Spring Game and Mt. Pisgah

Chelsea G

April 29, 2012 - 10:00 PM

This weekend was yet again another successful one. It was the Ducks Spring Game and I also finally hiked Mt. Pisgah for the first time. The weather was perfect to do both on Saturday. The Spring Game got the whole campus excited. Although I am not as passionate about Duck Football as most of my fellow peers, it was still a nice break from my weekly routine. Not only did it get everyone excited for this upcoming season, but it was also a great way to support a good cause. The admission to the game was only 3 non-perishable food items for Food for Lane County.

I finally got to explore Mt. Pisgah with a few of my coworkers after the game. The hike is only about a ten minute drive from campus. We did the 1.9 mile trail, which is perfect for a casual day. The summit was breathtaking and offered an amazing view from every angle. It's amazing to see how big and diverse Eugene is. Honestly, sometimes I forget that Eugene is an actual city. I often get caught up in campus life and forget that Eugene has so much more to offer. I am truly fortunate to be living in such a marvelous place and need to take more advantage of its beauty.

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Coming out of Hibernation

Chelsea G

April 22, 2012 - 4:00 PM

This weekend has been the nicest since summer. Today almost reached 80 degrees and the whole atmosphere in Eugene changed. The streets were floated with cheerful students in their bathing suits. I went for a walk and saw several groups of friends with homemade slip and slides in their yards. If they weren't trying to cool down with water, they were busy throwing Frisbees, having barbeques, or tanning in their warm grass. Everyone is so much more active and social when the sun is out. There is clearly a much more positive sense throughout the whole campus. There are many actives I have been looking forward to do this summer. I didn't want to do them all right when summer begins, so I decided to save them for another time. Instead, I spent my weekend just relaxing in the sun. My new home this year has a large deck connected to my room so I just did homework on it while brightening up my skin. I am also going to The Sasquatch Music Festival in Washington this upcoming Memorial Weekend so I also listened to some of the bands that will be playing there. The sun is such a rare occasion in Eugene, that all of us Ducks celebrate nice spring days like it's Christmas. I am so much more motivated to do my readings for class when I know I can do them basking in the sun opposed to being in the library. This weekend had just made me even more excited for the summer. I see this weekend as just foreshadowing what the rest of my term will be like. . .

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A Weekend of Reflection

Chelsea G

April 14, 2012 - 11:00 AM

Yesterday I went to dinner and a movie with my roommates from last year. It seems like it was so long ago we were all living together, yet at the same time it wouldn't have felt strange to just drive back to our old apartment and naturally go back to rooms that were once ours. We are all busy with our own schedules, but we have made an effort to all catch up about every two months. It's amazing to see how all of us have grown in very positive ways. Seeing and reminiscing with them is always reminder of that.

I cannot believe that my undergraduate experiencing is more than halfway over. I know that these will be some of the best years of my life, and I am scared to see them end. Recently I have been trying to decide if I want to graduate early, and weighing the pros and cons to each choice. I would save money if I graduated next winter, but I also feel that no amount of money is worth giving up these irreplaceable memories. I am really thankful of the opportunities I have had the past few years and happy to see how they have shaped and matured me. The volunteer projects, my job, my peers, and the courses I have taken have all opened many doors for me. Thinking back at the timid girl I once was when I entered U of O makes me eager to see how I'll develop even more in the next year that I am here.

 

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Boo’s Last Weeekend

Chelsea G

April 8, 2012 - 10:00 PM

Spring term has officially started and I am feeling really positive about it. The weather has been beautiful here and my Spanish classes seem like they are going to be really interesting this term. Not only will my Spanish improve, but I will also be learning a lot about the politics and history of the places where Spanish is spoken.

I came home this weekend for Easter and it was also Boo's (my older sister) last weekend in Oregon. She is leaving tomorrow morning for Botswana to serve with The Peace Corp. It is unfathomable that I will not be seeing her for more than two years. As frightening as this next step for her is, I know that this is a decision she won't regret. The Peace Corps was always a dream of mine as well and is still something I am considering after college. The U of O website states that The Peace Corp actually ranks U of O as their number 19th school last year. Currently 72 alumni are serving with them. I am so proud that Boo is brave enough to now be part of that group. I wish the best of luck to Boo and this amazing adventure she is about to start.

 

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A Magical Spring Break

Chelsea G

April 1, 2012 - 5:00 PM

It has been amazing being able to relax and spend time with my family after a busy finals week. This spring break my family and I went to Florida as a going away trip for my older sister, Boo. Boo is a U of O alumnus and also has previously written blogs for the university. She plans to spend the next two years and two months in Africa serving for the Peace Corp. This past week has truly been magical and a great way to end Boo's time in the United States. We first started our trip in Disney World where we got a chance to explore all the different parks available. The crowds weren't too overbearing and we enjoyed our time bringing out our inner children.

The weather was amazing there and my skin clearly shows I didn't spend my Spring Break in rainy Eugene. I am an Oregon native, so I usually can tolerate Oregon's rain; however, I definitely needed this sunny break. I often wonder how all the U of O students from California handle Oregon's weather. I have heard that the University of Oregon's Health Center has a light room to help with student's Seasonal Depression issues. Although at times my hatred for the rain gets to me I am often able to last through the winter without needing to seek help. However, I know that light room probably helps a lot of students that come from sunnier places.

In order to fully take advantage of this beautiful weather in Florida we decided to go to Coco Beach. It was about a little over an hour drive away from our hotel, but the journey was well worth it. It was so nice to actually be able to swim in the ocean there without worrying about catching hypothermia.

On our final day we went to Universal Studios. My sisters are huge Harry Potter fans so they were ecstatic to go the Hogwarts section of the park. I have honestly never been to a theme park as amazing as that one. The roller coasters were by far the most exciting ones I have ever been on and I was blown away by all the art there. I seriously had no idea rides and decorations could appear so real. The park left us all speechless for hours.

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