For those of you who consider yourselves amateur chefs, but often find yourself unable to afford the premium ingredients your favorite recipes call for, don’t fret. Guys, if you want to treat a special lady to a fancy dinner but are broke and don’t know how to cook, skip the restaurant; we’ve got you covered. There are plenty of online resources that provide great recipes for low budgets. Many of them will even generate recipes based on ingredients you already have in your fridge. MyFridgeFood.com, Recipe.com and SuperCook.com are just a few worth mentioning. To give you a little taste of all the delectable food you can whip up, check out this delicious and incredibly simple full-course meal of garlic bread, pesto pasta and sautéed peaches that can most likely be made for under $30, assuming you have some ingredients already in your kitchen.

What you will need:

16 ounces or 2 cups of basil

1 bag of pasta (Linguine, angel hair, bow tie, fusilli, or penne)

Small tub of cherry tomatoes

1 can of black olives

2 ounces or 1/4 cup of pine nuts

Lemon juice or 1 lemon

4 cloves of garlic (2 can be replaced with garlic powder)

Shredded Parmesan cheese

1 loaf of French bread

4 large ripe peaches

1 tub of vanilla ice cream

Sugar (You’ll only need 2 tbps.)

Butter (You’ll only need about 5 tbps.)

Olive oil (You’ll only need about 1/2 cup.)

Salt (1 tsp.)

The cheapest place to find any ingredients will most likely be Winco, where you can buy small amounts of dry ingredients in the bulk food section. For fresher produce and bread, try Trader Joes. They typically have the best prices for high quality ingredients, and also stock Charles Shaw wine, otherwise known as “Two Buck Chuck,” some of the best cheap wine available.

Appetizer: Garlic bread

Cooking time: 20-25 minutes

1 loaf of French bread

2 garlic cloves or 1 tsp. of garlic powder

Butter

Olive oil (optional)

Parmesan cheese (optional)

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Slice the French bread vertically or horizontally. Spread the butter on, then drizzle with olive oil if desired. Chop garlic cloves in blender and spread sparingly on each slice, or shake the garlic powder over each slice if you have that instead. Top with shredded or grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Bake for 15 minutes. To make things even cheaper and simpler, you can always replace the garlic bread simply with warm French bread and butter, or olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping.

Entrée: Homemade pesto pasta

Cooking time: Roughly 30 mins.

2 cups fresh basil

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tsp. lemon juice

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp. salt

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1 can of black olives

Small tub of cherry tomatoes

Pasta of your choice

Cook the amount of pasta you will need, according to the instructions on the package. Cut cherry tomatoes and olives into halves and set aside. Throw the remaining ingredients in the blender until mixed, then pour sauce over cooked pasta and toss in the tomatoes, olives. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese if desired.

Dessert: Sautéed Peaches

Cooking time: 10 mins.

4 large ripe peaches

2 tbsp. of butter

2 tbsp. of sugar

Vanilla ice cream

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat then stir in the sugar. Add peaches. Cook about two to five minutes, stirring frequently until the sugar has dissolved, the peaches are warmed through and evenly coated in the sauce. Serve immediately with a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream.

This meal would be great paired with a red or white wine, which can also be bought for a good price at Trader Joe’s. If you’re striving to impress someone with your culinary techniques, try doing a little research on what kind of wine will go well with your meal. Certain types of grapes have been known to bring out the flavors of the food you pair it with, but you have to know what you’re doing for it to really work.

When cooking a full-course meal, you always want to make sure to plan ahead in terms of when to start cooking each part. Take note of how long each course will take to cook, and be sure not to start it too late, to avoid the food getting cold before you serve it. To make the cooking faster for you, it would be a good idea to do the prepping for each meal first and all at once. For instance, slice the bread and peaches, and put all the pesto ingredients in the blender before the cooking begins. That way you can simply turn the blender on and the sauce will be totally fresh and ready to pour on top of the pasta as soon as it is done cooking.

“I tell ya, Netflix and Redbox may have movies, but they’ll never be Blockbusters,” said Paul Whitefield of the Los Angeles Times last month.

Starting in elementary school, family movie nights were a highlight of my week. My family and I headed over to the local Blockbuster, which was usually within a mile from our house wherever we lived. Each of the kids picked out their own movie and we would spend roughly 30-40 minutes in the store because of the huge selection.

One of my favorites was “Goosebumps.” My brother’s was “Pokémon.”

When we were done picking out our movies, we got to choose our own candy or snack to go with it and my little brother got a giant gum ball out of the machine near the door as we headed out. Then we got home, got into our pajamas, made some popcorn and popped the movie in our VHS player.

Little did I know that nearly 10 years later, Blockbuster would be announcing the closing of all its locations in the United States. Just last weekend I walked past the Blockbuster on 18th Avenue and Willamette Street in Eugene and saw that it was shut down. It makes me sad.

“The obvious reason for all this is the Internet. Blockbuster’s demise, for one, was inextricably linked to the success of Netflix,” said James Surowiecki in the New Yorker in October 2010, the year Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy. Netflix introduced its revolutionary way of movies and television in 1997 and now has more than 40 million members in more than 40 different countries enjoying instant streaming flicks and movies by mail.

Redbox came into the picture in 2002 after originally starting as a McDonald’s-exclusive rental kiosk. (How American, right?) Then in November 2005, Coinstar Inc., bought a piece of Redbox and began expanding the kiosks to all sorts of locations across the country.

According to its online Media Center, this was when they began “fighting for America’s right to get entertainment for cheap.”

Sure, Redbox and Netflix are relatively cheap and horribly convenient, but there was something special about having all your options in one store, ready for you to watch as soon as you get home. No mail involved, no 28-day wait before it gets to Redbox and no separate trip to the grocery store for your movie snacks.

Cody Dean, a former Blockbuster employee from Portland, said it’s bittersweet to see it go, although he is not surprised because they had plenty of chances to adapt to the changing industry. During his experience there, countless customers left Blockbuster for Netflix for various reasons.

“From taking away and then reinstating late fees to putting an emphasis on up-selling, it simply just left a bad taste in everyone’s mouths,” Dean said.

A self-proclaimed cinephile, Dean said going to a movie store was somewhat of a spiritual experience. “Part of the fun was talking with like-minded people, be it employees or other customers, about their love for movies and to catch great recommendations.”

It’s heartbreaking to think that our children won’t be able to experience movie nights like we did. The world of cinema used to be filled with wonder and glamour. Watching a movie was more than just looking at a screen for two hours. It was an experience.

Now it consists of hungover college students binging on six hours of Netflix reruns from their tiny laptop screens. We’re all guilty of it.

The loss of these nostalgic and family oriented establishments may seem out of our control, but is it really? Think about the amount of money you’ve spent on Redbox, Netflix and the movie theater in the past year. When you add it all up, it will probably be more than you think.

One ticket to a new release on a weeknight at Regal Cinemas at Valley River Center is currently priced at an astounding $14.50 for IMAX 3D, while one weekend-night ticket to the drive-in theater in Newberg, one of the few drive-ins left in Oregon, is $8 for two new release films. Instead of supporting these corporate businesses that clearly don’t need it, we should be using that money to support the local and independently owned businesses.

Otherwise, they’re going to end up in movie night heaven with Blockbuster, wondering where they went wrong. Meanwhile, our children will be asking us what it was like during those “olden days,” when we actually had to leave the couch to get a movie.

Winter is approaching, accompanied by the annual holiday trend: ugly sweaters. An ugly sweater is distinctively defined by its bold colors, patterns and texture. The classic ugly Christmas sweater usually consists of red and green striped cable knit material with corny Santa, reindeer, or snowman patches and dangling ribbons or bells. It is a comical holiday tradition that is often worn at themed parties and holiday gatherings.

If you plan on attending one of these festivities, but don’t own an ugly sweater, there are several places in Eugene and Springfield that sell them for a decent price.

One of the best places to find these holiday treasures is a thrift shop. Starting with the most thrifty of them all is Goodwill, at 102 30th St. in Springfield. There is a section of the store dedicated to sweaters and, given that they were donated, they are sure to be wonderfully ugly. Prices range on average from $5 to $15 and they usually have a huge selection to choose from.

The next thrift shop you should check out is Value Village in Springfield at 555 W. Centennial Blvd. Like Goodwill, Value Village has a section of its store dedicated to sweaters, with a wide variety to choose from. Erica Bruns, a junior at the University of Oregon, says Value Village is her favorite place to shop for ugly Christmas sweaters.

“They have the best selection. They have rows of different sizes as well as different styles. And it’s really inexpensive,” Bruns said. While you’re visiting the store, you’ll also want to visit its home decor section for some cheap holiday decorations for your home.

Next up is Buffalo Exchange at 131 E. Fifth Ave. Its prices are typically a bit more expensive than a thrift shop because the store buys gently used clothing from customers or other stores. However, Buffalo Exchange sweaters are usually better quality than those at Goodwill or Value Village. They’re generally priced at $5 to $30, but if you have any clothes at home that you would be willing to sell, the store can offer cash or store credit to go toward your new, ugly holiday sweater fund.

Another great place to look is Target, located in Eugene at 4575 W. 11th Ave., in Springfield at 2750 Gateway St. or online at target.com. Target has a smaller selection, priced at about $20 to $35, according to its website. It’s a little more pricey, but if you’re looking for a quicker transaction and want to avoid sifting through piles of clothes at a thrift store, Target is a good place to look. They’re colorful and actually not that ugly, but definitely scream “Christmas,” if that’s what you’re looking for.

Lucia Estrada, a junior at UO, says that her favorite place to look for an ugly holiday sweater is her mom’s closet. “My mom has an awesome Christmas sweater that I borrowed once, but she’s really protective of it,” Estrada said. Parents and grandparents are typically an excellent resource for festive clothing, but make sure you get their permission first so they aren’t completely heartbroken if their favorite white turtleneck is returned to them with a wine stain.

Three changes have been proposed to Eugene’s bicycle and skateboarding laws, affecting bicyclists, skaters, drivers, pedestrians, business owners, officers and more.

On Monday, Nov. 18, Eugene’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee presented the proposed laws and discussed the changes with local residents at an open house. The crowd was split with one side opposing and one side favoring. There were avid bicyclists, skateboarders, drivers and pedestrians of all ages with something to say.

The first proposed change will allow electric assisted bicycles to ride on off-street paths. The second will allow skateboarders to ride on city streets. The third will expand the downtown bicycle and skateboard “no sidewalk riding zone.”

These laws are aimed toward improving Eugene, including public safety, transportation and eventually doubling the amount of non-vehicular travel. Each of these improvements will support Eugene’s mission to become a well-known environmentally conscious city.

But while public safety is the committee’s goal, it is also a concerning argument opposing some of the proposed laws. Reed Dunbar, associate transportation planner for the City of Eugene said people might oppose the electric bike law because they are concerned with pedestrian safety. But this is due to the misconceptions of what an electric bike is.

Dunbar brought his electric bike to the open house to show everyone how safe it is. It looked just like a regular bike, but with a small device on one of the handlebars to show your speed. The motor is only activated when you are pedaling and stops when you press on the brake. Dunbar said he has tried to get his to go faster than 20 mph, but was unable to get past 19. The motor can be recharged electronically, so it is also environmentally sustainable.

“The goal in Eugene is to double the amount of bicycle trips made, as opposed to using a car. Currently it’s at 8 1/2, which is gold-level. We want to double that to get to platinum level. But that’s not going to happen if we exclude certain types of bikes,” Dunbar said.

These bikes are used to take some of the strain off the rider. If they have the extra boost of the motor, they will be able to take longer trips more frequently, which is in the best interest of Eugene’s long-term goal. Non-electric bicycles are already allowed to ride on these paths, so why not electric bikes too?

As Dunbar puts it, the issue is behavioral, not device-based, which can reasonably be argued for any mode of transportation.

The skateboarding law is similar in the arguments from each side. Those who are opposing the law are concerned with the safety of others on the road. Skateboarders are notoriously known for testing their limits, but those at the open house argued that there’s a difference between recreational skating and skating as transportation. They love doing tricks in designated areas, but they assured everyone that they value their right to use skating as a mode of transportation, and therefore, are always traveling safely and following the law.

“We should have the same rights as bicyclists because skating involves the same amount of control,” said Matt Clark, an 18-year-old skateboarder. His friend Tanner Murphy, also argued that this law would bring more tourists to Eugene, especially with the new skate park opening up soon at Washington-Jefferson Park.

Like those in favor of the electric bike law, they said any safety issues are directly related to the rider, not the mode of transportation. If the law is passed, skateboarders will be subject to current traffic laws.

There are many zones in Eugene that do not allow skateboarding on sidewalks or streets, which is unfair to those who rely on skateboarding as their main mode of transportation. This law will make things easier for them and will continue to decrease the use of cars.

The proposed expansion of the “no sidewalk riding zones” is purely motivated by pedestrian safety concerns, and will focus on downtown areas with high foot traffic, and low car traffic. This law collaborates with the others in making it much easier and safer for bicyclists, skateboarders and pedestrians, and therefore making room for Eugene to eventually meet its goal in doubling the amount of environmentally friendly transportation.

If you’re looking for a holiday event outside of Eugene, there are several fun ones to choose from all around Oregon, including festivals, light shows, parades, tree lightings and visits with Santa to make you feel like a kid again.

Portland is one of the most festive cities in Oregon, hosting numerous holiday events each year. One of the most popular is Zoo Lights at the Oregon Zoo on 4001 Canyon Road. It will start Nov. 29, and continue until Jan. 5, but is closed on Dec. 25 and 26. The hours Sunday through Thursday are 5-8 p.m., and Friday through Saturday from 5-8:30 p.m. This year, there will be even more light displays, featuring glowing forests, rainbow tunnels and illuminated animal sculptures. “The lights make up for the sleeping animals,” said Chris Bauman, a University of Oregon sophomore from Portland. “They even have moving light-up birds on the main stage where the bird show usually is.” As always, there will be hot drinks and food available, live musical performances and plenty of photo opportunities with holiday characters wandering around the zoo. Admission is $10 for adults and $7 for kids.

In Seaside, the Parade of Lights and Community Christmas Tree Lighting is an annual festivity welcoming the entire family for free. It will be on Friday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. The musical Christmas tree with sparkling lights will be at the pocket park, on the west side of the carousel mall. The parade will start on Necanicum Drive at the corner of 1st Avenue, continue onto Broadway and finish at the Christmas tree. Then carolers will sing as the tree is lit, and hot cocoa, cider and cookies will be served. Santa’s elves will be handing out candy canes and there will be photos taken with Santa and his reindeer in the beautifully decorated park.

For a fun holiday event in central Oregon, check out the Festival of Trees in Redmond at the Deschutes County Fairground, 3800 Southwest Airport Way. The free event will go from 10-5 p.m., on Saturday Dec. 7, and will feature over thirty creatively decorated holiday trees that will later be auctioned off to raise money for terminally ill patients who aren’t covered by insurance. Activities will include live entertainment, a hospitality table, kids activities and visits from Santa.

In southern Oregon, the Festival of Light will be held in downtown Ashland on Main Street, starting on Nov. 29 and continuing throughout the holiday season. A musical and colorful parade will begin at 5 p.m., followed by free entertainment at the Plaza Stage, and finish with a countdown for Santa and Mrs. Claus’ grand appearance, as the switch is flipped, illuminating the town with over a million lights. The festivities will continue throughout the season with various holiday activities, including ice-skating at the local outdoor rink. You can find information on additional festival activities on the Ashland’s Chamber website.

If you plan on sticking around Eugene for a little while after winter break starts, there are a variety of local holiday events for you to check out, some of which are free.

The Festival of Trees starts on Nov. 27 and goes until Dec. 1. Sponsored by the Cascade Health Foundation, it’s dedicated to raising money for health needs in the community. It will be held at the Valley River Inn and feature a silent auction of 50 different themed holiday trees, a holiday market with gift and craft vendors and a storybook theater. The price for adults is $6 and can be purchased at all Umpqua banks. This year, all profits go directly toward the building fund for the Pete Moore Hospice House. For the schedule or for volunteer information, visit the Facebook page.

Saturday, Dec. 7 is the 61st Annual Springfield Christmas Parade. The parade starts at 1 p.m. and will head west on Main Street in downtown Springfield. The parade is free, and it is recommended to arrive early for good seating as it has attracted up to 10,000 locals in the past. It will feature a variety of different floats, from decorated cars to sleighs and horses and end with a Tuba Carol Concert on Main Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues. Local businesses compete with decorated windows to complete the scene, and Santa is sure to be seen wandering around the festivities.

For campus events, check out the Museum of Natural and Cultural History. The 12th Annual Winter Solstice Celebration is Dec. 13 from 5-8 p.m. Admission is free with a canned food donation to Food for Lane County, and there will be live music, performances and crafts, celebrating storytelling across all cultures. The next day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. will be the Holiday Open House. The museum will be decorated with holiday lights and offer free admission, refreshments and 20 percent off non-consignment items at the museum store.

Looking for an event that won’t contribute to the holiday weight gain? Dec. 15 is Oregon’s Ugliest Sweater Run. This 5K run/walk is open to all ages and is priced at $35 for adults and $15 for kids. Parking is $5 or five canned food/unwrapped toy donations. The decorated course, starting at Alton Baker Park and ending at 5th Street Public Market, will consist of 12 stations, each representing one of the 12 days of Christmas. The finish line after-party will feature a DJ, carolers, an eggnog-chugging contest, a fruitcake-eating contest, an ugly sweater contest, pictures with Santa and Rudolph and story time with Mrs. Claus. The last day to register is Dec. 13

From Dec. 20-22 the Eugene Ballet Company will put on its holiday show, The Nutcracker with Orchestra NEXT. The shows will be held at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts and tickets are priced at $28-$53, depending on your seating location. Toni Pimble’s beautiful choreography will be accompanied by live music conducted by University of Oregon trumpet professor Brian McWhorter and colorful sets designed by Dan Carson. This traditional holiday ballet performance is a must-see for all ages right here in Eugene.

Too many Lyme disease patients are not receiving timely and affordable treatment due to the Infectious Diseases Society of America’s strict guidelines. “Everybody should have the right to be a healthy person, but I don’t get that right,” University of Oregon junior Sofia Webster said.

Sofia was 14 when she was bitten by a tick while camping with her Girl Scout troop in California. After it was removed, however, she forgot about it. Months later, she was experiencing chronic fatigue and pain in her feet, muscles, head and joints. She began using a wheelchair.

Four years, twelve doctors and several different misdiagnoses later, no one had any idea what was wrong.

Through an online search, Sofia’s mother discovered Lyme disease, a tick-born illness explaining Sofia’s symptoms almost perfectly. Remembering the tick bite, she made another appointment to get tested. But her doctor refused and said Lyme doesn’t exist in California.

Frustrated, Sofia went to a doctor outside her health insurance and paid out-of-pocket to get tested. It was positive.

She then began intensive antibiotic treatment from a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor, one of the few types of professionals who treat Lyme patients in the area.

In June of 2012, Sofia visited a specialist within her insurance company to seek affordable treatment. But the positive blood test wasn’t enough proof. She was told she didn’t have Lyme disease because she was bitten outside the East Coast, she never developed a rash and her test was not done according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s standards.

Yet in 2012, the CDC recorded 61 confirmed Lyme cases in California, and says 20-30 percent of patients won’t get the rash. They even mention evidence supportive of post-Lyme disease syndrome, a condition that Sofia is experiencing, but is unrecognized by the IDSA.

“Bullshit,” Sofia wrote in her personal blog. “I did not understand the injustice.”

The IDSA’s Clinical Practice Guidelines includes an overly meticulous definition of Lyme disease. For example, the tick must have been embedded in the skin for more than 36 hours and the bite must have occurred in an area with an infection rate exceeding 20 percent, which is the East Coast and parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Many Lyme patients pay hundreds of thousands of dollars on treatment because their insurance providers won’t cover it. And often, their disease has left them unable to work. If they had been diagnosed sooner, one bottle of antibiotics might have cured them and allowed them to live a normal life.

Dr. J. Stone Doggett is a researcher and assistant professor of medicine at the Oregon Health and Science University’s Division of Infectious Diseases. Like most doctors, he believes the science behind Lyme is well established; however, the expansion of potential symptoms unverified by medical evidence leads to many misdiagnoses and unnecessary antibiotic treatment.

“When you perform any test in a population with a low prevalence of disease there is a risk for false positive results,” Doggett said. “There are significant risks from taking antibiotics. These risks increase when people take antibiotics for a long time or through an IV.”

Undoubtedly, the guidelines are meant to prevent these risks. But the presence of Lyme disease in the Northwest, as rare as it may be, has been confirmed. Clearly a misdiagnosis poses a risk, but does that risk deserve more attention than the risk of an undiagnosed case of Lyme disease? Are they forgetting that people can die because of this?

Or does the problem stem from the way doctors and health insurance providers approach these guidelines? Richard Whitley, the IDSA president, addressed this in an online video, “I want to emphasize one point. The guidelines are just as they say they are. They’re guidelines. They’re not rules. They’re not laws.”

Meanwhile, hundreds of Americans infected with Lyme disease continue to suffer. Something needs to be done.

Today, Sofia is receiving homeopathic treatment and feeling better. She recently became president of the UO AccessABILITY Student Union. Her struggle has inspired her to fight for social justice in any way she can.

Follow Andrea Harvey on Twitter @andrearharvey

A few weeks ago, I was at a crowded house party. Someone behind me decided it would be funny to spank me. At first I ignored it and hoped it was some sort of accident. But then they did it again. I turned around to confront whoever it was and two guys were standing there laughing. I asked what the hell was wrong with him and he blamed his friend, then his friend denied it, pretending to be offended by my accusation, and they continued to laugh. It was beyond rude and beyond violating.

This happens all the time. Starting around age 11, when I began developing feminine curves, boys I didn’t even know spanked or groped me then ran away. I even got two kids suspended in fifth grade for borderline molestation. In middle school it happened at least once a week.

Growing up with such shallow attention put on my body did not flatter me. I didn’t strut around thinking I was hot; I became paranoid in crowded places with the fear that some stranger was going to grab me and embarrass me again. I started wearing baggier clothes to avoid it. I became extremely self-conscious about my appearance.

When will it stop?

Certainly not in college, a social part of our lives filled with booze and parties. It gets worse in college because students often go to parties with the intention of hooking up. They drink alcohol to release their inhibitions, making the perfect environment for sexual harassment.

But what about the long-term effects of their actions?  Depression, anxiety, fear, trust issues and lowered self-esteem are just a few of the long-lasting effects that sexual harassment can have on women.

Many guys ask why women dress provocatively to parties if they don’t want to be harassed or assaulted. Catcalls, spanking, groping or any other kind of unwelcome sexual advances do not flatter us. They embarrass us. They put us down. They lead us to subconsciously believe that we need to show off our bodies to get someone to like us. They create a sense of obsession over appearances. They make us think that what’s inside doesn’t matter. They lead us to believe that in order to be liked, sexual harassment and assault is a risk we have to take. It’s a lose-lose situation. It’s not fair.

What can we do to stop this? Employees usually go through intensive training to raise awareness about sexual harassment, but do schools? Sure, maybe when we were six and teachers showed us where our no-no spots were, but once child molestation is no longer in the picture, what comes next? Corny skits about consensual sex and rape on the first day of college? Raising awareness about sexual assault is important, but what about harassment?

Why are we only focusing on the crimes that endanger our lives? What about the crimes that endanger our minds?

Sexual harassment is to rape as marijuana is to meth. A gateway drug. Similar to sexual harassers, marijuana users will argue that it doesn’t have any substantial consequences for them, but the studies have been done. It desensitizes them to illegal and potentially harmful substances, just as sexual harassment desensitizes people to degrading, violating and shallow behaviors. If they can get away with that, what else can they get away with? What kind of message is this sending?

This is why schools need to make an effort to raise awareness on more than just sexual assault, but sexual harassment as well. Boys need to be taught at a young age how to treat women appropriately. And young girls need to know that it’s okay to speak up.

As Joe Biden said in his 2010 domestic violence awareness speech on the attitudes of our culture toward sexual violence, “Folks, this is like cutting grass. You don’t ever solve it. You have to keep at it.”

Follow Andrea Harvey on Twitter @andrearharvey

In the summer of 2011, two Californian high school sweethearts graduated, facing a decision they could no longer ignore. One was going off to college in Seattle while the other headed to Eugene.

With a heavy heart, William Beare, now a junior at the University of Oregon, broke up with his girlfriend of 18 months because he felt it was the responsible thing to do. It was a decision he would later regret.

Months later, he sat in his dorm room, overwhelmed with the sudden change and lack of friends in his new town. He called her up, asking to get back together. She hesitantly forgave him, but the damage was done. Had he stayed with her in the first place, the outstanding relationship issues they dealt with throughout the next year may not have existed.

At a young and impressionable age, it’s hard not to take to heart the advice people will throw at you, especially about relationships. Many people will tell you long-distance relationships don’t work, but is that really the case?

“I’ve tried it before. Rough stuff,” said Rachel Troiano, a junior at the university. “I never, ever thought I would be in a long-distance relationship. Mooning over someone who is super far away always seemed like a waste of time to me.”

On the other hand, Stephanie Judson, a psychology intern at the University Counseling and Testing Center said, “One study found that partners in a long-distance relationship were more likely to have greater optimism about their relationship surviving, compared to those entering a relationship that wasn’t long distance.”

According to Statistic Brain, 32.5 percent of college relationships are long distance, 40 percent of couples in long-distance relationships don’t work out and 75 percent of engaged couples have been in a long-distance relationship.

As you can see, relationships are not black and white. Each one is different. So for someone to tell you that your relationship will or will not work out is naive, to say the least.

Nonetheless, many students go into it with certain expectations based on what they’ve heard, and this often becomes the relationship’s fate.

So how does one approach this tough decision? First you need to sit down with your partner to discuss what lies ahead. Money, availability, travel, schedules, time differences and communication are just a few things that should be considered. Mutual effort is often an issue in long-distance relationships, so commit to a certain amount of effort on each end.

Additionally, keep in mind the relationship issues that are already present. Judson has worked with many students struggling in long-distance relationships and said that from her experience, “Existing difficulties in the relationship can be aggravated by physical distance and decreased ‘together’ time. On the flip side, it can also mask difficulties that may not arise until you and your partner are together.’”

With that being said, try to consider the relationship as a whole before attempting the long distance. Otherwise, you may end up feeling like you wasted your time.

In the words of Beare, “It has to be something special.”

“Have a deal, and stick with that deal,” Beare said. “An agreed-upon way that things will work is vital. Otherwise, you’re left waiting by the phone.”

He also admits that one of the outstanding problems in his first relationship was jealousy, which is common, especially during college. In fact, Judson said, “A common struggle is coming to terms with the reality that your partner will be spending a large portion of their social life with other people, and not you.”

To cope with this problem, Stacie Fishell, another psychology intern in the University Counseling and Testing Center, said talking openly about your feelings is crucial. “Unfortunately, even with the best technology, long distance communication doesn’t offer the same non-verbal interactions.”

After considering the hard work that may lie ahead, ask yourself if it’s worth it. Weigh the pros and cons and take your own feelings into consideration.

If you decide to try it, take Dylan Summers’ word for it, an Eastern Oregon University graduate who happily dated his Portland girlfriend for three years during college. He said the hard work was definitely worth it. “Regardless of distance, it was nice to have somebody I loved to confide in during those hectic times.”

Tinder, Grindr, Skout, Tingle, MeetMe, Swoon, Bang With Friends, Pure. This is just a small list of the many smartphone apps out there that all have a common purpose: hooking up.

The reasons people use them vary from person to person: They’re either looking for a relationship, a date, a friend, casual sex, a confidence boost or simply checking it out for shits and gigs.

Although these apps are now used by hundreds of University of Oregon students, a stigma still peculiarly lingers around them and makes some of the users ashamed or afraid to admit that they use them. They’re worried about coming off as desperate, lazy, promiscuous or cowardly. But is there any truth behind these assumptions?

UO seniors Drew DeCamp and Will Peters said they don’t think the stigma is reasonable or true at all because everyone uses these apps.

It’s difficult to find girls who will publicly admit they use the app because the bullshit, stereotyped gender roles that we’ve been fighting have not disappeared yet. Undoubtedly, it’s still not as socially acceptable to be a promiscuous woman as it is to be a promiscuous man.

But for DeCamp and Peters, Tinder was the catalyst for relationships.

Becca, a sophomore and UO sorority member who met her current boyfriend of three months on Tinder, said, “It doesn’t even seem like we met on an app because it’s the best relationship I’ve ever been in and he is amazing and gorgeous.”

Gia Grant, another sophomore and UO sorority member who also met a guy on Tinder and dated him for two months, said, “My dad and friends laughed at first. But I’m all for the Tinder life. I think as technology continues to advance, it will become less taboo.”

Sure, using technology to find a suitable companion has its hilarious aspects. If you’ve seen the commercials for the new dating website Farmers Only, you’ll agree. But in reality, the population of suburban (or rural farmer) workaholics is growing faster and faster each day, along with technological advancement. And you can’t forget about the excellent rise in LGBT people who are finally coming out of the closet. There’s no doubt it’s even more difficult for them to find a compatible partner, so this technology is especially useful for that community. With the various reasons people have for using these apps, any kind of judgment would be pretty ignorant.

The fact is technology is a big part of the dating scene now. As Will Peters puts it, “Our parents may not understand it but it’s something we’ve become accustomed to.”

So if you’re not convinced already, what are you waiting for?

Keith Van Norman, a staff member at the UO Health Center and founder of SexPositive, the new shame-free sex education app, said adults who practice safe sex could have lots of fun using these apps, but offers this honest advice: “Communication and consent are always a big part of sex and that’s especially true with naked strangers.”

Sarah Sprague, a senior peer health educator at the Health Center, said, “As with any hookup situation, regardless of an app being involved, you should tell your friends where you are and what you’re doing. In fact, the first time you meet this person you may want to bring along a friend to ensure your safety.”

Hookup apps may present some risks, but that’s life. With a little common sense, most dangerous situations can be avoided. Keep in mind that you only need to be 13 to use Tinder, so you should probably confirm the person’s age before making a move. And have a backup plan in case you get catfished. Better safe than sorry.

All in all, don’t be afraid to give one of these apps a try if you’ve been wanting to. Laugh all you want, but truthfully, everyone’s doing it.