The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: Self Care

  • Self-Care Cuts

    Self-Care Cuts

    Changing your hair to change your life

    It’s unique like a snowflake and it fits like a glove, it’s more important than arriving on time, it’s the defining aspect of our image — it’s hair. Whether we love it or hate it, it’s ours, and we do our best to maintain it.

    With the state of social media in 2020, an overwhelming degree of how we perceive each other has become smothered by appearance. With many of us lacking excess money to afford material possessions like designer clothes and expensive jewelry, hair is the aspect of our appearance where we have the most control.

    In 2015, a “no hair, don’t care” campaign was launched, with young women shaving their heads to get in touch with their true identities. Breaking gender norms, these women are able to grow confidence as they discover their inner beauty and channel it to the surface.

    Whether we do it to stick out or to fit in, by wearing our hair the way we do each day, we communicate to others a glimpse into the possibilities of what could be our lives. An ordinary haircut often insinuates a more serious approach towards life, while unusually long hair on a man communicates a more laid back approach and unusually short hair on a woman creates the perception of authority. No matter which walks of life we choose, each comes with its own expectations that will soon shape our behaviors, eventually our personalities, and oftentimes, our hair.

    Synonymous with her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series, Emma Watson famously cut off almost all of her hair as soon as the series wrapped. After spending a decade with the same style, she explained in a 2010 interview, she felt it was a necessary change to escape the character.

    At certain times in our lives, we may find we’ve relinquished power to our hair, allowing it to influence our identities rather than the other way around. Whether it be a reluctance to give up the life we’ve grown so accustomed to, or perhaps fear of exploring the unknown that holds us back from moving forward, it is a certainty of life that we will encounter change. Even as we enter the later years of our lives, long after we’ve fallen into our respective routines, we will experience our first gray hairs or perhaps receding hairlines – and we are sure to feel betrayed by our bodies. Whether we’re ready or not, change is always on the way, and the best thing we can do is embrace it. Letting go of your old hair can be a therapeutic release, relieving weight from your shoulders with each severed follicle.

    We love to play with it and we hate to part with it, but for some of us, the perceptions broadcast by our hairstyles don’t match the personalities that lie beneath. Especially now, in the midst of a pandemic as we find ourselves cut off from much of what we considered ordinary life, we should take the opportunity to step back and assess our core values. If for some reason we find ourselves in a place we no longer want to be, or where we feel we don’t belong, something as simple as a haircut can be the first step in a positive new direction.

    As the late, great King of Pop Michael Jackson, put it in his song, “Man in the Mirror,” “if you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change.” You are only truly at your best when you feel that way inside and reflect it outwardly. Only then, can you make a difference.

  • Ask Evergreen: Stuck in the Middle

    Ask Evergreen: Stuck in the Middle

    Ask Evergreen is a weekly advice column by the students of the Lumberjack.

    Each week we’ll answer anonymous questions sent in by readers about anything and everything.

    Dear Evergreen,

    Should I just sleep with the two guys coming after me even though they have girlfriends because no other men like me?

    Dear Stuck in the Middle,

    You sure got yourself caught in crossroads with this one, but don’t fret. The best thing to do is cut off connections with both men, and here’s why:

    You shouldn’t facilitate the poor decisions of two men in any manner. Even if you don’t want a relationship from these men you should consider how their attitudes and treatments towards their partners can be perpetuated onto you. Think about each of their partners and how your choice in this situation will affect them.

    You shouldn’t be the person to come between someone else’s relationship. Don’t assume their burdens by entangling yourself in their drama.

    It’s clear that both of these men are dealing with personal issues within their respective relationships and are acting out using someone else. People who are unhappy in their own relationships, but do little to change their circumstances, aren’t the type of people you want to spend your time with.

    The best thing to do is to remove yourself from these situations through the decisions you make. With the position you’re in, you could even contact the partners of these men to let them know what’s been happening. Sometimes involving yourself further can make things worse, so carry on with caution.

    It may seem tantalizing having two different men as potential lovers, but neither are viable options for you to pursue. While you may think they are the only men interested in you, it’s highly unlikely that is the case. The characters of these two are definitely too shady for any connection to be worth it.

    Don’t allow their behavior to influence you and any desires you may think they fulfill. Be the bigger person and end things before it’s too late to take back a possible bad choice.

    Good luck!

    Sincerely,

    Evergreen

    If you have any questions you’d like to send in, email us at contactthejack@gmail.com. We won’t publish any names and you don’t need to use one.

  • Consent is the word

    Consent is the word

    By | Lauren Shea

    Brave students walked up to the podium to share their story in front of supporters of a culture of consent.

    HSU students attended The Consent Project 2017 in the Kate Buchanan Room on Oct. 10 to talk about consent and listen to survivors of sexual violence.

    The Consent Project is an event held through the Check It program to talk about what it means to consent, what consent looks like, and how to communicate consent though choices and actions. The project aims to create a culture of consent and reduce the harm caused by sexual violence. The event provided a place to educate students and the community about consent and provide community resources. It also provided a place where survivors of all genders of sexual violence could speak out about their story.

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    Photo credit: Lauren Shea

    This year’s theme is the Seasons of Change. One of the event coordinators, Skye Peredo, talked about the meaning behind the name by describing how seasons change just as people do.

    The event provided many resources such as the North Coast Rape Crisis Team, Check It, the Women’s Resource Center and the Multicultural Queer Resource Center. The event provided food and drinks as students engaged in conversations about consent and the importance of self-care. Arts and crafts were supplied for students to create crafts and build a comfortable and creative environment.

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    The second part of the night shared a space where survivors talked about their story on consent. Survivors shared their gratitude for programs such as Check It and The Consent Project that encourages a consent culture where people can talk about sexual violence. It also encourages people to support each other and educate people in hopes to reduce to harm caused by sexual violence and the lack of clear consent communication.

    Students talked about consent culture during the event and the importance of caring for yourself. Elissa Rodriguez, a junior at HSU studying English, gave her thoughts about the importance of self-care and mental stress breaks.

    “I advocate a lot to my friends about self-care,” Rodriguez said. “I think we go through so much stress and taking the time even if it’s just a little bit of time to recuperate before getting back to what you need to do is really important.”

    She also talked about her experience with the consent culture being built at HSU.026.jpg

    “I feel like there is always more room for improvement,” Rodrigues said. I feel like people are still afraid to talk about sexual violence because if they weren’t, we wouldn’t need events like this. Not everyone is involved as they should be.”

    Alex Heart, a sophomore at HSU studying Geology, talked about the influence that Check it and the Consent Project has on new students.

    “I think the school does really well on educating freshman that come from all walks of life about consent,” Heart said.

    035.jpgJonathan Salinas, a senior at HSU studying Spanish, talked about his experience with consent culture at HSU.

    “I definitely think there is a lot of work to be done about creating a consent culture here,” Salinas said. “But I think events like this gives students on campus the vocabulary to have the conversations. I think there is that fear to talk about these topics, but at the same time empowers people to have these discussions.”

  • Mental Health Week

    Mental Health Week

    The Peer Health Educators are hosting various workshops around HSU campus during Mental Health Week from May 1-5. They’ve finalized all the workshops for the students to enjoy, including yoga lessons, massages and how to make bath bombs. Lizzie Alvarez, the coordinator of Mental Health Week, believes people forget to care for themselves because they’re so focused on homework and papers.

    “Self care is increasingly important,” Alvarez said.

    Christina Cole adds that it’s not only finals that students stress about. With the news of David Josiah Lawson’s death and other personal factors, the semester can be draining to students.

    “It makes times like this more important to check in,” Cole said.

    Alvarez and Ani Glenn suggest studying in parts, not cramming everything in at once to ease the strain of finals. Late night study sessions are not mentally or physically healthy because lack of sleep can affect your grade. Planning what to study and organizing time can be overall helpful and beneficial.

    Peer Health Educators are a social justice focused program consisting of students who educate fellow students on mental, physical and sexual health. For more information on Peer Health Educators, visit their office in RWC 127, open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. For disability accommodations, email ravin@humboldt.edu.