Over the last weekend, while visiting my family members, I was able to witness the reinforcement of societal prejudice. Although my they come from a conservative background, what was said during a conversation at dinner was inexcusable. With my brothers sitting at the dinner table, a family member openly made comments degrading people of the Middle East. Read the rest of this entry »
Through the last two years of working on understanding social justice and diversity I have had many battles within myself. I have worked hard to gain a better understanding of my white identity and how I may be perceived in our society. Yet, there is still something that I can’t understand or agree with that many white identified individuals have said. Many people who are White have said that they don’t believe they have a culture or there is no white culture. I’m shocked every time I hear someone say this to me as they believe they have no culture what so ever. Read the rest of this entry »
I find it interesting that given the amazing differences in various world cultures that there is something so very similar in our foods. Take empanadas for instance. Almost every culture has food encased in pastry whether it is an empanada of Central and South America, pastels in Brazil, pasties in Ireland and Wales, boerek in Lebanon, samosas in South Asia, potstickers in China, and dozens of other varieties of meat or bean stuffed pastries. Read the rest of this entry »
In the recent release of the 2010 US Dietary Guidelines , Americans are encouraged to eat more whole grains and eat at least half of your grains from whole grain sources. This encouragement is reinforced in the marketplace where you can find statements and health claims on products containing whole grains such as “contains 16 g whole grains per serving; eat 48 grams or more per day” or “a diet rich in fiber may reduced the risk of heart disease”. What does all of this mean? Why the emphasis on whole grains? First, let’s begin with some definitions and facts. Read the rest of this entry »
Being a person of color in a predominantly white institution can definitely have its challenges. I have been at Oregon State for over a year now and being here has been very interesting. It has been here at OSU that I have been more intentional in learning about my own culture and what it means to identify as a Latina/ Mexican-American than anywhere else. I believe the reason for that is because it has been not only here in Corvallis, but also here in Oregon that my ethnicity matters. I constantly find myself in conversations about who I am and where I am from and it’s not because of my job. These conversations have been occurring since my arrival to Oregon. Read the rest of this entry »
Whenever someone makes a mistake or does something wrong that might affect others, the world expects us to take responsibility for it and own up to it. In a sense, this is very similar to the way privilege works. In our world, there are millions of beneficiaries of societal constructs which define who will be the advantaged and disadvantaged group in society. This is something that is out of the control of most, but is reinforced by institutions and society as a whole. Although it is not intentional, it is imperative that we analyze where we fit in, and recognize the areas that we are the beneficiaries. By recognizing advantage, you are owning it, and can then learn how to use it to make this community more inclusive. Read the rest of this entry »
Welcome to the inaugural housing assignments blog post! We wanted to provide a forum to answer frequently asked questions we receive about the housing application and assignments process, as well as provide tips to make your transition to college life successful. If you have a specific topic you’d like us to address in a future blog post, please let us know in the comments section below.
On Monday March 28, 2011 at 2:00pm, Housing Selection began for new students. Students who are members of academic groups can select a space in the building that corresponds with their academic group. For more information on when you can select a space on campus, please see our important dates. Be sure your application has been submitted, and any pending roommates have been confirmed before you select your space.
When you are eligible to select a space, you will return to your completed housing application, and a new link will be visible under “groups” called “Housing Selection.” From here, you will be able to view interactive floor plans, and see real time availability in our halls and cooperative houses.
Good luck in your housing selection process! Be sure to read up on our tips for room selection, before selecting a room, and be sure to contact us if you have any questions along the way.
Dead week already!!?? Is it just me, or does anyone feel like it went by too fast? Many things happened, many things didn’t happen, but one thing that is for sure, transitions in the middle of the school year, at least for me, have not been the best. I like order and knowing what to expect, so when change occurs in the middle of the school year it tends to throw me off. As a fifth year senior, however, I have learned how to deal with change in my life and I hope you all do too. As many of you know, or don’t know one of the biggest transitions for me was coming here to Oregon State. I can still remember how lonely I felt even though I was surrounded by thousands of people. Read the rest of this entry »
On the morning of February 8th I was assaulted outside of the town houses on 10th and Jefferson. I was with two friends a man and woman. We were heading back from Qdoba to a friend’s house after a night out. Read the rest of this entry »
Spring is a great time to explore new beverages. Contrary to urban legend, a great beverage doesn’t require alcohol. A bartender friend of mine once worked for TGI Fridays. They have a recipe book with about 200 alcohol free mocktails and spend as much time learning to build alcohol-free beverages as they do alcoholic beverages. Read the rest of this entry »
