First Day of Spring Term

Whitney M.

March 30, 2009 - 10:15 PM

THANK GOD FOR EDUCATION!

 

I am so glad to be back on campus after a long two-week stint of painting and eating. Eating, mind you, is usually enjoyable. However, my metabolism makes eating more than 900 calories in a 24 period a punishment. Therefore, having social engagements that include dining excursions was dreadful for my waistline, and thus, my state of mind.

 

Additionally, I was unable to sleep-in and exercise, which would be the ideal break if I could have planned it, because I spent most of my time cooped up in my grandmother's sky-rise condominium painting the walls. This was relatively pain-free because my boyfriend's dad is a contractor, giving Collin and I all of the tools we needed to complete an interior paint job. Collin also grew up working with his dad on construction projects, so masking the walls and plug-in outlets was no problem at all.
All in all, spring break did not end up feeling much like a break. Now that I am back at school, I can sleep-in before my noon classes and save time for workouts during the evenings. Because school schedules are so busy, eating small Jenny Craig meals is much easier and plausible, which helps me to maintain a smaller waistline and more level head.

 

Classes were fantastic today. I really feel fulfilled when I step into a classroom and sit front and center.

 

My teachers were fantastic and I got to work with other bright journalism students to prepare a publication called "Mosaic" that will be published at the end of spring term.

 

I also started a course called Communication Economics, which sounded terrible to me at first, but when it was my only option, I settled for the less art-based journalism class. When I sat down in the class, however, I found that the syllabus outlined several business-oriented topics that don't necessarily interest me, but will be useful as a professional in a media career. By the end of the class period, I was able to brainstorm some great ideas for my term papers.

 

After that class, I picked up my Info-Hell project (a 100-page research project I completed winter term) to find that I only missed two points on the entire project! As I flipped back through the pages, a rush of joy and pride swept over my body.

 

I am back.

 

I am back at the U of O, where I can exercise my academic strengths and operate based on my own priorities. At school, I soak in the knowledge around me in a way that I hope other students do. Because I am not as distracted by social demands at college due to my sobriety, I can truly focus on the curricula that I am participating in. Coming back to a structured environment is fantastic for my mental and emotional well-being.

 

Without structure, I feel powerless over the goings-on in my life. And I really dislike feeling powerless. As a woman, as a former delinquent, and as someone who suffered a turbulent childhood, I need to feel as though the decisions made and results created in my life are solely of my own doing.

 

Here, at the U of O. I feel healthily independent. I appreciate all of the help that I receive from my friends and family, but I feel like I have the freedom to be who I really am and like myself when I am living in Eugene at the U of O.

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Age and Relationships

Whitney M.

March 25, 2009 - 6:00 PM

My dad and Collin and I made it out to see my mom in Long Beach, Washington, today after an entire term without visiting.

 

I always like taking road trips with my dad because I always get to hear his perspectives on things that are going on in my life. There is a particular way that parents have of caring enough about their young-adult children to invest energy and interest in the goings-on in their lives without becoming fully emotionally invested. It is a way of caring that concedes power to the young adults while realizing that this part of their lives will pass, and that soon the current events in their lives will not carry as much weight.

 

It is with a hint of nostalgia that parents converse with their young-adult children in settings like these. For instance, my dad always likes to hear about my girlfriend's majors and life choices. Inevitably, he finds a story in the archives in his memory that directly relates to the things my girlfriends and I are experiencing. He recognizes their significance to us, but helps me to realize that they are only passing problems.

 

During this particular discussion, my dad, Collin and I talked about how age differences affect the well-being of relationships.

 

One of the girls who lived in the same dorm as I did last year moved in with her 30-year-old high school track coach, who moved to Oregon after my friend turned 18. Now they are planning to get married and live together away from their parents in Vermont, where "people just don't understand."
When this topic comes up, I am quick to judge my friend's relationship, but then I think about my relationship, which is very loving, I realize that I wouldn't want people to look down their noses at it for any reason. Love is love. Right?

 

Well, maybe not.

 

My dad was able to contribute to this conversation because he spent several recent years in a relationship with someone at least 20 years younger than he is. According to him, his relationship was strained because of the age difference that left him and his girlfriend with little in common at the end of the day.

 

I was left with an appreciation for my relationship. Thank God I do not have to deal with being in love with someone twice my age. But then again, I don't want to be too judgmental because love just may be love.

 

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Sex on the Campus

Whitney M.

March 23, 2009 - 6:00 PM

Today, my dad's ex-girlfriend referred to blogging as a form of "Carrie Bradshaw" writing from "Sex and the City." I have often felt much like I was in a scene from the HBO series when I sit down to my computer to type about what is going on in my life.

 

Sex, of course, is a relevant topic to college students and may be a question that many parents would like to hear about when they peruse the blogs that discuss the life of University of Oregon students.
There are highs and lows in the sex lives of students on campus; however, I suppose highs and lows depend on your perception of good and bad in regard to sex.

My roommate last year is a fantastic girl. She gets straight A's, has a presidential scholarship, lives a substance-free lifestyle, and exercises regularly. However, she had never been on a date. She had never been kissed and never even come close to having sex. She seemed to be content in succeeding academically and seeing her parents on the weekends, but there were times when she talked to me about feeling lonely and disappointed in her lack of romance and, thus, intimacy.

 

One of my other friends, however, waited until her sophomore year in college to have sex. She has a monogamous relationship in which she is sexually active. She seems to be comfortable and talks to me about the progress she makes in becoming more comfortable with her boyfriend in the sack.

 

Another of my monogamous friends is, shall we say, more experienced in the bedroom. She seems to be quite comfortable yet respectful of her body and her sexual relationships. Because she is 23, she has had more time to get to know herself and her values when it comes to sexual activity.

 

Sometimes on campus there are unfortunate events when it comes to sexual relationships. The last experience I want to share with you is that of my friend who recently disclosed to me that she had been date-raped during the winter term. Although this was a traumatic experience for her, she was able to find resources on campus to deal with it. The counseling center has been working with her to help her cope with the event, and she has since joined the club soccer team as well as a sorority.

 

Of course, the case is never that "everyone is doing it." But according to my experience, many people are. Generally, people are educated about birth control options and take them seriously. I have found that many girls are ready and willing to part with their "Plan-B"s in order to help other college girls stay pregnancy-free.

 

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Beautiful Day in Portland during Spring Break

Whitney M.

March 19, 2009 - 12:15 PM

Today was quite the busy day, but in a non-hectic kind of way. It was the first day out of the three that Collin and I have been in Portland for spring break that the sun shone. So we made the best of the weather. I had to go run my twenty-one-year-old Toyota through DEQ, and it actually passed! To celebrate, Collin and I drove out to Marine Drive by the Portland airport and watched the sailboats cruise around the Columbia River and watched a few planes fly in. We were even able to drive with the windows down because the weather was so nice.

 

We had slices of Hotlips and Pizzacato pizzas and salads for lunch, on our way from Collin's dad's house where we picked up the indoor-wall painting materials and on our way to my grandmother's condominium, where we will be spending the day tomorrow painting her walls!

 

Then we took Collin's dog and his mom's boyfriend's dog out to the Hoyt Arboretum and went on a 40-minute hike and walk around the trails and neighborhoods. After the dogs were tuckered out, Collin and I made our way to Washington Square Mall, where Collin used his Christmas gift card to buy a set of Calvin Klein "One" fragrances.

 

We finished the day at Kenny and Zukes in downtown Portland with my dad and his girlfriend Carol.
Back at my dad's and my apartment, Collin and I watched "Milk," which neither of us had seen yet. It was fantastic!

 

Being home and driving all over east and west Portland was a fantastic way to spend such a sunny day. Today is exactly what I envisioned for my spring break-busy with pleasurable endeavors with the sun shining!

 

It was really nice for Collin and I to roam around our hometown while we have a chance to do so. Being in Eugene is really nice because of the independence that we feel, but being home and having loving family to spend our time with is really gratifying.

 

 

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Watchmen

Whitney M.

March 18, 2009 - 3:45 PM

Last night Collin, who is not only my boyfriend but my best friend, and I went to see "Watchmen," the new movie based on the comic book from the forties I believe. Collin and I joke about being "even" when it comes to who has seeing movies that appeal to the other person's interests. For me, Collin has seen "Sex and the City the Movie" and "P.S. I Love You." When he suggested that we see "Watchmen," I initially said no. But then I realized that I couldn't really remember the last time we saw a movie that he wanted to see, so I agreed to see the violent superhero flick. His being willing to see my chick flicks is something that I really appreciate, so I was happy to go.

 

I didn't realize how much I would enjoy the movie, however, and I was more than pleasantly surprised! The first thing I noticed about the quality of the film was that the music choice almost always had a different mood than was being depicted on the screen, yet when I looked closer, the music brought a different, yet honest, feeling to the scenes.

 

Then I started trying to pick out my favorite character, and I couldn't! I liked them all so much! The character who played the "villain" in the story, was the only one whose acting was questionable, but the rest of them each had their own attributes that made them human despite their being superheroes.

 

Finally, I must confess, that I really enjoyed the graphic nature of the film. However, I am not sure that everyone who sees the film will appreciate the sexual content and the graphic violence like I did. As I watched, I wondered how parents of pre-teens feel when they realize what they have paid $50 to view pseudo-pornography with their children.

 

I suppose that it is rated R for good reason, but some of the scenes, in my opinion, may be considered rated X-worthy.

 

In the end, I am sure that most adults would really enjoy seeing this film. And I guess, most kids would too, but I would strongly caution parents when they consider letting their children view this film.

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