Social media is a place for people to speak their mind, post their selfies and entertain others. With millions of accounts worldwide, users do not always get to see the best social media has to offer. Dog profiles are accounts that are often missed — but when users stumble upon them, they can’t help but smile. Here is a list of the top six social media accounts for dogs that are a must follow:

Instagram

@dogs.lovers

The “Dog Lovers” account features more than 1,400 photos of dogs dating back to 2013. The account has 1.8 million followers and posts daily pictures of a variety of dogs. Followers can tag @dog.lovers in a post on their own account for a chance to have their dog featured on the profile.

@puppie.s

The “Cute Puppies n More” account is new to instagram, but it is sure to give users an overload of fluffy pets. The profile features videos and photos of puppies doing adorable things, including wrestling, yawning and singing to Maroon 5. Users can direct message the page for a chance to have their pup featured.

@corgistagram

“Corgistagram” has 750,000 followers and is dedicated solely to corgis. With almost 2,000 corgi photos and videos, users can scroll for hours and never run out of content. There are corgis dressed up in costumes, playing with babies and sneezing.

Twitter

@dog_feelings

The “Thoughts of Dog” account has 1.8 million followers and produces hilarious, daily tweets from the perspective of a dog. Content on the page varies from what it is like to get a package of dog treats in the mail, to how sometimes dogs just don’t understand humans. A scroll through the photos is sure to get users laughing.

@guidedogs

The “Guide Dogs” account is dedicated to all of the amazing dogs who serve as guides for the visually impaired. The account tweets highlights of dogs, their owners and their story as a pet-owner duo. Sharing inspiration and perseverance with 120,000 followers is not the only thing the account does. Tweets also feature the dogs laughing with one another and posing for the occasional dog portrait.

@weratedogs

“Weratedogs” is an account that allows users to send in pictures of dogs that will be shown to and rated by many of the 7.8 million followers. The page is kind when ranking the dogs from 1-10 and always says something positive in each tweet. The account also sells specialized dog merch.

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A Friday afternoon in the Erb Memorial Union means a short line for Chipotle, the possibility of actually snagging a booth by the window — and a cappella. Every Friday at 3:45 p.m., the sound of blended voices can be heard across the ground floor of the EMU as Mind The Gap, the University of Oregon’s gender inclusive a cappella group, harmonizes today’s hits.

Prior to Mind the Gap’s formation in 2007, the UO contained one all-male group and one all-female group. The founders of Mind the Gap noticed that students who felt they did not identify with a certain gender did not feel comfortable singing for either group. They created the group with the intention of giving students a space to sing, regardless of gender.

This past Friday, Oct. 26, group members lined the bottom of the first floor staircase decked out in various halloween costumes as they began their Halloween-themed performance. The group sang hits such as “Toxic” by Britney Spears and “Higher Love” by Steve Winwood — all while showing off their individual dance moves.

The gender-inclusive a capella group, Mind the Gap, performs in halloween costumes at the EMU on Oct. 26, 2018. (Madi Mather/Emerald)

With Halloween around the corner, Mind the Gap threw in a surprise twist for the audience when singing Portugal the Man’s “Feel It Still” by changing the lyrics from “rebel” to “zombie.”

Fourth-year student Danielle Field has been in Mind the Gap for three years and doubles as the group’s business manager. One of Field’s favorite things about Mind the Gap is the gender-inclusive aspect. “We accept anyone and everyone. In other groups, you have to identify as a certain gender to join, and for us, we will just take you and love you and we would love to sing with you regardless of gender,” she said.

Third-year member Andre Bunton appreciates the diversity of the group beyond gender too. “I really appreciate the ability to be close to everyone in a group of various genders. Our group really prides itself on diversity both in gender inclusivity and also race.”

Madison Breuer, a second-year member and public relations manager, says that a cappella groups rarely consist of mixed genders due to vocal ranges and sound preferences, but a variety of genders gives Mind the Gap an opportunity to sing songs that contain a wider range of notes.

Breuer added that singing with mixed genders has allowed for the group to connect in a special way beyond gender-specific things. “Each and every one of us are so different. We are all our own little people that has so many different interests and talents, but we connect on our mutual love of singing.”

In addition to gearing up for weekly performances, Mind the Gap represents UO at the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA); they have placed first three times in the last four years and the group will compete again in January.

“There is no mold that you have to fit to be in Mind the Gap. And that is the greatest thing about the group” said Fields.

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Week five of fall term means colder mornings, less daylight and fewer trips to the gym. Between midterms and less motivation to go out in the cold, fall term can really throw off students’ fitness routine.

The University of Oregon recreation center is available to help with those problems. The Rec is home to three floors of state-of-the-art equipment and tons of friendly trainers that are willing to assist students with keeping their fall fitness routine on track.

Senior Caleb Snyder has been an American Council on Exercise (ACE) certified trainer at the Rec for three years. He said he became a personal trainer because he saw the difference exercise made in his own life and wanted to offer other people the same opportunity to better themselves.

Snyder believes that UO students should stay physically active because exercise can be an amazing stress reliever. “Sometimes, as college students, we get so caught up in doing well in classes proving to ourselves that we are intelligent, that we forget to take care of ourselves,” he said. “Taking a step through the Rec doors is an inviting environment that will help students be better in every single aspect.”

Senior Amelia Ziegler is an ACE certified trainer and a Group X instructor at the Rec. She said she became a personal trainer two years ago because she has always loved working out and saw how being active allowed her to quickly bounce back from injuries.

Ziegler’s top three tips to students who are new to working out or just wanting to maintain a fall fitness routine are to make fitness a part of their regular schedule, find exercises they enjoy doing and make their fitness goals attainable.

Group X classes are a series of diverse hour-long workouts that are taught by student instructors. Ziegler said the classes are a great start for beginners because students can choose what type of workout they want to do. They also don’t have to worry about putting together a workout plan because the instructor has already done so.

Snyder’s top three tips to students are to just get started, make a plan and stay consistent. “The amount of time that students exercise does not matter because any amount of exercise is a step in the right direction,” he said.

He wants students to remember that there are so many resources — including the trainers — at the Rec, as well as advice on the internet that can help students make a plan to start their fitness routine. Snyder said that executing that plan and staying consistent over time is what yields results.

The Rec offers students $35 Group X passes for the term that allow them to attend an unlimited amount of exercise classes. If group classes are the not a comfortable environment, the Rec also offers personal training sessions for students looking to get assistance in a less crowded setting.

The Rec is open weekdays from 6 a.m. until midnight and weekends from 10 a.m. until midnight. Trainers and staff are willing to assist students in any way they can to ensure that the cold doesn’t keep students from fitness.

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The Eugene sunshine has officially gone missing, syllabus week is over and pumpkin flavors have hit the shelves. The color orange has taken over and pumpkin spice can be smelled from a mile away. Every year companies get more creative with what products they decide to turn pumpkin-flavored — this year was no exception. Here’s a list of the seven strangest products to turn pumpkin spice this fall:

The Honest Kitchen

This month, the dog and cat food supplier released an instant, pumpkin spice latte for animals. Some of the latte’s ingredients include: goat milk, pumpkin, honey and aromatic spices. The suggested serving size for the average animal is one-fourth of a cup, per 25 pounds.

Clif

Best known for creating Clif Bars, this company has been combining items for years to create its one-of-a-kind flavors. The beginning of October saw the release of the brand’s spiced, pumpkin pie-flavored bars. The bars still contain all natural ingredients and non-genetically modified organisms (GMOs), while combining pumpkin spice and pumpkin pie into one flavor.

Espree

The dog hygiene brand, Espree, sent shock waves this month when they debuted a pumpkin spice-scented dog shampoo. The fragrance is a limited-edition for the holidays, but still contains the brand’s signature ingredient of organically-grown aloe vera.

Apocalyptic

The vegan, cruelty-free makeup brand Apocalyptic released a halloween-themed makeup collection that includes a pumpkin spice-scented setting spray. The standard ingredients of the setting spray are still included — the only difference is the scent infused into the spray.

Angel Kale

Vegan kale company Angel Kale released a seasonal pumpkin spice-flavored kale. The kale is uncooked, gluten-free and contains live enzymes. The snack is a raw alternative to chips.

Kahlúa

Rum-producing brand Kahlua stunned customers when it released a limited-edition pumpkin spice flavor. The alcohol is allergen-free, lactose-free and blended with rum and 100 percent Arabica coffee.

Tastin’ Jamaican

The caribbean salsa company offers a seasonal, mild and medium pumpkin spice salsa. The salsa is made with pumpkin, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg. The salsa comes in 16 ounce containers and costs around $8 per pint.

There are already a plethora of pumpkin-flavored fall products hitting the shelves this year and there will be many more to come as Halloween gets closer. Each exclusive product deserves a try. If you love fall and pumpkin-flavored everything, this is the time to head out to the stores to buy as many limited-edition products as possible.

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The changing seasons on campus is clear — the leaves are falling, the skies are darkening and in the words of High School Musical’s Sharpay Evans, “It’s out with the old and in with the new.”

University of Oregon students are no strangers to fall; the ducks know exactly how to style themselves. For junior Cameron Lewis, an oversized, colorful crew neck and a pair of tailored pants are fall must-haves.

“Both of these pieces are so essential and useful, whether you wear them to class, out on the weekend — you have the choice to be cozy but jiggy at the same time,” Lewis said.

Stores like Topman and Asos carry these items, but Cameron says there is always the option to thrift them instead. If you are looking to keep your search local, St. Vincent de Paul and Buffalo Exchange are excellent places to explore and are stocked with a wide range of sizes.

Once you’ve found the perfect shirt and pants, it’s time to layer. During fall this is essential to stay warm, but it’s also convenient if you get too hot and want to take off an item. Jackets are typically used to protect from the cold or add depth to an outfit, but wearing one with a print can be an extra twist on the everyday item.

Senior Tre’Von Robinson knows all about the trend — he wears his camouflage jacket whenever it’s cold outside. “I definitely see UO students wearing this jacket,” he said. “I definitely recommend it because it is trendy right now.” Camouflage jackets can be thrifted, but are harder to come across in secondhand stores. Forever 21 and Charlotte Russe are affordable stores that carry the stylish item.

If camouflage is not your style, another layering option is a flannel. They go over long-sleeves, sweatshirts and sweaters. For junior Olivia Smith, a flannel is a must. “I always shop in the men’s section. Men’s flannels are much thicker, keep me warm and then can be worn in different ways,” she said. Flannels are a common fall staple which means they can be found at thrift stores and name-brand stores alike. But, if you’re looking to save money, Goodwill is the go-to place.

Olivia Smith wearing a men’s oversized flannel. (Dana Sparks/Emerald)

A fall outfit is not complete without accessories. Accessorizing can take many forms, but for sophomore Alexa Anderson, statement earrings are a must-have to complete an outfit.

“I like wearing statement earrings because it looks like you tried but really you just put earrings in,” she said.

Jewelry is found at a multitude of stores. Goodwill, Buffalo Exchange, Forever 21 and Pandora all carry good jewelry that is well priced and sure to pull together a fall outfit.

Be on the lookout for patterns, prints, layers and lots of jewelry as the ducks sport their fall fashion on campus.

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On Thursday nights in the Erb Memorial Union, the Redwood Auditorium smells like fresh popcorn and is filled with over a hundred University of Oregon students. Attendees dance to music and socialize while they wait in line for Ducks After Dark to begin. The weekly event is open to all UO students with a valid ID and includes a free screening of a recent movie, as well as free popcorn and soda and creative themed games.

Ducks After Dark attendees participate in activities at the Infinity War showing on September 27, 2018. (Maddie Knight/Emerald)

The first event of the year occurred on Thursday, Sept. 27 and centered around a screening of Avengers: Infinity War. Ducks After Dark offered superhero-themed activities that students could participate in prior to the start of the movie. The activities allowed students to make their own superhero shields and knock down stacked green cups with a green hacky sack in a game known as Hulk Smash.

“Our purpose is to provide something for the students to come to that reduces risky behavior. We want to give students an area where they won’t be in that type of environment,” said Chantel Kaawa, the chair of the Ducks After Dark program. “Students should come because it’s free. You are paying all this money for tuition and it goes to this — it is for you.”

The event brings together a diverse group of people, with attendees ranging from first-year to fifth-year students. Kate Walters, a second-year student, has been attending the event since winter term of her freshman year. “I am not a huge partier, and this seemed like a really cool alternative. I love the sense of community here, even before the movie starts,” she said.

Ducks After Dark attendees participate in activities at the Infinity War showing on September 27, 2018. (Maddie Knight/Emerald)

The Ducks After Dark staff is usually accompanied by a sponsor at each screening — this past Thursday featured the Residence Hall Association. The RHA has sponsored Ducks After Dark in the past, including last year’s showing of the widely popular movie Black Panther. Sponsoring the event allowed RHA staff to have a table inside the Redwood Auditorium where they could give out free snacks, let students spin a wheel for prizes and interact with students who do not live in the residence halls.

Jackson Smith, president of the RHA said Ducks After Dark is a great study break. “If you have a lot of stuff to do throughout the course of your week, Ducks After Dark is something you can look forward to,” he said.  

The program will continue screening movies every Thursday in the Redwood Auditorium for the rest of the year. Next week’s event will include more free snacks, games and a screening of Ocean’s 8 at 8:15 p.m.

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