Child Abuse: A much needed course

Hi all,

So this is it. My very last semester as an undergrad student at PLU (I might come back here for graduate school but we'll see, I need to earn some money first). Since this is my final semester and the nursing program only offers 10 credits, I decided to take some other courses to be full time and to learn more about things outside of Nursing.

From Nursing and Non-Nursing friends, I've heard so much about the class "Issues of Child Abuse and Neglect" and I could not stop myself from signing up for that class.

The course is 1 credit and is taught in 2 Saturdays (8:30am - 3:30 pm). If you are an undergraduate student, you take it by signing up for EDUC 320 and if you're a graduate student, yours should be EDUC 520.

The binder for the class. You can buy this binder at Garfield Bookstore

I do honestly believe that no matter what your major is or where you will end up working, the issues of Child Abuse and Neglect are always around us but sometimes, they are hidden too well and this course will help you recognize what is out there and what you can do to help.

This class is awesome because it not only covers child abuse and neglect issues but also issues regarding bullying and mental health. You turn on the TV, open a newspaper, or go on any news websites these days, it is not hard to see these things happen everyday. Go to Google and type key words such as "child abuse", "bullying", "cyberbullying", "gay teen", "transgender", "hazing", etc... I am quite sure Google will show you daily news about these things.

To be honest, the course has helped me so much with my experience working in the hospital. However, it also brought to my attention so many issues out there that are extremely painful to watch and makes me afraid to have children of my own.

I do hope that things will get better and we as human will treat one another better. When Actress Ellen Page came out, she said "This world would be a whole lot better if we just made a effort to be less horrible to one another". Until then, I'm playing my part by encouraging you guys to take courses like this one. I do believe that education and knowledge will lead us to a better life, hence, help us make a difference in someone else's life as well.

Life of a Vegan

“Veganism is not about giving anything up or losing anything; it is about gaining the peace within yourself that comes from embracing nonviolence and refusing to participate in the exploitation of the vulnerable." ― Gary L. Francione

Dear friends,

Long time no see. Long time no blogs. How have you been? If you were away during J-term, whether you were cross-country skiing in the mountains or dealing with annoying kids at home, hope you had a fabulous break!

I became a vegan (not consuming animal products) this January and decided to vote with dollars to battle with this world of meat and industry cruelty. But I won't go in depth to talk about the flaws in American food industry or the loss of humanity in exchange for profits. Food Inc. is a good introductory movie for those who are interested. Anyway

Though I started having all these worry bubbles in my head: Would I get enough to eat? Would I be hungry all the time? Would my body despise the stupid decision I made? Whether or not I could stick to my decision seemed kinda questionable to some of my friends because they all knew how much I enjoyed eating. I LOVE food. You have no idea how much I LOVE TO EAT. I get a l.i.t.t.l.e crazy about it sometimes as you can tell.

But being a vegan in the past 30 days has been fun. They say that it takes about 28 days to form a habit. I do think that my eating habit has already be adjusted and I am confident to give the world a big shout out that I will now be able to live without meat! One benefit about not being a meat eater is that you have to eat all kinds of other foods to satisfy your body's needs for nutrients. I believe that the key to any diets is to explore a variety of foods to get adequate nutrition. Oh on that note, I have to thank my little helper assisting me along this journey, Pinterest- a social medium that allows you to pin and collect new ideas and etc. I found all my healthy, hearty recipes from there. If you haven't heard, it is time buddy! Go explore, dream, and discover! This site will show you the magic.

Now I am going to share with you a couple of my favorite recipes, hoping that you will enjoy them as well. (Click on each title to get the recipes)

• Kale and Wild Rice Casserole: Made out of super food Kale, which contains excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K. Consuming Kale on a daily basis will bring many anti-cancer health benefits.

 

Pictures borrowed from Half Baked Harvest

• Salt & Vinegar Kale Chips: Another way to make kale delicious is to bake them into chips. Make sure you have enough oil coating on each kale piece, so that it will be crispy. 
• Avocado on Toast: Well, this is just as simple as it sounds. Spread avocado on your toast instead of butter. It tastes just like butter but it is WAY more healthier with avocado. Eating healthly basically means substituting natural foods for artificial, industrial-processed foods.

Be creative. This is the only suggestion I have for the anti animal products population. It might not be easy to begin, but the result is rewarding. It helps me avoid the guilt I get after consuming meat from unknown sources. In a way, I think showing care to all creatures on earth contributes to making this world a better place to live. O.K. enough manipulative comments. I will leave you all alone.

Have a great semester ahead people :)

Love always,

Shunying