The Quill

Mar. 31-Apr. 13

Looking for a page-turner while you’re stuck inside? Our Driftwood Books Editor Emily Burns will be passing on some of her favorite light reading picks to pass the time while cooped up at home.

Ella Enchanted

by Gail Carson Levine
During this quarantine, many of us are looking for distractions from our new (and often dull) life of four walls and a door that rarely opens. If you’re one of the many people seeking new ways to experience life from your own home, it may be time for you to open some Ye Olde Books.

I would like to recommend one of my favorite books: Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. Many of us know the tale of a young woman cursed from birth by the “gift” of obedience from the movie starring Anne Hathaway, but the book is much better. According to the back cover, Ella is “magically compelled to instantly obey any command she’s given,” by anyone. The story follows her fairytale life through her highs and lows, and ultimately ends when Ella overcomes her curse not only for the love of her prince, but the love of her community. While this may seem like a children’s book at first glance, some application of critical thinking will reveal just how much this book emulates societal norms today. We don’t have fairies or gnomes, centaurs or living books, ogres or royalty sweeping us off our feet (at least, not all of us), but we do often feel the cage that society has placed around us. Oftentimes, we’re told to conform or be cast out. Ella Enchanted gives a sense of hope for the caged, and I endeavor to share that hope with you from the moment you open this first cover down to the final pages.

If you don’t own a copy of Ella Enchanted but would like to give it a try, you can either purchase it from your favorite online bookstore, or check out the e-book from your local public library. (Get it through the Marinette County Public Library system by searching for the e-book version at infosoup.org.) Good luck in quarantine, and may the odds be ever in your favor.

—Emily Burns, Books Editor

Mar. 31-Apr. 13

4 Ways to Get Fit at Home

As many know, all gyms have been closed due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak. In the meantime, many people want to stay in shape but don’t know how, lack equipment, or have simply lost motivation. Below, I will tell you about my top websites that can help you get fit at home.

• iBodyFit.com: Looking for the world’s largest online workout website? Look no further. iBodyFit.com offers thousands of workouts and has videos and descriptions for each one. They offer different workout routines depending on what results people are seeking. In our current situation, their Fat burner bundle is most likely many people’s first choice because, like me, you may be finding that potato chips and Netflix are taking their toll. Cost: $29.99/year.

• Roguefitness.com: Rogue Fitness offers a wide variety of reliable, mail-order gym equipment. Rogue is a very well-known brand among fitness fanatics. They are so confident in their products that they put the product reviews on each thumbnail to show what other people thought of the product. Rogue also offers an entire web page dedicated to CrossFit equipment, in case anyone is looking to do that during this “social distancing” period.

• Work Out Outdoors: There are some safe outdoor activities that will keep you away from other people but still allow you to have a great time. Kayaking is a very good upper-body workout, as well as a way to get some fresh air and enjoy open space. For the worst workout day of the week, leg day, people can go biking. There are great biking trails in the Marinette area, maps for which can be found online.
• The UREC Center, the student gym at the UW-Green Bay Main Campus, is currently offering fun ways to stay in shape at home, such as their four-week T-shirt giveaway Fitness Challenge. The challenge asks students to work out for 150 minutes a week for 4 weeks (March 30 – April 6) and log their minutes online to receive their free shirt. The REC Center is also offering free yoga videos on their website, free offline workouts on Instagram,and live, full at-home workouts on Facebook.

—A.J. Corey, Sports Editor

Mar. 31-Apr. 13

In the Kitchen with Breanne

Hey everybody! Now that we are all stuck inside, why not learn how to cook something better than Eggo Waffles? Even better, try recipes that clear out your cupboard full of canned goods that nobody touches!

Here are a few easy recipes that everyone might find appetizing:

Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas (Total time: 15 min.)

Ingredients:

• 1 (12.5 ounce) can of chicken -or- about 3 chicken breasts
• 1 jar mayonnaise
• 1 container sour cream
• 1 bottle buffalo sauce
• 5 tortillas
• 1 cup grated cheese
• Optional: blue cheese or ranch dressing

Instructions:

1. Grab a 12.5-ounce can of chicken or 3 chicken breasts. Drain can of chicken and/or shred chicken breast and put into medium-sized bowl.

2. Add ¼ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons sour cream, and 2 tablespoons buffalo sauce. Stir well to combine.

3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Spray skillet with cooking spray, and place 1 tortilla on it.

4. Allow it to cook for about 30 seconds, or until lightly brown, and flip.

5. Add 2-3 tablespoons grated cheese.

6. Spread about 1/5 of the chicken mixture over half of the tortilla. When cheese is slightly melted, fold tortilla in half over top of the chicken mixture. Allow to cook until chicken mixture is warmed through and cheese is melted.

7. Cut into triangles and serve with either blue cheese dressing or ranch.

8. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Enjoy!

Chili Mac (Total time: 25 min.)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 can kidney beans -or- black beans
• 1 can Ro*tel diced tomatoes/green chiles
• 1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
• ½ cup dried macaroni
• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 clove or about ½ teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 cup shredded cheese

Instructions:

1. In a large skillet, brown ground beef and chopped onion. Drain grease from pan.
2. Add kidney beans, diced tomatoes/green chiles, tomato sauce, dried macaroni noodles, water, and seasonings.
3. Bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until noodles are tender.
5. Sprinkle with shredded cheese; cover and let cheese melt for 2 minutes.
6. Remove from heat. Garnish with cilantro if desired and enjoy!

Burrito Pie (Total time: 30 min.)

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 (2 ounce) can black olives, sliced
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chili peppers
• 1 (10 ounce) Ro*tel diced tomatoes/green chiles
• 1 (16 ounce) jar taco sauce
• 2 (16 ounce) cans refried beans
• 12 tortillas
• 9 ounces shredded cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté ground beef for 5 minutes. Add onion and garlic, and sauté for 5 more minutes. Drain any excess fat, if desired.
3. Mix in olives, green chile peppers, tomatoes/green chiles, taco sauce, and refried beans. Stir mixture thoroughly, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.
4. Spread thin layer of meat on bottom of 4-quart casserole dish. Cover with a layer of tortillas followed by more meat mixture, then a layer of cheese. Repeat tortilla, meat, cheese pattern until all tortillas are used. Top off with a layer of meat mixture and cheese.
5. Bake for 20-30 minutes in preheated oven, or until cheese is slightly brown and bubbly.
6. Enjoy!

Creamy Canned Vegetable Soup (Total time: 1 hour.)

Ingredients:

• 2 cans mixed veggies -or- 12 ounces frozen mixed veggies, drained and rinsed
• 2 cans condensed cream of potato soup
• 1 can tomato soup
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 4 cups water

Instructions:

1. In a large soup pot, combine all ingredients.
2. Bring to a boil.
3. Stir and simmer soup for 1 hour over LOW heat.
4. Enjoy!    

—Breanne Bedgood, Food Editor

Mar. 31-Apr. 13

Featured Service: Virtual Marinette Campus Tutors

Do you miss the in-person help you could get through the campus Learning Center? We can’t send a tutor to your house (because that would be mean). But you can schedule a session with our Writing Tutor, Brittany Daigneault.

Brittany is available at the following times to help with writing assignments for any class:

• Monday: 10:30 a.m. – 12 noon
• Tuesday: 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
• Wednesday: 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Thursday: 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.​

To connect with Brittany: Just click here to pop into Brittany’s virtual office when she’s on duty. This is a live remote session, so be sure to connect with a computer, tablet, or mobile phone that has a working camera and microphone. Use Google Chrome or Firefox as your browser to avoid technical issues. 

You can also e-mail Brittany for help during her working hours, as well.

Other Tutoring Options

Don’t forget about Brainfuse: This online tutoring service offers 24/7 tutoring in math, writing, and many other subjects, and it’s free for all UW-Green Bay students. Click here to go directly to our UW-Green Bay Brainfuse site.

Ms. Rysavy’s Writing Lab: Instead of regular Open Writing Lab hours, Ms. Rysavy is offering writing help by appointment. Just  e-mail Ms. R to schedule a virtual Writing Lab session.

Remember: If you lose this e-mail, you can always find information on how to connect with our tutors or Brainfuse on the Marinette Campus Learning Center website: www.uwgb.edu/marinette/tutoring.

Mar. 31-April 13

Marinette Campus Writing Support Tutor

Brittany Daigneault is a sophomore at UW-Green Bay’s Marinette Campus, and has worked as a writing tutor since Fall 2019 in the Learning Center. Even though the campus is closed, Brittany is still tutoring in a virtual office! 

Tell us about yourself. Who are you, what are you studying, and what do you like to do for fun?
My name is Brittany Daigneault, and I am pursuing an education degree, I’m hoping to teach 1st or 2nd grade. In my free time, I love to head up North where I do a lot of camping, biking, and hiking.

Why did you decide to become a writing tutor for the Marinette campus? 
Since I’m going to school to become a teacher, I thought tutoring would be a good place to get my feet wet. I’m also very confident in my writing abilities, so that helped my decision. (Advisor’s note: Brittany is too modest to admit that she was also hand-picked by the English department as a tutor, based on her strong writing abilities and classroom performance.) 

What kind of services do you offer as a writing tutor? 
To put it simply: writing help. If you’re in a creative writing class, you can bounce plot ideas off of me. For any class, I can proofread your paper, help you get past writer’s block, or help you understand a professor’s expectations for an assignment.

What are your hours, and how can people connect with you if they need writing help?
Monday: 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Tuesday: 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Wednesday: 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Thursday: 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.

We’ve set up a special video-conference room where you can pop in during the above hours, or you can e-mail me at daigbl23@uwgb.edu.

Why is getting an outside opinion on a piece of writing important?
When you write a paper, you know the main ideas and the direction it is heading. However, the reader cannot read your mind. That is why it’s important to get an outside opinion, because as the writer, you may have skimmed over some vital facts without realizing it.

What are you doing to stay sane while we all #StayAtHome during the Coronavirus outbreak? Any fun recommendations for at-home entertainment? 
I have been going for short runs when the weather is nice, I do a little yoga (Try YouTube channel “Yoga with Adrienne”; it’s free!), and I’ve been watching a bunch of Chris Farley and Jim Carrey movies. If you haven’t seen Almost Heroes, I highly recommend it for a good laugh!

How about a favorite book recommendation? 
For a fun and easy read I would have to suggest the graphic novel Planet Hulk. It’s my all-time favorite comic. For something a little more serious and thought-provoking, I would suggest Chasing the Scream by Johann Hari. It’s a book about addiction and the war on drugs.

Mar. 31-April 13

Wonky Brains and Self-Isolation

Mar. 31-April 13

While we’re under the #StayAtHome order, we need to find a way to stay sane during this isolation. There is some good that comes out of all this social distancing: It gives you a chance to do all those activities you never had time for around the house.
This might sounds crazy, but for me, I always feel like I’ve accomplished something and am even a bit happier when doing an activity like cleaning. If you’re just laying around all day and are bored, I suggest:

• rearranging your room,
• cleaning the bathroom,
• doing some laundry,
• getting rid of old clothes or items.

     Cleaning isn’t the only activity I like to do when I’m stuck at home, I am a big fan of:

• adult coloring books,
• walking the dog,
• going on a run,
• baking,
• doing a puzzle.

     In addition, you could try an art project, like a diamond painting, which is like paint by numbers, except instead of paint, you place tiny, diamond-like pieces on a picture coated in sticky adhesive to bring color and a 3D look to it. Sitting in your room with music on and nobody around while spending hours on one art piece is something I really enjoy, and I recommend everyone try it.
Also, let’s all try to remember that this might be a rough few weeks, but we are getting to bond with our families. It’s not every day that we get to spend this much time with them. So, get everyone to play a card game or board game, or just all sit down and watch a good movie. Remember that while we are stuck, we are just “safe at home.”

—Sierra Adams, Events Editor

Mar. 17-31, 2020

Things are changing on the Marinette campus, at least in the short term, and The Driftwood’s mandate is temporarily changing, too. While the student body is confined at home taking online classes, this e-newsletter will bring you tips for navigating life as an online student, as well as suggestions for entertaining yourself while you’re stuck at home.

• Campus News
• Self-Care Corner
• Campus Clubs
• Theater & Arts
• Important Campus Services
• Library News
• New Library Books
• Recommended Reads
• Sports & Fitness
• Meet Bethany Welch

Mar. 3-Mar. 16, 2020

Feature: Apply for Scholarships!

Mar. 17-31, 2020

Our “Keep Yourself Entertained Under Quarantine” List