Posts tagged ‘college’
May 18
Why WE Love PSU
They say, Portland is one of the best metropolitan cities to live with one of the highest happiness index. What is better than living in a happy, sustainable city while obtaining your education? I can honestly say I love PSU, from the authentic culture, to the community development program, to the great people I have met.
I know I’m not the only one with Viking pride, so I decided to ask some of my peers what they thought about PSU!
“I love that PSU is so diverse. It gave me the opportunity to learn and grow through various individuals and their different cultural beliefs as well as share my own cultural knowledge of being Hawaiian.”
- Ka’ila See, Health Studies/Health Science Major
Searching for the right haircut
For the longest time, my father cut my hair growing up. My two younger brothers and I never went to a barber shop to get the job done. And this job is complicated to say the least. Around 16 or 17, my father just didn’t have the same precision as before and my hair was just too difficult to cut. Soon after, my father simply retired, if you will, from cutting my hair and my brother’s as well. I was confident that if my father could cut my hair, anyone else with experience could do it just as well. Read more
Work has increased but support has not.
I don’t visit the Multicultural Center, Casa Latina or the Diversity and Multicultural Student Services offices as much as I used to. But in the past few weeks, I have been stopping by, and I’ve noticed an increase in the number of Latino and students of color using these resources. The number of programs and events has grown just as well. However, as I visited each place, I felt like an outsider to some degree.
When Casa Latina opened, I believed it would develop community among students. When I was part of that growing community a couple years ago, I could see small but solid steps towards the needs of the students. However, I should point out that I lived on campus at that time. I moved to Oregon City this past summer. Since then, I have been out of what is going on, who is new to the community, how are the needs of the students being addressed and ultimately why must this work continue?
Perhaps, I have distanced myself too much without even knowing. However, I have given much thought as to why I or these places feel different. It seems that these places have become over the years fast paced, overloaded with work, expectations have risen higher, and yet moral obligation and duty is still present among these departments that are undoubtedly understaffed and under supported. My feelings I believe stem from my concerns for the students.
As a student, I feel empowered when I can connect deeply and grow from a program or from an individual. What concerns me is being regarded as just a number rather than a person. It seems that when a department is understaffed, the meaning of their work shifts and becomes more quantitative than qualitative. Students cannot afford to be seen as a number. I hope that this does not unfold within these offices. They are too vital and necessary for the growth and education for students of color and their communities.
Confessions of an Insomniac
I turn my head to glance at the clock on the bright screen of my smart phone. It is a little past midnight. I think, “Okay, I’ll get exactly 7 hours, if I fall asleep. Right now.” Exhausted, I roll over again and attempt to find the most comfortable position. I even flip my pillow to the “cold side.”
I’ve found myself going through this episode throughout my life, but it has hit me especially hard during my college years. I’ve come to realize my thoughts are like a black hole at night: never-ending with no solutions.
During the day, I am stacked with classes from the morning till late afternoon, then a night class once a week. In between all this, I have an internship, student activities, and study time in the library. I even go to the gym at least a couple times a week, not just to get exercise, but to purposely drain myself.
My mind, which is annoyingly active, sprints through the usual topics before I fall asleep—family, friends, relationships, school. The topics that haunt me are the “what ifs” of life, the unpredictable future. Ugh, now my anxiety levels are going up.
I visualize myself planted in the middle of a Hawaiian beach, relaxed by the waves. Failed attempt. All right, time to count sheep.
Exasperated, I wake up to write in my personal blog.
Now, it’s 3 a.m.
My ultimate remedy for this problem?
Go to the kitchen to fix myself a 4th meal.
Balance, young grasshopper
So I’m sitting in class, and I have to admit that I’m a little tired. I had a late night last night, as I went out with some girlfriends for a couple of happy hour drinks and to catch up after classes and meetings and work. This doesn’t sound like the worst thing, at least to me, but I will sometimes find myself wondering how other people manage to come to class every day with the air of being so overly prepared. I know that I’m not able to dedicate that kind of time—life is a little busy at the moment.
Most of us are juggling school and homework, jobs, clubs/societies/Greek life/sports/insert-what-you-please-here. Not to mention a social life. Personally, maintaining the social relationships in my life—everyone from my mom to the residents in my hall—takes up just as much, if not more time than needed to feel caught up on school work.
I sometimes wonder how this all manages to get done. But then again, I remember being told that 90% if learning in college occurs outside of the classroom. Perhaps balance is just one of those things. If you’re too focused in one area, you’ll burn out and go crazy. No exaggeration. It’s important to take moments to recuperate from the madness of everything happening during the week, but it’s also important not to lose your motivation and drive to keep going. All I know is that if my life was a table, and any of the legs were removed, I would certainly crash. Balance, my friend, balance.
Jan 15
Finally, a Place to Call My Home and People to Call My Family.
I have lived on campus for three years, and in three different locations. Living in the city was a drastic change for me. I grew up in a rural area where I had no neighbors, surrounded instead by acres of orchards. While living in the city brought me new experiences, it was expensive and at times lonesome for me.
I have had a total of seven male roommates, have lived alone, and at one point, I lived with five roommates. One can just imagine how things went living in a place with five guys. We were all single, young, and a bit naive Yet, throwing parties, going out, hanging out as a group, and goofing around just wasn’t for me. At the end of the day, I would always feel alone or being left out of something meaningful.
My mornings, evenings, and my life are now spent with my new family. I moved in with my girlfriend this past summer into her sister’s house in Oregon City. It’s a full house; there are two cats, two dogs, her husband, her sister in law, and her 2 year old son who, I like to say, is the king of the house. It’s a great welcoming and friendly environment. I often hear the little boy call out everyone’s name from across the house. I get up every weekday at 7 to get ready for my day and help my girlfriend get prepared as well. I see the cats walking back and forth, and I hear the dogs in the yard barking for attention.
At 22, I love my new home, my girlfriend, my new family, and myself. I have left behind my single, lonesome, and confused life. And I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Gutenberg vs Microsoft
No matter where you may look on campus you will see people reading. No surprise there, correct? But it is what they are reading, or more to the point, how they are reading that surprises some of us. You are just as apt to see people gazing into the screen of an electronic device, perhaps a lap top computer,
Does a computer screen inspire you to dream… or just think?
as rustling through the pages of a paper newspaper.
Is this “old fashioned”…
Older students, like myself, who have only known paper books in the past, may find this new way of reading… difficult or perhaps challenging. But for anyone who grew up with computers, laptops, and now electronic tablets as nearly all of today’s students have the choice is becoming obvious–they’d rather go digital.
But what will the digital books of the future look like? Will they be as they are now, stripped down to only words in most cases, and thrust upon a screen or will they be more interactive? Will they become an entirely new way to gain information?
When this happens will we lose all of those wonderful things called books, with paper pages, torn, dog-eared, and with covers worn from many readings? Will they only be found in museums to turn to dust? This writer hopes they are not lost to future generations… not to lose that feel of a wonder in your hands, to touch, to feel, to learn, but most of all I think, to dream.
Oct 3
Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail
A few weeks back, I was low on money and had to budget in order to eat at least once a day. Fortunately, I was helped out by my girlfriend, who kept me alive by buying me meals. I am truly grateful to her for taking care of me. As a student, I have many educational expenses. Books, tuition, and course fees mount up to a huge sum of money. More often than not, a majority of my financial aid and work study money goes to paying off my expenses. My parents earn enough to sustain themselves and cannot support me financially as much as they would want. I have managed fine, but I became careless this summer.
I have been at Portland State for the last three years, only moving back home after my freshman year. Since then,I have stayed in Portland for work and school. I had managed to get a work study position last summer and even took one course. This summer, I managed to do the same. However, I moved to Oregon City at the end of spring term and could only obtain a part-time work study position. I was low on cash and had to even take a small loan out for my added expenses.
I got careless and didn’t plan ahead. I should have looked for another work study position. Honestly, I wanted to take a break and have a relatively mellow summer. But with expenses and bills, I should have known better. However, I am happy to say that I am in full swing this term working and going to school, with a few side projects. A pint of sweat saves a gallon of blood.
Sep 26
Living in University Pointe
It is that time of year, again. A new school year, new classes, and for me, a new place to live.
University Pointe, the new on-campus 16-floor apartment building, is finally open for lease to all students this fall. The apartments definitely surpassed my expectations of a typical apartment. My roommates and I chose the private four-bedroom and two-bathroom option. It is fully furnished, with lots of personal and community amenities. It is definitely an upgrade from my first-year shared room when I lived in the Broadway dormitory. With my own room and no RA, I enjoy my own independence and privacy. However, there are Community assistants and on-site staff to help whenever it is needed.
There is a controversy with the cost of the apartments. For my four-bedroom room, it is $599 per person. Compared to apartments in the surrounding Portland area, the cost averages around $300-600 per person (rent.com). Before I decided to live in the apartments, I considered these off-campus alternatives in Clackamas, Beaverton, and other areas in Portland. Ultimately, I chose University Pointe because it was conveniently on-campus, therefore, saving a few hundred bucks from not purchasing a parking permit or transit pass. In addition, the utilities are all included in the rent.
If you are looking for a place to live on or off campus, check out these sites:
- pdx.edu/housing/buildings
- portland.craigslist.org/apa
- rent.com
- apartments.com
- univpointe.com
