Arsénio Rodney Gonçalves Lampião is pursuing his master’s degree in law at University of Oregon. In his free time, he edits drafts for a book he’s writing on moot courts (simulated trials), practices English (which he just learned in 2012) and speaks at legal conferences.

His journey to UO from his hometown of Inhambane in Mozambique has been an interesting one, filled with tests and achievements.

And luckily, no crocodiles.

Lampião’s close friend, Brady Holyrod has plenty of great stories to tell, but this one is his favorite: “We went on a rafting trip to the Rogue River on the first weekend of school,” said Holyrod. “Arsénio was hesitant to swim and wouldn’t go in the water until we assured him there were no crocodiles.”

In his hometown, he taught as a professor and worked with students who were part of moot court programs. Each year, 50 countries compete in a simulated trial with real world problems.

Lampião led his school to victory and was recognized as the represented professor. Before teaching, however, he won his own moot case in 2010.

But he said his most defining moment was when he was accepted into law school in his country.

“We only have one public law school. I remember when I applied they said they only have 60 spots and over 6,000 students were applying. We had to take a national exam that was very competitive. When I found out I finished in third place, I felt I had achieved my greatest accomplishment, but I knew this was only the beginning,” he said.

Lampião’s friend, Chris Beattie, describes him as humble over his many accomplishments.

“As a Fulbright scholar pursuing his L.L.M., Arsénio brings much needed class to the U of O,” said Beattie. “He always dresses to impress, and has a dedication to education that is second to none.”

After earning his degree in law at Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique and a postgraduate in energy law at Institut International des Droits de l’Homme in France, he decided he wanted to pursue his masters at UO.

“I have been here eight months and the people are fantastic. You can have a trusting conversation with anyone here, anywhere,” said Lampião. “I think the shock when you travel abroad to my country is that we are very warm people also. They will talk to you and kiss you on the face the first time you meet them.”

Even though he is far from home, he keeps up with hometown news and is very passionate about his country that he hopes to someday work for.

“I love my country. I always try to change this image of poverty because everywhere you turn on TV and in campaigns about Africa they never show happy or healthy kids. They always construct a very negative image of my continent, but of course there are many good things happening too,” he said.

Lampião hopes to return to his country someday and use his knowledge and experience he gained abroad to better his country.

“My goal is to work for Africa and help other countries to achieve sustainable development,” he said. “I would like to help them explore resources and develop, but also to protect the environment — that’s the goal.”

The post A Duck Abroad: Arsénio Rodney Gonçalves Lampião’s journey from Africa to Eugene appeared first on Emerald Media.

Matthew Kimball, a 4th-year junior product design major from Medford, Oregon, was wearing all muted tones, contrasting with his outgoing personality. His outfit consisted of a plain t-shirt, a light gray jacket, black pants, a black, slightly distressed leather messenger bag and deep gray socks tucked into light gray and burnt orange Nikes.

“I don’t integrate what I am feeling with what I wear because all that I think about is I am confident,” Kimball said. “I want to feel confident, I want to look confident, so I am going to put on a very well pieced outfit and look how I feel.”

Kimball described his unique style, and what it means to be achromatic, fashion-wise.

Describe your style:

My style is filled with basics. I also love muted tones — specifically, gray. I love playing with different gray tones and values overall. As a rule of thumb, I hate contrast. I hate when people wear everything that just stands out on its own. If you want to wear a nice bright piece, keep everything else kind of subtle. It’s like art — you got to understand composition.

Why do you think it’s important to dress well?

My main mantra is that people need to know there is a difference between dressing well and dressing nicely. You can be in a business program and start dressing nicely. If you start wearing suits, that’s cool, but you have to understand fit. You need to know when dress pant fits like crap. You can be dressing nicely, but if everything fits badly you’re not dressing well.

Do you have any advice for people who are looking to be more fashionable?

You got to have fun with it. I try to do something different everyday. Even though I might not love it I force myself to learn new things and how they work, that’s how you figure out what looks good on you.

Where do you get inspiration?

Art 115. From learning about the color wheel, I learned that my taste was achromatic, [without color]. I love dressing monochromatically, or all the same shades. Interior design class influenced my style because we learned more about color. There you learn about color and lighting. This applies to fashion as well — color schemes and the mood.

It’s good to have a lot of creative mediums around you and to learn about it because they all really influence each other. Everything inspires everything else.

Would you ever consider making your own clothes?

I have always been interested in designing basic shirts, but making them worn a certain way, that look is very expensive because it takes a lot of labor to manufacture that. I have a sewing machine and I alter my own things all the time. I want to play with creating my own clothes. Right now, I would start off with just shirts.

The post Closet profile: Matthew Kimball rocks achromatic style appeared first on Emerald Media.

J. Cole destroyed McDonald Theatre Monday night as he kick-started his three-part tour with an amazing performance right here in Eugene.

With the entire theater packed, he opened with “Intro” from his new album.

Throughout the show, he took the time to talk to the crowd and ask for song requests. Of course, everyone wanted to hear music from his new album 2014 Forest Hills Drive, which is named after the street he grew up on. When J. Cole left for college, his house was foreclosed and his mom lost her home, all explained in the song “Apparently.” But after becoming famous, he was able buy back the house, and has since given it to two single mothers to live in.

Cole opted for a simple stage setup, with what appeared to be a tie-dye tapestry (very Eugene), and crazy lights. His presence absorbed the entire theatre as he talked about women who hurt him, and his mom, who is currently sick, but came to Eugene two hours before the show to hangout with her son.

An unforgettable moment was when he talked about his parents, specifically his father, right before performing the song “Love Yourz.” Cole sang this song with nothing but pure emotion. He said, no matter how popular you become, how famous you become, you always have time for your family. He shouted to the crowd, “You came from that man’s balls so fucking call him back!”

For the hardcore fans, J. Cole performed some of his older tracks from before he became popular.

Finally, after performing a few more popular songs, including “No Role Modelz” and “Apparently,” Cole left and the stage went black. As expected, the crowd blew up in frustration and anticipation, waiting for him to come back with an encore.

He did, and the crowd blew up.

When he was finished, he stood on stage and stared for a few moments into the crowd, which was wilder than ever.

“Damn,” he said, looking around the audience with awe and appreciation.

Before singing his final song, he told the crowd not to put their hands up and dance, but to just listen to his lyrics: “There’s beauty in the struggle, ugliness in the success. Hear my words or listen to my signal of distress… For what’s money without happiness? Or hard times without people you love? Though I’m not sure what’s ‘bout to happen next, I asked for strength from the Lord up above.”

After describing how personal his album is, and how hesitant he was to release it, he sang, “Apparently you believed in me, me, me.”

Why yes we do J. Cole, yes we do.

The post Concert review: J. Cole blows the roof off the McDonald Theatre appeared first on Emerald Media.

Rest and rejuvenation are two things college students never get enough of. If you are seeking refuge from midterms or suffering from stress in general, try Yoga Nidra, a form of guided meditation.

Lisa Namyet, a Nidra instructor at Eugene Yoga believes that a single hour of Yoga Nidra is as restful and refreshing as four hours of sleep. So how does Yoga Nidra achieve such refreshing results? It all starts with the environment. Yoga Nidra is taught in a smaller studio with dim lights and no music. In order to achieve a relaxing environment, the class is limited to 15 people.

“I love that I have a smaller class because then I can have a one-on-one connection with people” said Namyet.

After everyone is in a comfortable position, they stretch and meditate.

“The meditation goes through different parts of the body, but first we focus on the breath,” said Namyet.

After several breathing exercises the students quiet their minds.

“At this point in the class we go deeper towards the subconscious,” said Namyet. This is achieved by “going deep into the psyche with visual imagery; its not hypnosis, but it gets at the theta brain waves at the subconscious edge. You’re aware of what the instructor is saying, but your deep enough to go through layers and just relax every layer of the body,” said Namyet. Practices like these are the reason Namyet recommends Nidra for people who suffer with stress, insomnia, depression and anxiety.

The goal of Yoga Nidra is to relax every part of the body and to release emotional, muscular, mental and spiritual tension. By quieting their minds the students learn to simply observe their thoughts but not act on them. Additionally students can assign themselves an intention, or a goal they hope to achieve this class or in their life in general. The students repeat their intention to themselves three times and keep it in the back of their mind as they begin the Nidra series.

“For example I have a 15-year-old daughter and I had been wanting to spend more time with her, so I said ‘I want to have more fun with Rebecca as my intention for the class. I swear this stuff works because later that night something I had to do was cancelled and my time opened up. Rebecca didn’t have much homework and we were able to spend time together,” said Namyet. “Yoga Nidra in my experience truly does work and that’s why I want to teach it– I want to share this relaxation with others.”

For more information on Yoga Nidra classes, visit Eugene Yoga Studio.

The post Namaste: Yoga Nidra helps bring out the ultimate zen appeared first on Emerald Media.

Anold Khamphouny is a sophomore from Portland. His major is psychology right now, but he says that may change. After admiring his unique sense of fashion, I got the opportunity to interview him about his style.

How would you classify your style?

There’s some street wear in there, but also high-end. Then again, I wouldn’t say high-end because I don’t own high-end pieces — just pieces that look high end.

Who influences your style?

This one YouTuber I was introduced to last year. His name is Jacob Keller and he’s from Portland too. I would watch him and I came into my own thing. He’s really an inspiration; I like the way he does things. Some things I like about his style are the long shirts he wears and how he layers them; his shoes are cool too. His YouTube name is AlwaysFreshApparel.

Favorite brand right now? 

My favorite brand is Killion. I learned about it through Jacob — the guy from YouTube. I like all their stuff because they are cheaper than they look. They cut out the middleman and sell directly to consumer, so they sell at lower prices than a more reputable brand would. Their quality is on-point. I got a parka for only $68. If you were to find the same quality somewhere else, it would probably be well over $100. It’s unique how they do things. They release it in a capsule collection, or release it in a quick strike. When it all sells out, they are done, and there is a good chance it won’t be made again. They have been around for a few months and are based out of L.A. Their customer service is also on-point. I tweet at them if I have a question, and I always get a response within a few hours.

Favorite item in your closet?

My fishtail parkas. They’re split in the back and in the middle. I have three right now and I need to have them. One I got yesterday and it’s olive — I just love it. The material is this awesome canvas and kind of heavy-duty, but yet light enough to wear in fall.

How do you keep up to date with L.A. style while in Eugene?

A big thing is YouTube — I have subscribed to a few men’s fashion channels, and I also like blogs and websites. I was really into shoes. I am a little less now, but I would go onto HypeBeast. I follow Complex Mag on Twitter too. Tons of stuff about new Yeezys and stuff, mostly because it’s New York Fashion Week.

How has Eugene affected or influenced your style?

I don’t know if it has really had any affect. One thing I do notice lately is that there is one boutique in Portland I wanted to check out. In Eugene it’s small and there are not many stores that are geared toward higher-end mens apparel. If I wanna go try a new piece I kind of can’t. I can only do it online only which I don’t like sometimes. I have to go home to Portland to try stuff on.

One trend you dislike?

Joggers have been really overplayed lately. I see them everywhere. Another one is Uggs. I just don’t like them. There are so many other options — so many better boots you can wear other than Uggs. For that price too I would rather get nice leather boots.

Lately, this trend has been popping up everywhere and on everyone. Bralettes are basically as comfortable as a sports bra, except fashion-wise they’re a step up. They may not be as supportive as a regular bra, but they are give any outfit a spot of cute detail. You can layer them under baggy shirts or strapless shirts and dresses. They’re a perfect belated Valentine’s Day surprise as well. Here’s a DIY guide to making these on your own. Feel free to customize them with different trims, lace and ribbon etc.

You will need:
-Fabric (This can be lace or anything you want.)
-A pattern you can find them here
-Bra clasps (craft store)
-A trim that needs to be at least 3’’ wide and 30’’ long
-Elastic Band or lace trim or ribbon for the straps
-Elastic Strap for the waistband (measure yourself to get the right fit)

1. Follow the pattern and cut four bralette pieces.
2. Sew together two pieces in the middle so they create a triangle. Repeat this step for the other side of the bra.
3. Slightly overlap to two triangles and sew together.
4. Place the elastic waistband on the bottom covering the overlap. Make sure you place it on the side you want to face your torso. This way, it covers the seams. Pin the waistband in place and sew the waistband to the bottom of the two triangles.
5. Next, make sure the waistband fits snugly and measure out where the bra clasps should meet. Sew them to each side.
6. Measure out your bra straps to a comfortable length then sew them to the top of the triangles and again to the waistband. You can spice up your bralette by adding more straps and incorporating different types of lace. This will give it a more Boho feel.

Happy crafting!

This post was inspired and guided by this blog post on Project 22.

Choosing an outfit for Valentine’s Day can be a struggle, regardless of your relationship status. Whether you’re going on a date, going to a party or having a girls’ night out downtown, here are some festive outfit ideas to get your fashion gears turning.

The first outfit is for all the ladies who will be blasting Beyoncé in the bathroom while getting ready to hit the town with their girls. This look is hot. Bring out the wedges or heels tonight, and keep Cupid in check! Don’t forget to accessorize with bracelets, long necklaces, nail polish and, of course, your favorite perfume! If you opt for a more conservative top, you can swap your bra for a lace bralette to add a feminine and romantic touch to your look.

These next outfit ideas are for the guys. While some of you may reach for plaid and nice cologne, aim for a little more today, regardless of your plans. Try a dress shirt but make sure it’s wrinkle-free. If you don’t have an iron, try Downy Wrinkle Releaser — that stuff is magic! Add in a pair of clean dark denim jeans (a straight leg fit works well) and some classy shoes (no vans!). If you want to add more sophistication, or if you’re going to a fancy restaurant, try adding a knit element to your look, such as a nice v-neck sweater or a loose cardigan. Roll your sleeves to mid forearm for a clean-cut yet not too formal look.

This one’s for all the lucky ladies going on a fancy date. I kept these outfits rather simple because I’m sure you’ve all been pondering outfit choices and have a few ideas already. So here is a basic guideline. I put a few red dresses in the mix to stay festive, but you can totally rock another color and add festive touches of reds or pinks elsewhere. The black and white striped dress is a great example — mixed with some bold shoes, you’ll look instantly chic.

Its no secret. Ladies appreciate a man with a good sense of fashion. Luckily for us, our campus is filled with trendy guys.

So if you’re looking to define your style or find some inspiration, check out these websites to keep you looking dapper all throughout winter term.

1. Hypebeast.com
Hypebeast is a magazine, but they also run a killer website. Their website is designed like a blog and broken down by categories. They feature tons of articles about new fashion releases and update daily. Hypebeast has a great variety of styles for men, and they cover music and TV to boot.

2. Frank and Oak
Frank and Oak is an interactive website that helps you find your style. When you first go to the website they ask you if you would like to become a member (membership is free). By agreeing, you are then directed to a series of questions that ask your size, favorite colors, environments you spend weekdays and weekends in, stores you like, your age, etc. Then after the questionnaire it builds a closet personalized for you. They offer their own products and they give you tons of options for each category. Their prices are a bit steep, so you can use their suggestions as a guide or purchase them if you find some cool pieces. They also run a biannual magazine called Oak Street on the side.

3. Primer – The Getup
This website is impeccable. The Primer is described as the ideal older brother you may or may not have. The one that can give you advice on work, your girlfriend and style. This website puts together looks for certain occasions and the best part is it’s aimed for men in college and in their twenties. This website tries to cater all its content to this age group and does a pretty good job at it.

4. UpscaleHype
This website peeks at celebs and their style, and tells you where to cop their items. It’ll show you everything from Kanye’s latest sweater to where Ronaldo got his shades from. This website also offers cheaper alternatives and features new up-and-coming brands. This website is ideal for everyone from the LA creative to the edgy rapper.

5. The Art of Manliness, Dress and Grooming
This website is dedicated to uncovering the “lost art of being a man.” This website is unique because it balances men’s look from the ’40s while meshing it with today’s style. They have funny visuals that serve as how-to tutorials for fashion and hair. Even some of the hairstyles they feature reflect the ’40s, as this style is coming back.

Additionally Pinterest, LookBook.nu and Polyvore are home to a vast collection of super stylish photos that cover every style.

If you’ve been feeling the winter blues lately and want a simple way to cheer up any space in your home, make a candle. They create a great ambience and can emit a nice scent of your choosing. Candles are easy and inexpensive to make, and are a perfect detail to add some romance for Valentines day as well. If you enjoy making candles you can even make them for birthday presents and decorate the containers with personalized goodies. Below is a guide to make colorful crayon candles and a basic soy scented candle.

Colorful Crayon Candles

You will need:
-10-15 crayons
-A wick
-Heat-safe container you can throw away after the project
-A container of your choosing
-Non-Stick Cooking Spray
-Ice Water

1. First you will need to unwrap 10-15 crayons. (Tip: Soak Crayons in ice water and let it sit for 5 minutes. This will make the wrappers slide off.)
2. Grab a microwaveable bowl that you can throw out after this project and put your crayons into the bowl, pop them into the microwave for 2 minutes at a time until all the crayons are sufficiently melted.
3. Choose a container for your candle to be in. You can use a mason jar, a shot glass, a cookie cutter, anything really. Before you pour your crayons in be sure to spray the inside of the container with non-stick cooking spray.
4. Add the wick. Depending on what container you used you will need different length wicks. Measure the wick by placing it in the jar before you pour in the melted crayons. Make sure about a half inch to an inch will remain above the top of the mixture when you pour it into your jar.
5. Hold your wick in the center of the container, make sure your wick touches the bottom of the jar and begin to slowly pour in your melted crayons. Make sure the wick sticks out enough to light it, but trim it if the wick is too long because then your flame will be all over the place.
6. Let this candle sit for an hour and enjoy!

Some extra suggestions:

Paint a mason jar before you add your mixture, if you paint a whole jar with glitter it will shine beautifully in a dark room.

Glue lace to the outside of your candle jar for a pretty shadow glow.

Color Block Candles: Pour different colors into a shot glass then pour them one by one (allowing each one to dry before adding the next) to create a colorful stacked candle.

Scented Soy Candle:

You will need:
-2 pounds of Soy candle Wax (online or Target)
-Fragrance choose a Fragrance Oil (if it looks like household oil ask if it is ok to be burned)
-Wicks (any craft store)
-Heat-safe container that you can throw away after the project
-Whatever container you would like to put your candle in after.

1. Melt one cup of wax flakes for 2 minutes and keep going until it melts smoothly.
2. Add 8-10 drops of your fragrance oil to the melted mixture
3. Pour a small amount of wax in the container and set the wick into it. Let it dry a little before pouring the next batch while holding the wick up.
4. Let it sit and enjoy!

For general guidelines I used Instructables.com and FindingHomeOnline.com. And, of course, Pinterest is stocked full of creative and easy, DIY instructions for candles (or really anything else).

Check it, the Check clothing line that is.

Advertising major Austin Gebhard created Check four years ago, and now his clothing is sold in stores in Portland and online.

“I have always been really into action sports and I have always had an obsession with vintage apparel so there’s a tie there and then there’s the street style culture,” said Gebhard. “It’s just me doing it, and it’s been me since the beginning. So, I am completely in control of the design process.”

Word spread between local high schools and on social media. As Gebhard advanced to college his brand was put on the back burner, but that did not stop him from landing his clothing a spot in the Cal Skate store in Portland.

“It’s really cool because when I was younger I always thought that store was really cool,” said Gebhard.

His clothes can also be found in The Incorporated store in Portland. Gebhard knew he wanted to take his clothing to another level: retail.

Gebhard wants to create more custom and unique designs.

“Next I am doing a full cut and sew collection, its mainly going to be sweatshirts and I’m doing sweater stuff but I’m incorporating Pendleton wool and sewing in this awesome high end up and coming leather company out of Portland called Tanner Brand Goods,” said Gebhard. “It’s going to be more high-end its fully custom sewn with really nice high-end material.”

As for the name behind the brand, Austin said he liked the visual layout of the word and thought it was an easy name to remember.

“Check also stands for checking goals off your list and moving forward in a positive way,” said Gebhard.

The best part about owning your own clothing line? Seeing it on other people.

“I just got these jackets in last night like late right before I was about to go out and I was leaving and threw it on and went to this party,” said Gebhard. “There was this random dude there who came up and was like, ‘ Oh is that Check, the brand from Portland? ‘And I was like yeah, he was like ‘Ah they’re sick, I have followed them for a long time like that’s really tight that you have heard about them’, and that made my night.”