Final Tribute

David R.

June 2, 2011 - 12:40 PM

I'm sitting here in awe as I write my last official blog for the University of Oregon. The fact that I am graduating is starting to hit me, and I can't believe that my college career is about over. Today I went in to say my final goodbye to the woman who is in charge of the bloggers, and it hit me that this segment of my life is over. I have a take home final that I will submit online next Tuesday, so today is officially the last day of class that I will ever have as a student at Oregon. We lost our softball game yesterday, but we made a nice push through the playoffs nonetheless.

 

I arrived in Eugene in the fall of 2007, not knowing what to expect or how I would enjoy my experience here. It was my first time every being away from home, but I quickly became caught up in the college life and made a new home for myself in Eugene. I quickly made friends through multiple different facets of the college experience. From the dorms, to my fraternity, to the club baseball team and my fig, I made some of the best friends that I have had in college and I will always savor the relationships that I made. I will never forget the first football game that I went to in Autzen Stadium, even though we lost. Football games are certainly one of the coolest things that I have been a part of in college, and one of the best things about being a student here. My time spent on the club baseball team was unforgettable, and it allowed me to pursue a passion of mine while still being at a larger university. Not many people can say that they have played at the Boston Red Sox spring training facility, or that they were a part of the third best club baseball team in the nation.

 

I will never forget all of the people that I met while I was here, and all of the experiences that I have had from academics to extra-curricular activities have made me the person that I am today. School, Allen Hall Public Relations and the Athletic Department taught me the importance of hard work, while the weekends allowed me to master the work hard play hard mentality. I came here in 2007 as a boy, and I feel that I am leaving a man. I have developed an independence while being out here on my own, and I have developed a sense of creating my own direction for the life that I want to live. From the struggles of picking a major and fighting my way through the notorious info hell project, I created an identity for myself and a vision for the kind of life and career I want to have. The University of Oregon has prepared me for life after college and being a man in the real world.

 

From the spring break trips, the weekend parties, and wild nights at Taylors, to memorial day outings, random weekend excursions and Oregon football (just to name a few), the last four years have certainly been the best of my life, just as they should be for any college student. I hope that you have enjoyed my blogs as much as I have enjoyed writing them, and I thank you for reading them. I'm sad that my college experience is ending, but excited for being an alumni out in the world representing this proud university. The University of Oregon will always have a place in my heart, and I will remember my time spent here until the day that I die. Oregon provides one of the best college experiences anyone could ask for, and I have never been more proud to be a Duck. I will "rep" Duck spirit for as long as I live, and as Chip Kelly would say, "Win The Day." One love.

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Epic Last Memorial Day Weekend.

David R.

May 31, 2011 - 7:13 PM

I never thought it would come, but this is officially my last week of blogging as a blogger for the University of Oregon. I have been writing these blogs every week since the beginning of my junior year, and it will definitely be weird not having to do so come next week. It's a little sad but I plan to write to solid blogs nonetheless to wrap up my blogging experience with the Annual Giving Program.

 

I am still feeling the effects from my last Memorial Day weekend as an Oregon student. I made the most of it and I am definitely still a little behind on sleep. Lake Billy Chinook was a great time and I would love to go back at some point before I leave here for good. I got my first experience ever riding a four-wheeler and I didn't want to stop. There were trails all around the camp site that I went romping through for hours. The lake was pretty cold so I didn't do a whole lot of swimming, but the sun was shining for the majority of the time so I definitely caught some rays from the shore. My friend brought his boat along for the trip so I certainly enjoyed the time I spent cruising around the biggest lake in Oregon. Billy Chinook certainly gives Shasta a run for its money. The lake is massive and it seems like it would be impossible for someone to make it to every corner of it. I loved being in the spot that we were in, even though the water felt like knives stabbing me all over my body! I haven't been camping in a while either so that was an enjoyable aspect of the trip. I'm not gonna lie, I ended up crawling into my car in the middle of one night because it was so cold, but it was a fun experience regardless, and it made me feel more in tune with nature! One of the best parts of the trip was sitting around the campfire at night enjoying some cold beverages. It was cold at night so it was nice to be able to draw some heat from the fire and socialize with the group.

 

Saturday afternoon brought me to a part of the state that I have never been to before. On my way to Welches for the evening I got to pass by the notorious Mt. Hood and see the ski resort that everyone raves about. There wasn't a whole lot of snow on the slopes but I'm sure there is an abundance during the winter months. The drive was beautiful and I made it from the lake to the cabin in only a few hours. The cabin was quite luxurious and is right on a golf course fairway, so a couple of us made our way down there to practice our game for a little while. It was nice to be up there with a big group and to enjoy the evening with a big group of friends. The billiards contests eventually picked up in the basement and my roommate and I ran the table to say the least.

 

Today at 6, the semi finals for the intramural softball playoffs begin. We have made a solid push through the post season and we certainly aren't ready for the season to end yet. Tonight should be a thriller, and I'll let you know how it goes!

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Weekend Here I Come

David R.

May 26, 2011 - 12:27 PM

Unfortunately the sun has vanished from the Eugene area for the time being, but I have to think that it will be making another appearance for the great weekend ahead. As crazy as it sounds for the Pacific Northwest, I actually got kind of used to the sun being out at the end of last week and into this week. There were a few days in a row of blasting sunshine and I thought for a little that it might be like that for the rest of the term. Few places on Earth receive constant sunshine, so I really can't complain, I just hope it makes a return for my weekend extravaganza.

 

For the second time this term, I luckily had a class cancelled so I am sitting here enjoying the comfort of my couch. My obligations for the week are done and I am ready for the weekend. Tonight I will be attending a pinning for my fraternity with the Delta Delta Delta sorority. For those who don't know, a pinning is a celebration of two people in the greek community that are in a relationship. Essentially, the man places his fraternal pin on his girlfriend to signify that he is putting her above the fraternity. Everyone from both houses dresses up and goes to the sorority, where close friends give speeches about the two, and then everyone heads to an after party at someone's house. I was a speaker at a pinning earlier this year and it was a blast. The speakers usually tell funny stories about the two and usually put them on the spot in some way. I'm not speaking at tonight's but observing is always fun too and it should be a nice night of celebrating.

 

I am planning on leaving for the weekend festivities some time tomorrow around three in the afternoon. We are going to drive right to the lake and set up camp. I haven't decided whether or not I'll be sleeping in a tent or in my car, but I will probably choose the latter to prevent everyone from suffering from my atrocious snoring, and of course, to keep myself protected from all of the ferocious wildlife. I'm sad this is really my last weekend getaway as a college student, but I plan to make the most of it while I am away from Eugene. Not having to go to work or class on Monday will be nice, and I am going to take full advantage of the day off. The term is really winding down and I am trying to enjoy every second of it. I'm going to enjoy the little time I have left with all of the friends that I won't get to see as often after graduation. It's definitely sad but I realize that people can't stay in college forever. I know it isn't done yet, but it has been the greatest four years of my life and I know I'll miss it. You'll certainly get the college experience you're looking for if you choose to come to Oregon.

 

 

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Memorial Weekend Approaching!

David R.

May 24, 2011 - 3:07 PM

Week nine is here and I am approaching my fourth and final Memorial Day weekend as a University of Oregon student. I have a killer weekend planned and it should make for a great finale to my college career.

 

On Friday I'll be hopping into my car to go to Lake Billy Chinook in the Oregon Forest. It's about four hours away, and I'll be making the journey with a few of my buddies to enjoy a nice weekend of camping by the lake. I have never been to this lake before but I have heard it is massive so there will be plenty of room for exploration. My friend's family is bringing a boat and some 4-wheelers, so I really don't think it will be possible to get bored. He told me that they usually tie two inner tubes to the back of the boat at once, to allow for a sort of full contact tubing experience. I'm pretty sure we will be spending our nights there camping, which is always fun, but I don't have a tent. I may end up sleeping in my car, which will probably be more comfortable, and will protect me from any potential wild animal attacks!

 

I'll be spending Friday night and Sunday night down at the lake, but on Saturday night I will be rendezvousing with my roommates at a cabin over by Mt. Hood. A bunch of people are going up their for the night, and I want to be able to do something with them as well, so I'll be heading up there a little later in the afternoon on Saturday. Cabins are always a good time and I have never been over to that area of Oregon so it should be a blast. On Sunday morning I'll be heading back down to the lake to enjoy another day in the sun. After that I'll be heading back to Eugene with the crew on Monday to hit the books for the final push before finals week. I hope this weekend presents good weather, and I think it will be just the break I need before finals week begins.

 

Today before a class I got a phone call from someone with the San Diego Padres who wants to me talk to me about my resume on Friday. I applied for an inside sales position with the team a couple weeks back and I'm glad they finally got back to me. I would love to work for the Padres and be down in San Diego. I have gained a substantial amount of exposure to this organization throughout the years through my job with the Rockies, so it would be fun to be a part of another National League West team.

 

The NBA playoffs are getting down to the wire at this point and tonight I'll be spending the evening catching the action. The Heat are taking on the Bulls in a series that has been a battle thus far. I hate to say it but I'm pretty convinced that the Heat will be taking the crown that they said they would win before the year began.

 

My classes are over for the day, now it's time to hit the library!

 

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Back from the Bay

David R.

May 19, 2011 - 12:07 PM

Yet another day of sunshine has been bestowed upon us, and I decided to soak in as much of it as I can. I just had one class and now I'm sitting on the lawn of my fraternity writing this great blog.

 

I eventually made my way back up to Duckville from the Bay area. I basically spent all day on Tuesday shadowing an employee of the company that I would be working for. I went around with him for all of his sales duties and got a better feel for what I would be doing as a day to day employee with this company. We went up to a town called Vallejo and made some rounds as our goal was to sell as many VIP cards as possible. Basically, this company has a ton of different clients who are all trying to expose their products or services to different people, so they come to BAY Marketing to gain more exposure. One of the company's clients is the Oakland Athletics, and the A's give the company a ton of free tickets for each game, and BAY then takes these tickets and puts them into promotional packages for a 70-90 percent discounted price. The A's don't necessarily see any ticket profit from this, but is exposes more people to the franchise when they come to the games and spend money on other things liker food, merchandise etc. We basically spent the day walking around trying to sell as many of these cards to as many people as possible. I'm glad I got to wet my beak on some of the action I would be seeing on a daily basis, and it was a good experience all together.

 

The day lasted until around 6:30 and then it became time for me to come back up to the Eug. I was thinking about staying down there for another night but I had things to take care of yesterday so I thought I should try to push through. I pounded a few five-hour energy drinks, as well as a couple Starbucks double shots to keep myself awake. I always fear falling asleep while driving so I do whatever I need to do stay awake. I figured I would rather be tweaking out from drinking too much caffeine than having to sit there slapping myself in the face to stay awake. I eventually made it up to Medford, Ore., and I was thinking about staying there for the night, but I really didn't want to stay in a hotel again so I pounded another double shot and got back on the highway. In total the journey took me about seven and a half hours, and I got back to Eugene right around 2:30 in the morning. I was exhausted but definitely happy that I made it all the way back. I fell asleep in my class this morning so I think I am still recovering from it all. However, the sun is out and so am I, so I don't plan on taking a nap any time soon!

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