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Mindfulness meditation reduces stress, improves wellbeing

Scholarly articles have suggested that a meditation routine reduces stress, and Michelle DuVal and Tiffany Martinez believe that meditation can be particularly helpful for students with this year’s added stressors. DuVal, a meditation coach at the Mindful Center, said the reason that meditation is effective at reducing stress is because it can slow down your central nervous system. A 2019 study from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association found a connection between stress and poor physical and mental health.

As war on drugs winds down, New Mexico at a crossroads

Following the recent legislation in Oregon to decriminalize all drugs and other states like neighboring Arizona voting to legalize recreational marijuana, the focus in New Mexico has turned once again to the state’s policies in regard to illicit substances. Some are hopeful for a future with a harm-reduction approach as the beginning of the end of the war on drugs. “It’s the start of a new era,” a University of New Mexico student familiar with illicit substances, who requested to be referred to as AJ to protect his privacy, said. As psychoactive substances — like cannabis and psychedelics — are decriminalized at the state level, legalization advocates and some medical experts are hopeful more clinical research on the potential benefits these substances have will follow.

LETTER: Bill 18F would cut funding for ‘irreplaceable public service’

The University of New Mexico College Democrats strongly oppose ASUNM Senate Bill 18F that would slash guaranteed funding for student publications from 8.5% to 4% of ASUNM revenue. Student publications such as the Daily Lobo are indispensable to the undergraduate population at UNM, having been proven to be a unique and irreplaceable public service by providing students with steady, credible reporting and information, most recently with information on where and how to vote in the 2020 election.

Students face challenge of overworking themselves to failure

Millions of students struggle to find a balance between work and academic success in school, providing a challenge for mental health stability. The coronavirus pandemic has changed the world’s outlook on mental health entirely as people cope in a starkly isolated time. Margaret White, a case manager at the University of New Mexico’s Student Health and Counseling, said there are two parts to higher education: actually getting accepted and figuring out how to pay for it. College tuition has increased more than 25% in the last decade, according to CNBC, and White said listening to the students’ voice “has fallen to the side.”

Protecting the (dog) pack during pandemic

There's no doubt that this year has thrown us many curveballs. With the amount of stress everyone may be going through, it's important to take a step back and remember something as simple as petting a dog can make all the difference. According to an article shared by the University of New Mexico’s human resources department, “Stroking, hugging or otherwise touching a loving animal can rapidly calm and soothe us when we’re stressed or anxious.” The article gives many examples of how trained dogs can help people have a healthy lifestyle. They provide companionship and stress relief while adding structure and routine to the day, which are things that many students could use while living in a dorm during a pandemic.

Nov 16, 2020 Comics

LETTER: Structural changes needed to prevent tragic deaths like KUNM news director

In the wake of KUNM news director Hannah Colton’s death, a common refrain by friends, loved ones and community members circulated: “Check on your friends, and reach out if you need help.” As two people who were very close to Hannah, we hear and appreciate the gesture. Creating communities of care and resilience is important. But checking on Hannah, asking that she reach out, did not solve the underlying problems that led to her death. Hannah was a journalist who led a chronically understaffed and resource-deprived newsroom, no different than most other newsrooms and many nonprofits. Every day she confronted very real structural violences of a world organized around profit and white supremacy.

Medication assisted treatment faces roadblocks in opioid addiction fight

In light of the decriminalization of hard drugs in Oregon, New Mexicans may finally warm up to medication assisted treatment for substance abuse disorders. A recent study published in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment found that “buprenorphine and methadone in particular reduce fatal opioid overdose rates by 50–70%, reduce illicit drug use, increase treatment retention and improve psychosocial outcomes.” While the D.A.R.E. campaign enthusiastically warned students about the dangers of drug use in the late 90’s, “pharmaceutical companies reassured the medical community that patients would not become addicted to prescription opioid pain relievers,” according to the National Institutes of Health.

Agora Crisis Center celebrates 50th anniversary

The Agora Crisis Center, opened on the University of New Mexico’s campus in the 1970s, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. According to the Agora website, the crisis center was “one of the first crisis centers of its kind,” formed in response to a student who took their own life after unsuccessfully seeking help. The organization’s goal from its inception has been to provide an outlet for anyone who needs to talk to someone, with a focus on providing support to UNM students.

Local parkour trainer Andrew Smith explains dedication to UNM

Parkour trainer Andrew Smith stands out in the crowd at the University of New Mexico, leaping from concrete walls and vaulting the circles of outdoor seating across from Mitchell Hall. “I’m like a machine, pretty much. That’s why people see me all the time,” the 32-year-old Smith said. “I usually practice every day — it just depends what mood I’m in or how my body’s feeling. For the most part, I practice for two hours or more (daily).” Smith’s commitment to training frequently and for substantial stretches of time has made him a recognizable figure at UNM.

Land Witness Project encourages activism to slow climate change

Climate change has been a prominent topic as the window to reverse the damage already wrought to the environment by anthropogenic sources narrows by the day. The Land Witness Project is a collection of personal stories about the detrimental impact of climate change in New Mexico. “It’s not just (about) stories but getting people to actually take action,” Nancy Singham, a writer for the project, said. The project started in June 2019, but the launch was delayed until September 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. In-person events related to the project have also been delayed until it’s safe to hold them, according to Singham.

LoboTHON raises over $80,000 for UNM Children’s Hospital

After a postponement of several months, the University of New Mexico LoboTHON’s highly anticipated dance marathon finally occurred on Saturday, Nov. 7, raising $80,055 for UNM’s Children’s Hospital — $3,000 more than their target goal. LoboTHON is the largest student-run philanthropy organization at UNM. According to Noah Lucero, LoboTHON’s executive director, their goal is to raise money and awareness for UNM’s Children’s Hospital through creative events like dodgeball or bingo. Lucero said this year, due to COVID-19 concerns, the events shifted online. They included silent actions, social media events and “dine to donate” at restaurants. Leading up to the dance marathon, various student organizations around UNM helped to raise awareness about the upcoming events.

KUNM news director and reporter Hannah Colton dies at 29

The tight-knit journalism community in New Mexico lost a luminescent figure on Tuesday. Hannah Colton, the news director at KUNM and a pillar of the press corps in the state, died at the age of 29 on Nov. 10. The sense of loss was tremendous as the news of Colton’s passing was announced on KUNM on Wednesday night. “The KUNM community is heartbroken to say that news director Hannah Colton died earlier this week at age 29,” KUNM reporter and producer Marisa Demarco said. “She has been a brilliant news leader during the pandemic, guiding the team and editing stories about the virus, the calls to stop racist policing and the 2020 election.”

Nov 11, 2020 Comics

City introduces pawnbroker ordinance in attempt to deter property crime

On Monday Nov. 2, the Albuquerque City Council approved the Pawnbroker Ordinance — sponsored by Councillor Diane Gibson — in an attempt to crack down on the resale of stolen goods. As recently as 2017, the FBI listed Albuquerque as the city with the highest rate of property crime in the nation. Though rates have come down in recent years, the City of Albuquerque still reported 10,271 larceny or theft offenses in 2020 at the mid-year point. Albuquerque Police Department representatives said that the ordinance would address property crime rates by increasing the number of cases that are eligible for prosecution, increasing the conviction rates of cases sent to the District Attorney's Office and helping to recover stolen firearms.

Lobos drop 11th straight, ‘broken record’ skips on in Hawaii

The 2020 edition of the University of New Mexico football team continued its winless start to the pandemic-plagued season as the Lobos (0-2) lost 39-33 to Hawaii on Saturday, Nov. 7. While the Lobos looked to end their losing streak — which is now up to 11 consecutive games starting with a Sept. 28, 2019 loss at Liberty — that hope would fade by the end of the evening. Things seemed to be in UNM’s favor at the start of the game, as the Lobos flew out to an early 7-0 lead after a three play, 65-yard drive, capped off by a Tevaka Tuioti pass to Jordan Kress for 52 yards.

‘Lovecraft Country’: A confusing, beautiful show

Content warning: This article contains references to sexual assault. I have watched my fair share of HBO shows, from “Westworld” to “Game of Thrones,” but no show has left me as baffled or confused after every episode than “Lovecraft Country.” In essence, the show is about the Braithwhite family and their use of magic to become immortal, which is an interesting concept ruined by how little it’s fleshed out. The two main conflicts that drive the series are Hannah’s status as the African American slave of Titus Braithwhite, which results in her rape and subsequent pregnancy, and the Book of Names, which is a spell book of life, transformation and genesis that was taken by Hannah when Titus’ lodge burned down.

Grad student union effort nears threshold for recognition

University of New Mexico graduate student workers reported on Friday that more than 40% of eligible graduate workers have signed union cards. The union needs 50% plus one in order to appeal to the New Mexico Public Employee Labor Relations Board (PELRB) to form a union. “More cards have been coming in ... We have broken 700 cards, and there are 1,600 graduate students. And so, a simple majority is 800,” Emigdio Turner, a chemistry Ph.D. candidate at UNM and union organizing committee member, said during a Zoom breakout session with STEM graduate students on Friday. “(But), we would be looking to go much further past that to demonstrate unilateral support.”

Video of man performing traditional dance goes viral

Editor’s note: The original version of this article incorrectly labeled the dance that Trujillo spontaneously performed as one from the Pueblo of Ohkay Owingeh. The dance was a men’s northern traditional dance not associated with a particular pueblo. We apologize for the error. Ashkia “Kia” Randy Trujillo left his car idling as he jumped out onto Central Avenue in downtown Albuquerque on Saturday evening to spontaneously perform a portion of a men’s northern traditional storytelling dance. Video of the performance captured by a Daily Lobo photographer went viral almost immediately, attracting more than 5 million views and highlighting the influence of Native American voters in the 2020 election.

La Cosecha Dual Language Conference hosts virtual powwow

A virtual powwow and dance took place on Thursday, Nov. 5 as a part of the La Cosecha Dual Language Conference, hosted by the Dual Language Education of New Mexico (DLENM). The powwow was streamed by AMP Concerts, a local nonprofit organization that works either independently or with local groups to host concerts in the northern New Mexico area. According to the La Cosecha website, the conference started in 1996, and the goal of the conference has always been to support educators, parents, researchers and practitioners whose goal is supporting dual language programs and other related immersion programs.