Graduation Denial

Jennifer A

May 28, 2012 - 12:00 PM

There is a dirty word on campus right now, and that is called graduation. Or as I like to refer to it the "G" word. Some people are extremely excited that they are going to be done with school but the rest of us are in denial.

 

We are in denial that in just a couple of weeks we will be leaving the life we have known for the past four years. Drinking on a weeknight will no longer be acceptable. Surviving on little to no sleep will soon wreck our bodies. Our friends will no longer be within a five block radius of us. Chances are we will not be in this close proximity to the bars and most importantly "I'm hungover" will no longer be a valid excuse.

 

Besides all of the fun stuff we are entering a world of unknown for the first time. Yes, college has been way different then high school but we knew exactly what to expect. Movies had prepared us for it. Plus, it was just a continuation of schooling in a way better environment. Now we are writing our own stories and finding our own paths. For all of us there is not a pre-requisite on how to succeed from here on out. We knew in school that being successful meant that we needed to go to class, study, and work hard. I guess we can change the formula now to go to work, study, and work hard. Doesn't sound much different but the implications of it all is overwhelming.

 

For now, I will forget about the "G" word for a little bit longer. I will soak up as much of this Eugene sunshine as I can take. College has been the greatest four years of my life but I am bound and determined to make each and every year from here on out just as great.

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Camping Memorial Weekend

Jennifer A

May 27, 2012 - 12:00 PM

This past Memorial Weekend some friends and I decided to get out of Eugene and go camping. We had it planned for a couple of weeks. We were going to head out on Friday to Lake Odell a couple of hours outside of Eugene and spend the weekend by the fire making smores.

 

First, we leave two hours late. The sun is shinning down and we drive towards the dark clouds. Lake Odell is at a much higher elevation than Eugene so we drive up the mountain until we hit snow. As we pull into the campsite the wind is howling and creating white caps on the lake waves. We stay for no more than five minutes, make a few phone calls and find out that our friends boyfriend has a cabin on a lake not to far away. We pile back in and head that way.

 

We get into the one bedroom cabin, unpack all of our food and start having an amazing weekend. There is a small rowboat that we took to an island on the lake. We made fishing poles out of sticks and fishing wire. We hiked the beautiful scenery and of course, roasted smores by the fire.

 

This was one of the best weekends I have ever had in college. I had an amazing time with amazing friends and I couldn't have asked for more. It was just a little taste of what sweet summer will hold.

 

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Spring in Eugene

Jennifer A

May 19, 2012 - 12:00 PM

It has happened, the elusive Spring term in Eugene. Many believed that it wasn't possible to go a week without rain here during the school year. Finally all the non-believers have been disproven.

 

My freshmen year at the University of Oregon was a very rainy year, until Spring term. It was like the weather Gods had refused to let it rain. The weather was spectacular every single day. It was that Spring term that brought us all back to UO the following year, and the next and so on. The rain was bearable, as long as we got that spring. We told incoming freshmen this story for years. They all thought that it was an illusion. The past two springs have been ridiculously rainy. I actually believe my junior year's winter term was nicer than spring!

 

When the sun comes out on campus I swear that the population of students triples. It is like we have come out of hibernation. As cheesy as it sounds, I believe that the University of Oregon appreciates sunshine more than any other school. We have dealt with the rain so much that we can truly enjoy the sunshine better than anywhere else. The only negative part of having a beautiful Spring term is all the campus tours. They see the campus at its absolute best. I feel like that UO is almost lying to the incoming students. If a prospective student comes to campus on a disgusting rainy day and still decides to come here then they know what they are getting themselves into. For those few who come during a perfect day- brace yourselves.

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Mother’s Day Weekend

Jennifer A

May 13, 2012 - 12:00 PM

For this past Mother's Day Weekend I went home to Sisters, OR to see my Mom. I also took my roommate so she could see my hometown. What I got was a weekend to remember.

 

First off, Katie (my roomie) and I brought home a huge amount of laundry. Having to pay for laundry in school is a hassle and can be really expensive! In between loads of laundry Katie and I walked the town of Sisters. I took her to Sno Cap, an old-fashioned ice cream and burger joint. It is also the first place I ever worked. We got ice cream, walked by my old high school and swung in the park. Then we decided to head back to my house to shoot some BB guns in our backyard at homemade targets.

 

Our next day in Sisters was even more eventful. We saw my Mother, gave her presents and then headed to Suttle Lake for the day. We brought the barbeque, our dog, kayak and paddleboard. The weather could not have been more perfect. My roommate had never been on a paddleboard so that was an adventure in itself teaching her! At one point we fit both of us on there!

 

To say it was a great weekend would be an understatement. I had an amazing time spending it with my family and my roomie in my hometown. I just hope the weather stays this nice!

 

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A Terrible Loss

Jennifer A

May 12, 2012 - 12:00 PM

A tragedy had struck the University of Oregon Greek Life. Not my sorority, but one close by has just lost a member to meningitis. It was a sudden and tragic death felt by the entire community. It is something terrible like this that shows us how important our community is.

 

I have never met the young woman who passed away. The fact that I have reached out to women who I have never met to offer my support and condolences shows how close our community is. A memorial for this beautiful girl was set up quickly that was attended by every chapter on campus.

 

I know there is a stigma against Fraternity and Sorority Life. Yes, we are women and thus can be dramatic and caddy. But the thought of losing any one of my sisters is heart wrenching. I try to think of a sister, even a newly initiated sister, whose loss would have little impact on my life personally and I can't even comprehend one. I feel this sorority's pain of losing one of their own and so does the rest of Greek Life. We may all have different letters, but we are still sisters.

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