The News Desk Feb. 4
Welcome to the News Desk! This week, we're talking snow days, upcoming projects at the Daily Eastern News and cute animals. Also, make sure to check out the podcast- editor-in-chief Corryn Brock told me about the process of putting together our African American Heritage Month edition of the paper.
How to use your snow days
Winter storms bought Eastern students two whole days off from classes this week and trapped a lot of people in their houses for a little while. I know I've enjoyed the time off and used the opportunity to catch up on some work, but I always find myself wasting valuable time in which I could be doing something fun or even productive. So, in preparation for any upcoming snow days, I've made a list of activities which anyone can try.
1. Try a new recipe
One of my favorite things to do as a college student without a lot of disposable income is find new recipes to make with ingredients I already have in my fridge. Sometimes I just google what I have, but I've also found MyFridgeFood and SuperCook. Both websites offer recipe suggestions based on the ingredients you select. I've also found some great recipes on TikTok, of all places. I'd highly recommend this easy tofu recipe (crumbled tofu, who knew?). This one would probably require a store run, but eating this this matcha French toast made me feel incredible fancy for how easy the steps were.
2. Have a movie night
This is a classic snow day activity. Make some hot chocolate, get some blankets and catch up on all the movies you've been "putting on your list" for the last few months. If you're on Eastern's wifi, definitely check out EIU Movies. It's completely free and there are a lot of recent movies that you can't find on other streaming platforms. Need a recommendation? Tune in to the Movie DEN, the film review podcast that I produce with co-host Adam Tumino.
3. Get outside, if you can!
I tend to get cold too quickly to truly enjoy the snow, but lots of people love making snow sculptures and playing games in it anyway. Our photographers captured some awesome pictures of students playing out in the quads on campus this week- check them out here and here. A couple of us also worked together on this video showcasing Eastern's campus covered in snow.
Upcoming fun stuff in the News
Next week, our print version of the paper will be our love, dating and sex edition in honor of Valentine's Day! Everyone in the newsroom is working hard to put together some fun and interesting writing, photos and designs. I'm especially excited to see some of the stories we have planned about couples on campus and people's funniest dating app interactions. If you're a student, you can have some input by filling out this survey we put together! I think the questions are pretty fun and we're curious what people have to say.
Send me pictures of your pets
Another thing that I do when stuck inside is look at pictures of my dogs which my parents send me. My favorite recent pictures show their differing feelings toward the snow.
I always show these photos to my friends and that's what gave me an idea: I'd like to feature something from you all who have subscribed to this newsletter. If you have a pet you love and want to show off, reply to this email and attach a picture! Tell me the pet's name and maybe a bit about them and maybe I'll include them next week, because I think animals can brighten anybody's day.
Don't forget to check out the podcast!
