The Current | Vol. 32 Issue 1

May 25 2021 | nsucurrent.nova.edu 15 Since the pandemic, NSU has transitioned to the BlendFlex model. BlendFlex gives students the option to take classes on campus or online. Some students have gone to campus because conversations and making friends with others is considerably simpler than making them online. “I prefer face-to-face because I like seeing people’s reactions when you’re talking with them and you get to know the person better,” said Lauren Do Nascimento, sophomore communications major at NSU. Face-to-face is preferable, but online is the one of the best options right now for college students, according to Navigating relationships, both romantic and platonic, can be a difficult task, and the pandemic hasn’t made it any easier. Especially in college, when students are given opportunities to meet new people and foster new connections, the path to healthy relationships can be a bumpy road. College can be the place you find your closest friends, your best mentors or even your life partner, but unfortunately, not all relationships are positive and healthy ones. According to Loveisrespect.org, nearly half (43%) of women dating in college report experiencing violent and abusive dating behaviors, and the numbers are high among college men as well. Why such a high percentage? Difficulties identifying unhealthy relationship behaviors points to part of the problem. 57% of college students said it’s difficult to identify these types of Brandon Bieltz’s article published by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. When you’re at college, you are starting to create an identity and it is the start of networking. Mineleese Dorelus, freshman communications major at NSU, prefers face-to face because she gets to engage more with people than online. “Making friends online isn’t very hard because you can literally bond with someone over something so simple as a TV show. I found it particularly difficult to make friends with students during or after my online classes in the beginning, but after I started joining GroupMe group chats and joining in on the conversations on Zoom, I started creating friendships relationships and 58% say they don’t know how to help someone who’s experiencing it, according to Loveisrespect.org. Without being equipped with the knowledgeand tools to identifyand remedy toxic relationships, many college students fall victim to their dangerous effects. There are innumerable negative effects that being in an unhealthy relationship can have on young individuals, including putting the victims at higher risk for substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behavior and further domestic violence. It is important to remember that not every unhealthy relationship looks the same. Every relationship is different and it can be difficult to discern when a healthy relationship turns unhealthy or even abusive, but being aware of some common signs is crucial. • Checking your cell phone or email without your permission • Constantly putting you down Emma Heineman Features Editor Once you enter college, you may feel yourself going through changes and having different mindsets. One of those mindsets may be that you want a change in diet, like going vegan, for example. Being a vegan is not usually something that comes easy, but doing research and preparing meals and snacks is the best way to go about this lifestyle transition. Thankfully, here at NSU, we have a few vegan options on campus. Most of our vegan options come from the UC food court. If you are the type that plans on being a healthy vegan or you just want some food that is nutrient filled, then Fresh Corner is a great option for you. Fresh Corner offers several vegan foods that you can have in a salad, bowl or wrap. Another great place for plant-based meals is Rooted. Rooted is similar to Fresh Corner because the ingredients are wholesome and have a lot of flavor. Then, if you feel like treating yourself, there’s 2.mato. 2.mato has some Italian options such as pastas and fresh pizzas. You just have to look out for the menu items that are labeled as vegan or vegetarian. If you’re looking for a quicker vegan option, then stop by Outtakes. • Extreme jealousy or insecurity • Explosive temper • Isolating you from family or friends • Making false accusations • Mood swings • Physically hurting you in any way • Possessiveness • Telling you what to do • Pressuring or forcing you to have sex Communicate Communication is a fundamental building block in any relationship and can help you to avoid and identify warning signs before they become an issue. If something is bothering you, speak up. If you aren’t comfortable talking to your friend or partner about their behavior, go to someone you can confide in. Whether it’s a close friend, a family member, school counselor or a Title IX Officer, make sure you have someone to talk to. In many cases, outside advice can help individuals Health & Wellness Navigating healthy relationships in college Becoming a vegetarian Neha Simon Contributing Writer Making Friends Online Ashley Diaz Contributing Writer decide what plan of action to take to fix or get out of a toxic relationship. NSU has a variety of resources available to help students who may be struggling with an unhealthy or abusive relationship. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you or someone you know needs help. Resources Laura Bennett Title XI Coordinator Tel: 954-262-7858 Email: laura.bennett@ nova.edu Desmond Daniels, Title IX Investigator/Deputy Title IX Coordinator Tel: 954-262-7863 Email: dddaniels@ nova.edu Henderson Student Counseling Center Office: 954-424-6911 or 954-262- 7050 Hotline: 954-424-6911 or 954-262- 7050 (available 24 hours, 7 days a week) hendersonbh.org/studentcounseling-3. php College can be one of the most exciting moments of one’s life. It is most people’s first time finally gaining some independence, meeting new people and trying new things. Because of this, a lot of people feel the desire to reinvent themselves and start to see themselves change. There are various ways in which people do this: new styles, new clothes, new friends and more. However, one of the most common things that people change when they get into college is their diet. With the number of new fad diets out there, people try this in a variety of ways and one of the most common and tried and true changes people make is becoming either vegetarian or pescatarian. There are numerous reasons as to why becoming a vegetarian is such a common and great practice that many people are adopting into their lives. There are many health benefits that come from being vegetarian for a lot of people. This includes decreased risk for heart issues, diabetes, high cholesterol, blood pressure, and much more. Beyond that, it is also an ecologically sustainable choice. For many people, it also increases energy as you are taking away the feelings of being lethargic associated with certain types of meat. Although this lifestyle may not be for everyone for various reasons, if it is an option for you, it is definitely something you should look into for at least a period of time. You may be surprised at the results. However, with going vegetarian, many people fear that they will be limited in their options. This is not necessarily true. If you are living on campus, every store or restaurant on campus has a variety of options catered to vegetarians. Many of the places on campus that offer food will even make your food without meat if asked. However, if you are someone who likes to cook and wants new recipes, below are a few websites with different options for amazing recipes for vegetarians. https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/ easy-30-minute-vegetarian-dinners/ https://www.cookinglight.com/food/ vegetarian/simple-vegetarian-recipes https://www.budgetbytes.com/category/ recipes/vegetarian/ Outtakes has a lot of vegan and vegetarian options that take allergens into account as well. Although there are some vegan options on campus, that may not always be something that you want to turn to when you’re hungry. Going vegan means that dorm room snacks are a must. Now, it may be difficult to cook in your dorm room, but it’s always good to stock up on essential vegan items. Hummus, non-dairy milk and nut butters are some options that can help make a great snack idea come to life. Even with all the vegan options that are available on campus, it’s always good to look at the vegan restaurants or food services outside of campus. Of course, you won’t be living on campus forever and you’ll appreciate the amount of options around that are vegan friendly. In this journey, it’s important to do research, meal plan and understand labels. You’ll have so many opportunities in college to discover different types of vegan foods and expand your knowledge on plant-based eating. with my classmates. In the GroupMe chats, we all help each other with assignments, make jokes and have each other’s backs. The other day, I could not find my math test on Canvas and I started freaking out, but I messaged people on our GroupMe. They could not help me look, but they wished me well and left me positive words,” said Nascimento. There are a lot of other ways for students to connect with others online. Students can follow their classmates on Instagram or Tiktok. Sharing and liking each other’s post is a way of connecting with them. Creating study groups via Zoom helps both with their grades and their social life. I had joined one study group with friends I made before and after the pandemic. It helped me with my midterm and I got to know my friends a little more. Making friends online can still be uncomfortable since it’s technically a new way of navigating college, but we have to try. We can’t just stay sitting down in our bedrooms alone; we need to communicate with others. Taking classes and making friends online has made me more sociable with people,while staying safe inside due to COVID-19. We need to learn how to make friends online so that we can thrive during these hard times. Going vegan in college Jaden Wilson Contributing Writer