When some people think about vegans, the image of a dreadlocked, Birkenstock-wearing, van-owning white man may come to mind. While there are certainly vegans who fit this stereotype, going vegan can be for everyone.
First-year Western Washington University student Hilary Greenwood hiked the entire Pacific Crest Trail in five months. Now, she can’t sleep in a bed because she said they’re too comfortable. “I think it’s hard for me because I slept on the ground for so much of [the trail] that I’m used to it,” Greenwood said.
Ana Swetish, a third-year student at Western Washington University, is the best surfski competitor in the world under 23 years old. Her journey began when she was 11 years old. “In 2013, a kid’s kayak team started in Bellingham on Lake Padden, and my dad signed my sister and I up,” Swetish said. “I fell in love with it.”
Chalk floats through the air. Thumping feet hit the mat-covered floor. Athletes cling to colorful round holds that cover the high walls, pure strength and stamina holding them in place. This is Vital Climbing Gym. Finbarr Anderson, a new climber as of April 2022 and a third-year student at Western Washington University, said when people start climbing, they generally find their skill level rapidly advances.
Sophia Carter’s Instagram account is filled with smiling selfies and photos of friends. It’s also overflowing with authenticity. Carter, a third-year Western Washington University student, uses Instagram to share her journey living with eating disorders since 2019. On her platform of more than 60,000 followers (@sophiaecarter), she posts unposed pictures, updates on her recovery and reassuring reels. Ironically, Carter noted, Instagram influenced the beginning of her eating disorders.
Solutions by The State News
