Author: Erika Nelson
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Not-So-Great Expectations: Adjusting Plans During the Pandemic
I’m a list-maker: Homework assignments, goals, chores, funny things I overheard in the Park Blocks…you name it, I have a list for it! Four times a year, I create a “bucket list,” itemizing everything I want to do that season: swimming and barbeques in the summer. Haunted houses and pumpkin-picking in the fall. Holiday parties…
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Nailing Stress
“I actually used to be a nail tech … not that you can tell.” I force a laugh and brandish my bitten stubs. I admit it — I’m a nail biter. Gross and unattractive in the best of times, it’s a literal life-and-death habit in Corona times — a danger to not only myself by…
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Growing Pains: Turning Discomfort into Change
This summer, I’m taking my senior Capstone, Grantwriting for Shelter Pets. Our community partner is Furry Friends, a no-kill cat shelter in Vancouver. Our mission this term is to draft the proposals that will compel donors to fund important shelter projects, such as medical care and a new kitty condo. Before I signed up, I…
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Crafting in Quarantine: “Quaranzines”
Whether in mandatory or self-imposed isolation, people are turning to hobbies like arts and crafts to keep themselves occupied. One fun project having a moment on social media is zine-making: The hashtag #quaranzine has over 5,000 hits on Instagram. Merriam-Webster defines a zine as “a noncommercial often homemade or online publication usually devoted to specialized…
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Making Do
Recently, I wrote about my experiences under lockdown in student housing. Although being alone in quarantine was weighing on my mental health, I said that crashing with family or friends in Southern Oregon was not an ideal option for me. Since that post, I tried really hard to make the best of my situation — …
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Lockdown in Student Housing
In March, Housing and Residence life sent out a mass email encouraging those of us in student housing to move if feasible. By doing so, we’d be lowering the amount of interpersonal contact in the buildings, and therefore lowering the chance that COVID-19 could spread among us. The result was a mass exodus of student…
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Why I Save My Course Materials
Finals week is fast approaching, and spring break will be here before we know it! Many students are already thinking about reselling their textbooks and can’t wait to toss their notes. However, I’d argue that there are benefits to keeping class materials. Old assignments can be useful in future classes Keeping graded essays from previous…
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Portland on Foot
When I chose to attend PSU, I knew I wanted to live on (or close to) campus. Proximity to classes and university resources aside, living in the midst of a major metropolitan city famed for its public transportation would mean I could forgo the expenses that come with having a car. Now that I live…
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A Major Change
Since childhood, literature, writing, and media have been my biggest passions. I assumed that if I went to college, I’d major in English. However, with near-constant articles and reports warning of a difficult job market, I began to question whether English was a good choice. After extensive advice from well-meaning people, I assumed a business…