, you know of Darren Abrahamson, a freshman who has caused quite a stir in the Fred Meyer Lounge this semester with his piano music.

“I used to practice in the music hall first semester,” Abrahamson said, “But one day, I came in the FML and saw there was a piano and thought, ‘maybe I’ll just play in here? What’s the point of doing something if no one can hear or see you do it?’”

Since then, Abrahamson has been sharing his music with Linfield students almost daily by playing the piano, a skill he learned in a class here on campus taught by Chris Engbretson, visiting assistant professor of music.

Chris taught Darren how to read music and apply it to the piano, teaching him the basics of the instrument. From there, Darren turned his attention toward more difficult pieces to play.

“I always play sad songs,” Abrahamson said. “It allows me time to think about things that bother me, and I can put that emotion into it, that sad emotion. Although, I can play ‘Whistle’ by Flo Rida. I guess it’s not that sad.”

A huge influence of his decision to play the piano was his mother, who had always encouraged him to learn how to play.

“She bought me a piano when I was 10, but I never had much interest in it,” Abrahamson said. “Once I came to college, though, I decided it was time to learn.”

The song that Abrahamson aspired to play when he first took up the instrument was “My Heart Will Go On,” from “Titanic.”

“It’s my favorite movie,” Abrahamson said. “I love those sappy, romantic movies, and it’s a really good song.”

But that’s not the only reason Abrahamson chose this song. Abrahamson, an only child,  is the first member of his family to have not been born in Ireland, where not only film, but the history of the Titanic has a major cultural importance. The first time he played the song for his mother, there was no shortage of emotion.

“Since I’m an only child, and it’s a sad song, she got pretty emotional,” Abrahamson said. “She really liked it. Sometimes when I play her stuff, she cries.”

Something you may not know about Abrahamson is that he was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease, when he was 6 years old. Now legally blind, he carries a cane with him always, and he is prepared for the moment when he will lose his sight completely.

“Around 19 or 20 is when it’s supposed to happen. One day, I’ll just be walking down the street, and it will go completely black,” Abrahamson said. “I try to practice everything I do with my eyes closed to prepare.”

With an eyesight now of 20/500, Abrahamson can see what he describes as a “world without details.”

“I can see what you can see, but not at the same time. Like I can see my hand,” Abrahamson said, holding his hand in front of his face. “But I can’t see any of the hair, any of the lines I know are there. And, I can’t see anything at night, which makes the frats really interesting.”

Learning to cope with his eyesight is something Abrahamson has done since he was 11, when it dropped to 20/300.

“I have a program on my computer that reads text to me, online textbooks and a camera that takes pictures of handouts and puts them on my computer,” Abrahamson said. “School won’t be a problem, it will just be more normal stuff, like playing volleyball, Frisbee or riding a bike. Which I shouldn’t be doing anyway. But hey, you can’t give everything up.”

Abrahamson has also practiced with the piano for when he can no longer see it. He is committed to making the piano something he continues to do for the rest of his life. While he doesn’t aspire to be a music major or play classical music, he says he loves relating to people through music. Next up for him, he might be learning another instrument.

“I’m going to try and learn a new instrument every year,” Abrahamson said. “Like maybe guitar or saxophone. I’ve always wanted to learn the saxophone. And then, I could take it outside and play. Sunlight is always best for my eyesight.”

Abrahamson also wants to encourage people to pursue playing an instrument, a skill which has brought him so much joy.

“I wouldn’t ever stop playing piano,” he said. “It’s something I think more people on campus should become involved in. Everyone always says ‘I want to learn how to play the piano,’ and I did this in six months so I think it’s something pretty much everyone can do. Just like anything else, you practice and you get good at it.”

 

Olivia Marovich/Staff writer

Olivia Marovich can be reached at linfieldreviewfeatures@gmail.com

 

 

Graduating seniors will teach for America

Posted by :jprokop On : April 30, 2013
0

Category: Features

Each year, more than 40,000 college seniors and professionals apply for the Teach For America (TFA) program. A select few individuals are then given the opportunity to pack up their belongings, move across the country and spend the next two years teaching students in a randomly selected public school.

Two Linfield education majors, Noelle Beesley and Lori McEwen, and psychology major Kadi White are among the few applicants who were accepted by TFA for the 2013-14 and 2014-15 school years.

The women began the competitive and nerve-wracking three-part application process in December 2012 and received notification of acceptance into the program  March 2013.

The first round consisted of submitting a completed application, letter of intent and resume to the TFA program. Next, the applicants underwent a 40-minute telephone interview with current TFA members and alumni. The final round was held in Portland, Ore., and required the applicants to teach lessons, engage in group discussions and meet with a final interviewer.

After the final round, the applicants anxiously awaited their acceptance letters. Two weeks later, Beesley, White and McEwen had been invited to join the TFA program following graduation.

Beesley will be relocating to South Carolina, McEwen will be moving  to Memphis, Tenn., and White will be moving to the Mississippi Delta in June to begin a five-week training program before school begins in the fall.

McEwen became interested in TFA through a former Phi Sigma Sigma Sorority sister, Audrey Germer, who currently teaches in Phoenix, Ariz.

Her mother was a teacher so she realized at a young age that she wanted to follow in her footsteps.

Marilyn Salter, a visiting professor at Linfield, has encouraged McEwen to let her personality shine through teaching. McEwen is excited to be a full-time teacher.

“The students I love working with the most are the ones who need a positive role-model,” McEwen said. “I love being that for them.”

Beesley took advantage of the opportunity to work for TFA because she wants to be a part of a social justice organization and help change education systems.

Growing up, Beesley was inspired by her second grade teacher, Mr. Wiersma.

“He made me feel like I was needed in the classroom,” Beesley said. “Like I was important, and like I was valued as a learner in his class. He always remembered me, cracked jokes and set himself up as a positive role model I could turn to as a learner.”

She hopes to pass this feeling on to her students during her time in South Carolina and in her future with teaching.

For White, TFA is a bit of a different experience being a psychology major.

“The great aspect of TFA is that it doesn’t require you to have a degree in education,” she said. “I applied because it gives me the opportunity to make a change that means something and makes long and short term differences.”

Although White does not have education experience, she is excited for what the Mississippi Delta has in store for her.

All three seniors enjoy helping others in need. TFA emphasizes not only educating children, but also making a direct impact on students’ lives.

 

Sarah Mason/Features editor

Sarah Mason can be reached at linfieldreviewfeatures@gmail.com

 

Stories disturb even the darkest readers

Posted by :jprokop On : April 30, 2013
0

Category: Culture

“Haunted” varies from other Chuck Palahniuk novels because it’s a series of 23 short stories that are tied into one larger story, rather than one unbroken story. However, it shares the same feature as Palahniuk’s other novels. Once one is finished reading it, he/she experiences a weird desire to take a boiling hot shower to rinse off the filth and shame gained from reading “Haunted.”

Unfortunately, “Haunted” is so perversely twisted that it may be literally impossible to rid oneself completely of the indignity that the novel brings, and one must continue to live their life knowing that he/she is just as perversely heinous as all other Palahniuk fans.

The surrounding story of “Haunted” is of 19 individuals who sign up for a writers retreat and are then, unknowingly, locked underground with limited food and resources by their host.  They are charged with writing a great manuscript in three months before they are released.

After a moderate amount of protest, the group decides to lean into the experience under the idea that, after they are found, they can sell their story for millions.

So, like any rational group of would-be writers, they willingly resort to such activities as murder, cannibalism and self-mutilation, essentially anything to make their story even more traumatic, and therefore, sellable.

Each of the individuals takes time out of their busy schedules of making baby-soup to share their story.

One of the first stories, entitled “Guts” is probably the most well-known story from the novel, as it had been published previously in “Playboy.” The story is of a young man masturbating himself nearly to death and having his insides all but sucked out. According to Palahniuk, it is based on a true story he heard during a sex addicts anonymous meeting.

As a reader, you would think that the stories from thereon out could not get any more terrifying, or dare I say, haunting, but you would be wrong in your assumption. So ridiculously wrong.

The stories of “Haunted” are more than just gore and sex, but several, such as “Obsolete,” hits the reader psychologically and makes them look at their life and their choices, and perhaps, even send them spiraling into an existential crisis.

Palahniuk has an extraordinary ability to reach into a reader’s soul until he finds the darkest and most voyeuristic part of it before tenderly treating it to his work, which exposes full spectrum of human travesties.

Reading Palahniuk’s many works may send you to Hell, but at least you’ll know what kind of shoes to wear.

Paige Jurgensen/Staff writer

 

Myths about pregnancy dispelled

Posted by :jprokop On : April 30, 2013
0

Category: Culture

There are some pretty common myths about how women can get pregnant, whether by accident or intentionally. For example, getting pregnant by sitting on a toilet seat. While most college students probably realize the absurdity of this myth, there are others that seem legit. This may be because some are so similar.

A common myth about preventing pregnancy is if you have sex while a woman is on her period, she can’t get pregnant. While it might not be a common occurrence, this is not a practical preventative method. The egg is fertilized while it is in its descent down the fallopian tube. Sperm can live up to five days after being ejaculated into the vagina, and some women can become fertile four days after the beginning of their period.

This means that another egg has been released from one of the ovaries. This is similar to the myth of using the ovulation cycle to prevent or ensure pregnancy. Women have varying cycles on an unseen level.

Ovulation at around 14 days after the start of a period is not a rule for most women. As mentioned above, fertility can occur in as little as four days. Therefore, this is not a reliable method to predict when a couple can conceive or when it can prevent pregnancy.

The withdraw or pull-out method is when a man removes his penis from the vagina prior to ejaculation. This seems like it would work, except for that a little bit of fluid that comes out of the penis during stimulation. This fluid has a chance of carrying sperm in the urethra from a previous ejaculation. And we know how long sperm can possibly last.

It doesn’t require much sperm for a woman to become pregnant, either. In the end, only one little guy is required- or allowed- to fertilize, but because millions are in each ejaculation, there could be hundreds left in the urethra. And there is always a chance some could make it to the egg.

Positioning after or during sex does not have an effect on whether a couple gets pregnant. To improve the chances of conceiving, some people believe that if a woman inverts herself it will help the sperm find its way. Aside from lying down for a few minutes after sex, positioning will have no bearing on pregnancy chances. Additionally, positions, such as standing, will not prevent a pregnancy either.

When there is a chance of becoming pregnant in any of the above scenarios, the idea that getting pregnant can’t happen from having sex once is easily dismissed.

In fact, there is even a greater chance of getting pregnant given the amount of time that a woman is fertile during a cycle and how long sperm has to find the egg.

 

Kourtney Bailey can be reached at linfieldreviewbailey@gmail.com.

Young voice sings of love in new album

Posted by :jprokop On : April 30, 2013
0

Category: Culture

Tags:,

The topic of love often plagues the minds of young girls throughout their teenage years, but most cannot express it in such a delicate and soulful way as 17-year-old singer- songwriter Olivia Millerschin does in her new album, “Yes.No.Maybe So.”

The Michigan songstress is set to open on a nation-wide tour opening for Teddy Geiger starting this April.

Millerschin has a soulful voice similar to some of her folk-acoustic predecessors like Sara Bareilles or Colbie Caillat.

Millerschin’s songs have a light airy feel that is reminiscent of teenage summer days. She has a sound similar to that of acoustic group Garfunkel and Oates and, like the aforementioned, has a knack for humor with songs like “Screw Valentine’s Day.”

Her music isn’t comedic, however. She has an ability to analyze love and look at life and success and the future; all things that kids on the brink of adulthood think about.

She doesn’t approach these subjects like a normal teenager, however. She has a maturity about her, and her voice moves you away from images of teen troubles to seeing her lyrics as truly relevant to the transformation into adulthood.

Although only 17 years old, Millerschin has gotten critics to take notice. In her short career, she has been nominated for three Detroit Music Awards and performed at numerous festivals throughout the country.

The album hits its best moments early with her up-and-coming hit “Screw Valentine’s Day” and is at its best on the fourth track “I Can Say.” The song tackles the perils of letting others dictate your path and hold you back from your future.

“I was once a tree, rising from the ground,” Millerschin sings. “Winter, spring, summer, or fall, I still grew tall till you cut me down. Are you really happy now?”

The album has a bit of an up and down feel to me. It isn’t well-paced and jumps from fast to slow and deep to light hearted without much guidance for the listener.

This pace certainly doesn’t take away from her talent. Millerschin is a well-versed songstress and the album has the ability to capture the attention of the listener for the duration.

To hear Olivia Millerschin’s “Yes.No.Maybe So.” tune into 90.3 KSLC or listen online at www.linfield.edu/kslcfm and look for her opening nationwide on the Teddy Geiger tour beginning this month.

 

Tyler Sedlacek/KSLC staff

Tyler Sedlacek can be reached at kslcmusic@gmail.com.