Posted on by cvera2

Road Trips to Take in Washington State

As we transition into Autumn, it is important to take advantage of the weather and be outside! There is only a short time left where the sky isn’t completely covered in clouds and when the sun doesn’t set before 6pm. We are lucky to live in a state where nature surrounds us and where the most beautiful scenic destinations are only a short drive away. As a college student, we may not be able to afford a long vacation or travel to another state or country, this blog post contains some day trips (or night trips!) that you can take if you want to be outside!

Note: Driving times are determined from a start and end point at UW Bothell, this is simply just an estimate and may be different for you depending on where you live!

Whidbey Island

*will require ferry travel & Discover Pass for Deception Pass State Park ($10 for daily pass)

The perfect day trip to take is the drive from Deception Pass down to Clinton, it’s the perfect route to do some hiking, sightseeing, then end it off with a meal at the many cafes and restaurants Whidbey Island has to offer. Deception Pass State Park has multiple trails, with views of the waters below, plus there is more to do such as kayaking and geocaching.

Whidbey Island is home to many small towns, with small shops and restaurants, with views of the waters surrounding it. Towns to include in your itinerary include Coupeville and Langley. In Coupeville, I would recommend visiting Ebey’s Landing if you are interested in a hike with views of the sound. The Whidbey Island and Camano Islands website contains a guide on more places to visit on the island, including the arts, shopping, and town events.

From UW Bothell as the starting point and with minimal traffic, it is an estimated 3 hour and 14 minute round trip. Beginning from UW Bothell, the route will begin with taking I-5 North, driving up to the town of Burlington. Then will continue on State Route 20, this is the main road that runs through Whidbey Island. To return back to the Bothell area, there is a 20 minute ferry ride from Clinton ferry terminal to Mukilteo ferry terminal. View the Clinton ferry schedule here. If you want to begin with exploring the island and visiting Deception Pass last, simply take the ferry from Mukilteo to Clinton, taking State Route 20 north, then taking I-5 South.

Hoh Rainforest & Forks

*Hoh Rainforest will require a Discover Pass for entry ($10 for daily pass)

A must-visit destination in Washington State is the Hoh Rainforest. Located in the Olympic National Forest, it is the perfect escape from the city. Hoh Rainforest has three different trails, two of which are less than 2 miles, and one being 18 miles long.


On the route to Hoh Rainforest, you will pass through the small town of Forks. If you are a fan of the Twilight series, there are multiple locations catered to Twilight fans. Locations such as the Cullen House and ‘Native to Twilight‘ store. If you are not familiar with the series, UW Libraries has the Twilight series available to check out! You will need your UW NetID to be able to check out library materials. Forks is perfectly located on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, which means that there are multiple scenic locations only a short drive away. If you have extra time, La Push & Rialto Beach are only a 20 minute drive away from Forks. Although it is out of the way, I recommend making the drive as these are some of the most beautiful beaches on the Washington coast!

From UW Bothell as its starting point and with minimal traffic, it is an estimated 4 hour and 30 minute drive, therefore it is recommended to plan for a night stay. I recommend planning on renting an Airbnb in advance because there are only a limited number of motels in the area. There are also cabins available to book near the Olympic National Forest, although they have beautiful views, expect some cabin options to be pricey!

Mount Rainier

Mount Rainier is a great spot to visit especially during the transition between Summer and Autumn. The trees will soon be changing colors, but there are still some wildflowers left! It is important to note that although Mount Rainier National Park does not require a Discover Pass, there is a separate pass you must purchase to enter the park. More information on these passes can be found here.

There are four separate entrances to the park, so it is important to plan beforehand which trails you want to complete and where the closest entrance will be. The National Park Service has a list of all the trails on Mount Rainier with information on trail conditions. The list contains trails of all distances and difficulty levels.

From UW Bothell as the starting point and with minimal traffic, it is an estimated 2 hour drive to Mount Rainier’s Sunrise entrance. The route will begin with taking I-405 South, then will incorporate itself into state route 169. There are multiple routes you can take depending on traffic, as long as the routes lead to state route 410. This is the road that will lead you to the Sunrise entrance. Again, different routes lead to different entrances, so plan accordingly!

These are only a few of the many destinations in Washington state that you can visit, if you are in search of more locations, the state of Washington website contains an extensive list of ideas. If you are focused on hikes, UW Libraries has an extensive list of hiking books, including,

Be safe, and happy travels!

Posted on by aylina

How to Contribute to Minimizing Period Poverty

Let’s talk about “Period Poverty”!

According to the American Medical Women’s Association, the term ‘‘period poverty’’ refers to the lack of proper accessibility and limited affordability of menstrual health and hygiene resources including educational tools, sanitary products, washing facilities, and waste management. (Lea Sacca, 2024)

Here is a bit of data addressing period poverty in our country:

According to a national survey drawn from a survey conducted on 1,000 teens aged 13 to 19, 1 in 5 teens in the US have struggled with affording menstrual products and more than 84 percent of participants reported having missed classes or know someone who has missed classes due to lack of access to period products.

Fun fact: 79 percent of the participants believed we receive more education about biology of frogs than biology of the human female body in school.

How do we take action to help with making period products and period education equally and easily accessible to everyone? What steps of the organizations where we work and study have taken?

In this blog, I’ll be gathering and sharing information about the steps, however small, we can take to reduce period poverty where we live, where we study, and where we work. I will also be gathering and sharing information about the steps University of Washington and Cascadia Community College have taken to minimize period poverty among their students.

What University of Washington Bothell and Cascadia College provide:

The Health and Wellness Resources Center (HaWRC) provides a variety of non-reusable menstrual products for students for free. Both UW and Cascadia students can have access to this source.

For Cascadia Students, Kodiak Cave offers tampons and pads in their food pantry for students to take during their four trips to the Cave each quarter. They also sometimes provide other products that have been donated, like diva cups or lite liners. The Kodiak Cave specialist, Samantha Brown, with whom I had a conversation, also provided me with an Amazon wish list through which you can see the available products in their pantry and buy the products where they will be automatically delivered to the pantry.

Cascadia College also shares a document including the addresses and contact information of multiple local community services that provide food, healthcare, housing, childcare, clothing, etc. to individuals who need them.

Moreover, in both UWB and CC, tampons and pads are accessible in gender inclusive and women’s restrooms.

How we can help minimize period poverty inside or outside of our school:

Purchase feminine hygiene products manufacturers that help fight peiod poverty.

A list of these manufacturers are:

  • Cora:

This company has donated 24 million feminine care products so far.

“We believe everyone should have access to period care–full stop.”

With every purchase you make, Cora provides period products and body literacy resources to people who might otherwise go without.

  • Lunette: Lunette donates cups to initiatives addressing period poverty through their “Cup for Good” program. Organic Initiative (Oi) also supports various initiatives promoting period poverty alleviation.

      

  • Ruby Cup: For every menstrual cup purchased, Ruby Cup donates one to someone in need in low-income countries through their “Buy One Give One” program.

       

  • Saalt: Saalt sells menstrual cups and has a program called “Saalt Gives” where they donate cups to people in need in underserved communities around the world.

You can also help support organizations who aim to minimize period poverty by ensuring that more and more menstruating individuals have access to affordable menstrual products. You can support these organizations by donating or participating in volunteer and advocacy opportunities they provide.

Here is a list of these organizations and how each of them provides opportunities for us to take a step in minimizing period poverty:

Days for Girls:

“We increase access to menstrual care and education by developing global partnerships, cultivating Social Enterprises, mobilizing volunteers and innovating sustainable solutions that shatter stigma and limitations for women and girls.”

Days for Girls provides holistic menstrual health education, helps increase the accessibility of menstrual products for all individuals, trains Social Entrepreneurs and partners with government and health organizations to advances global menstrual equity.

In order to support this organization, you can

  • Donate: You can donate funds either once or on a monthly basis or you can donate products to people who need them, through DfG’s website. DfG provides various other ways to donate on their website including creating your own fundraiser or donating your wedding registry. You can check all donating options through their website: https://www.daysforgirls.org/ways-to-give/
  • Another way to get involved with DfG is through connecting to a DfG team in your area, or even better than that, to start a club in your school/college that partners with DfG. This can be an opportunity for you to join in on advocacy efforts to influence positive change for minimizing period poverty within your own school. You can also contribute to DfG’s mission through organizing fundraising events.

This webpage includes registration forms that you can fill out in order to start a club or a team: https://www.daysforgirls.org/how-dfg-volunteers-work/

Bloody Good Period:

“We give period products to those who can’t afford them and provide reproductive health education to those less likely to access it. And we help everybody talk about periods!“

The three main missions of this organization is to Deliver, Educate, and Normalize. There are several ways through which you can contribute to their mission.

  • To help Deliver, you can donate once, on a monthly basis, or annually. You can also help with organizing fundraising activities. Some ways BGP suggests for fundraising are:
    • Buying a period quiz and playing it with friends, colleagues, and family,
    • Selling the closet items you are not wearing anymore and donating the money to BGP,
    • Organizing a bake-sale event and fundraising,
    • Organizing a club in your school or college through which you can start small fundraising events for BGP,
    • AND, many other ways you can contribute to their mission. BGP shares these wonderful and fun fundraising suggestions on this file: https://www.bloodygoodperiod.com/_files/ugd/0977fb_10ebf18d96ae4ff0af8bda09313893f5.pdf
  • To help Educate, you can become or invite a professional you know to become a Medical Volunteer who partners with BGP to lead 1.5 hour educational sessions focusing on Menstrual, Sexual and Reproductive Health. Although unfortunately BGP currently doesn’t take any further applications for other volunteering opportunities, they suggest you to sign up for their newsletter to stay updated on the upcoming volunteering opportunities.
  • To help Normalize, share posts on your social media accounts and use #PeriodPenalty hashtag. One example hashtag posts shared on BGP website is:

“I find it extremely difficult because I get quite bad PMS with regards to emotion and my male manager thinks it is okay to ridicule me for this whilst also managing to say it is fake. So I would only ever talk about menstruation with my female colleague, never with male leadership”

 

Sustainable Health Enterprises (SHE):

“SHE is helping women jump-start social businesses to manufacture and distribute affordable menstrual pads. Coupled with health education and advocacy, girls and women will have even more productive lives than before.”

This organization approaches minimizing period poverty through Debunking Stereotypes, Reclaiming Local Resources, Investing in New Ideas and People, and Launching Entrepreneurs to Improve Lives.

Tons of trunk fiber is thrown away by banana farmers in Rwanda every year. SHE provides these farmers with equipment and training, so that they can process and sell the trunk fibers to them. Then, SHE takes the processed fibers to their community factory to be cut, carded, washed, fluffed, and solar dried under a US Patent approved manufacturing process. The manufactured menstrual pads are sold at an affordable price to schools and individuals who need them! They also “debunk myths and taboos” about periods through health and hygiene education in schools and community.

If you are willing to contribute to SHE’s mission, you can join in their SHE28 campaign by making one-time or monthly donations through their website.

A Final “Period” Note:

Menstruation, a natural yet painful experience endured by half of the world’s population, remains steeped in stigma. Body shaming and societal taboos have isolated many menstruating individuals, leaving them uninformed about their own bodies and proper care. To make living with period as close to convenience as possible, specialized hygiene products are essential, but their accessibility remains a global challenge. High-quality and sustainable options, often deemed luxurious in many places around in the world, are financially out of reach for too many.

It is also important to acknowledge that, “Not all women menstruate, and not all menstruators are women.” It’s necessary to recognize the diversity of menstruating individuals beyond traditional gender norms and respect all experiences of menstruation.

Lack of reproductive health education perpetuates cycles of pain, illness, and inequality, and a world with inequality for half of its population is similar to a bird with an injured wing, unable to soar.

Our collective responsibility lies in removing these barriers. Through awareness, education, and providing accessible products, we can foster a world where menstruation is understood and managed without shame or obstacle. Each small step towards equity strengthens all humanity.

Citations:

Sacca, L. (2024). Period Poverty in U.S. College Students. Journal of Women’s Health (Larchmont, N.Y. 2002), 33(1), 1–2. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2023.0868
Posted on by Cesar

What Helped Me Stay Organized as a Student at UW-Bothell

 My time here at UW-Bothell has been quite the journey. I developed many new skills and experiences as I embraced coming and dorming here from my hometown. To me, it is still unbelievable that I will be graduating this spring quarter! Time goes by fast and each time I think of this, I still remember the chaos of my high school graduation and senior night. I knew that participating in the Running Start program at my community college would set me up for the ability to advance in college credits so that I would be able to graduate early. However, it is still shocking to see that in a couple of weeks, I will be walking across the stage. 

 This past academic year has proved to me that time goes by fast and that it is important to take advantage of each given moment. With this being my last quarter here at UW-Bothell, I wanted to share some of my skills and tips that I have developed and embraced throughout my two years of being here. 

Something that I used each day during high school that has stuck by me to this very day is: a planner. I find that by having a planner, it makes everything a lot easier. Not to mention that it can also help you develop other skills like organization, time-management and reduced stress/ procrastination. This can certainly help especially if you are a college student with a hectic schedule filled with demanding homework deadlines. 

When it comes to using a physical or an electronic planner, I personally enjoy a physical one. I like to have the physical copy of my planner so that I can customize it to my liking and so that when I do check things off, it feels more of an accomplishment. Not to mention that for me, having a physical planner is more aesthetically pleasing to have and it keeps me accountable for being consistent with planning out my weekly schedules. 

 

Weekly Planning For Beginners And Pros - Bordio
Image Captured from Bordio.com

Let me take you through my process when it comes to using my planner. To start, I enjoy planning my week every Sunday. This is so that I am aware of what is happening throughout the week ahead of me and so that I’m able to see what I have to get done for that given week. I am also able to prioritize my assignments to see which things require more attention. 

Every day, I like to start the day off by going to the gym. Incorporating weight training into my schedule is a way for me to take time for myself and for my health. I like to set aside about two hours of my morning that is dedicated to this. Within my planner, I write down “Gym @ 8am” for each day, Monday-Friday. This helps me be accountable for getting up in the morning and tackling the day with a good workout. 

Next, I like to write down my scheduled times for my job and for any lectures. With this, and the gym, I like to do a check box on the left-hand side so that once I finish this task, I can sigh relief after I have checked it off. When it comes to class assignments, I like to write them down on the days that they are due during the week, along with the times as well. I find that having Canvas opened to the monthly setting helps me get a clearer picture of how many things I have to do. It also gives me the ability to have some insight the week after to see if there are any important exams, projects, events, etc., need to prepare well in advance. 

Due to the majority of my coursework having deadlines on Sundays @ 11:59 pm, I’ve noticed that the Sunday box within my planner usually has more writing within it. To help manage my time with my classes, and with what I have assigned, I like to color coordinate my classes and assignments. What is nifty about this is that it makes my planner more organized and appealing to the eye. 

Whenever I have additional things that occur during the week, I also like to write them down so that I do not forget. This usually includes any scheduled times that an event or a meeting will happen. As a busy college student, having things written down is important because it helps me manage my time and priorities better. 

 

Photo of my planner for the week of May 20th – May 26th

Having a planner with everything laid out helps me with my routine. I am very routine-oriented, and I like to know what has to get done during the week so that I don’t rush or procrastinate at the last minute. I carry this around with me in my backpack so if there is anything I need to check off or update, I can do so.

Reflecting on how my planner has helped me throughout college, I developed new skills and strengthened some of the skills that I currently have. A new skill I developed is multitasking, and a couple that I have strengthened are prioritizing my objectives, organization, and time management. Some of the skills were ones that I already have, but with the help of a planner, I’ve noticed how it has helped me strengthen my skills because I can get a head start for the week and see which assignment deadlines were high and low-stakes. 

Learning these skills is something that I didn’t adapt to easily. If I were to pull out my previous planner, the resemblance would be apparent as it has taken me time and effort to implement exactly what I was looking for in terms of developing a routine, planning, and organizing. I think we underestimate the power of the planner. It is such a prime way to stay organized and consistent. The nice thing about a planner is that it only suits you and you. It contains your work, schedule, meetings, appointments, etc. A glimpse into your life on paper is the way that I like to think of it.

Looking at the planner example below, one thing that stood out to me was that the creator included a “Rest Day!” on a weekend day. I think this is something that I could see myself doing for the future of my planner because it’s such a great written reminder to prioritize ourselves at the end of a crazy and busy week. 

Some of these techniques were effective for me when it came to using my planner and I hope this blog post can inspire and help any new and current students who are thinking about using a planner or need some guidance to get started. 

Happy planning! 

 

Image Captured from Korrashay.com

 

Resources to help you get started on your planning journey:

Resources for UW-Bothell Students: 

Resources for Cascadia College Students: 

Posted on by cvera2

How to Stay Organized as a College Student

The transition from high school to college introduces independence and accountability into our lives. You are responsible for attending your lectures, choosing your class times, and for many of us, paying room and board. These responsibilities can be overwhelming, especially staying on top of your assignments, completing personal tasks, and including time for socialization and self-care. It might feel as though you have to neglect certain parts of your life in order to be successful as a student, but that isn’t always true, this post includes tools you can use to give you peace of mind and structure in your life.

Notion

Notion is an all-in-one workspace that allows you to keep your life organized and gives creative freedom on what you want to create. There are endless possibilities on what you can create, such as finances trackers, vacation planning, habit trackers, and most importantly assignment trackers. This is the platform that I have used since my freshman year of college and I believe it is the reason I have been able to be successful and stay on top of my coursework.

Before using Notion, I had been overwhelmed with the daily tasks of being a college student. I remember asking myself, how do I stay on top of class, complete extracurricular activities, work on side projects, have a job, stay on top of finances and bills, have time for social activities, and have time for self-care? When you list these things out, it sounds extremely overwhelming, and can cause of sense of doubt. Since you’re stressed out about what you have to do, many times we procrastinate and prevent ourselves from achieving what we are capable of. In reality, it all comes down to how well you organize and structure these activities.

Assignment Tracker

An assignment tracker is a great way to start your journey with Notion. I start off my pages with a cover, which I usually download from Pinterest or choose from the built in options on Notion. I then choose an icon to be at the top of the page to be the page identifier on the sidebar view. I then insert a table and put in my school schedule with course number and class times, including an estimated study time depending on the day. Under this schedule is where I insert a call out, where I include my reminders. Lastly, I include a table view with my assignments! I include the class name, my status on the assignment, the date I want to start working on it, then the due date.

Here is an example assignment page that I use!

It may be difficult to get started on Notion and learn all of its functionalities, there are guides available to help you get started with creating your online workspace! Additionally, if you are stuck on how you want to customize your pages, there are free templates available that you can import into your Notion page that has everything all done for you! These include templates such as study pages, travel planners, investment planners and more.

Google Calendar

Google Calendar is an online calendar that allows you to plan your daily tasks in an organized manner. I have tried numerous online calendars and highly prefer using Google Calendar to plan my day because of the color customization and overall visual aspects of the calendar.

A tip I have as a college student is to plan your days one at a time, this means setting apart 20 minutes at the end of each day to plan how you want the next day to be structured. When you do this, you are most likely to stick to your plan and not set unrealistic goals for yourself as you might do when planning an entire month out at once. Knowing this, it is still good practice to note down any special dates such as meetings, appointments, or any future commitments so you don’t forget.

I recommend planning absolutely everything, especially if you are someone that struggles with productivity. This means planning the time you will wake up, time to get ready, time to get to a certain destination etc. Of course, life happens and it may not always go as planned, but knowing an idea of how your day will look like helps bring a sense of peace to our already busy lives. 

Here is an example of how your Google Calendar may look like:

To customize the colors and make your calendar look aesthetically pleasing, there are multiple online tutorials to help you get started.

Do I Need Anything Else?

It is a common belief that to be productive we need to purchase extra tools such as a nice laptop, an iPad, or digital journals. If these are tools that actually do help, that’s great! However, many times these are unnecessary purchases that may not help at all or be useful to you. Productivity comes down to you and how you utilize your time. I realized that all I need to be successful is my laptop and nothing else. I was someone who was influenced to buy an iPad due to the belief that it would boost my productivity, sometimes I write some notes on it, but there are times where I go months without touching it. Don’t feel like you need fancy materials to be productive. You are capable of achieving your goals by your determination and willingness to try out new tools such as Notion or Google Calendar.

Good luck on your academic journey!

 

Posted on by Cesar

Stay Safe and Cozy During this Winter Season 

The change in seasons can effect people in different ways, especially when there is a significant change, such as going from a warm season to a cold one. It’s critical to be aware of some of the things that may happen so that you’re better prepared. While we, including myself, may think that we understand how to prepare, it may be a good idea to receive a refresher on some key points. This winter season has been a chilly one. 

     Image captured from The Animated Woman

Securing everything for the winter doesn’t have to be a huge hassle! All it takes is just double-checking that everything is working, and taking action to restore anything that might need to be replaced. This would ease some of the stressors during the winter for you and your wallet. 

Each upcoming winter season, my family and I like to take initiative steps to ensure we have some of the basics to survive a cold winter. We like to ensure we stock up on essentials such as perishable food items, water, portable charges (so that you’re able to charge your device without needing an outlet), flashlights, batteries, etc. Having these things on hand would be beneficial because as many of us know, Washington enjoys being unpredictable. It’s not fun having to make the trip to the store during harsh road conditions, so why not take these preventative measures so that you’re able to stay warm and safe during this chilly time?

Winter and Your Home 

  • Some things that you can do to winterize your house can be things like:

    • Ensure that electrical, installation, and wiring are free from any possible damages or tears. 
    • Check your heater systems, smoke detectors, alarms, etc.
    • Stocking up on any perishable and canned foods, water, medications, batteries, etc. (this would be crucial in case there were any power outages) 
    • Having extra blankets, candles, and flashlights at the ready 
    • Obtaining a fire extinguisher and first aid kit in the event of something unexpected
       Image captured from At Your Service

 

Winter and Your Vehicle 

Image captured from iStock
         Image captured from iStock

 Many people tend to enjoy driving in the snow. I encourage  staying home so that you’re safe, but with that said, there are times when it’s inevitable to make the journey outside. Having our vehicles prepared for these times is just as important as winterizing your house. Another factor to consider would be to make sure your vehicle is set for the winter. 

A few things that I like to do to make sure my car is prepared are: 

  • Checking my tires and tire pressure (to make sure the thread is still good and there aren’t any tears)
  • Having a first aid kit in the car 
  • Checking my overall engine for any potential leaks, smells, unusual sounds, etc. 

For more information about keeping your vehicle ready for the winter season, I’d recommend referencing the Kelly Blue Book. They provide excellent information that is concise and easy to follow.

Winter and School

Having to worry about school during the winter season can be stressful. I think it is important to be attentive to school alerts regarding a closure due to any inclement weather. If there isn’t an emergent reason to go out, especially since school might be closed, just stay home. Your safety and that of those around you matter. The bright side to this is that the University of Washington Bothell and Cascadia College both have alert sign-ups so that you can be up-to-date with any updates about a potential closure. 

                 Image captured from iStock

When I have to commute somewhere, and there is snow on the roads, I like to reference the WA State DOT Traffic Cameras to get a glimpse of how prepared I should be or if I should remain at home until the time being. 

Preparing for the winter season doesn’t have to be hectic. I think that taking initiative to ensure you have everything settled is key to surviving a cold winter season. The following sources are a great reference to use when preparing for the winter season. 

Remaining indoors due to the inclement weather doesn’t have to be boring! The UW Bothell / Cascadia College Campus Library and the King County Library System both have excellent resources and online access for you to keep busy with e-books, podcasts, and more! If you’d like to search for podcasts or episodes, Listen Notes has an excellent selection of online podcasts that will help keep you entertained on a snowy day! 

Remember to stay safe and cozy out there! 



 

Title background image captured from: Wallpaperbat