Campus THEN and NOW Series - Part 18: I-5 and Traveling for the Holidays

Caitlin H.

November 28, 2009 - 9:13 PM

If you have every journeyed I-5, north or south, the first day of an academic break I promise you, not much has changed. If possible the traffic may be even slightly worse. Students who travel away to college often wonder about how they might get home for winter or spring break. Or as the case may be this week, Thanksgiving.

I have been lucky at the UO to be far enough away from home, I feel like I've ‘gone away' and reestablished myself - something students often seek once leaving high school. However I have also been close enough to home that when desired, I could travel back for a three day weekend. It makes traveling at breaks like winter break, spring break, and Thanksgiving relatively easier.

Eugene offers an airport shuttle to the larger international airport in Portland, but taxis also service the smaller Eugene airport for any flights coming or going straight out of the city. Most often students can find a friend traveling in the same direction to carpool with or catch a ride to the bus or train station. The options for travel are quite numerous.

Myself, I am one of the many students who live along the I-5 corridor. Sometimes I feel like so does every other student who attends school along the west coast. However the perk to that congested traffic means I'm far more likely to find a ride home, and save my parents from travelling all the way to Eugene.

Every time I travel to or from home, I always end up thinking about the journey at one particular spot - when I cross the Columbia River. Usually there is a sign welcoming travelers into the next state marking the transition from Oregon to Washington or vice versa. At that point I think of any number of things - sense of place in two states, how long the drive has been, how quickly the drive has passed, if I'm eager to return to Oregon or Washington again. A variety of topics but always something about the journey I have been on. This year, I thought about being thankful.

I was so grateful for the break in my busy schedule. I had so little time to relax; there were an infinite number of tasks that needed catching up on. But I forced myself, to stop, slow down, and enjoy my few days at home. A few years ago I had every evening to spend time with my parents and grandparents, and now, the time seems harder to come by.

College is so much fun and quite the experience. On the breaks I encourage you - enjoy the time with your friends and families. Enjoy the time to relax. Even if it is just for a moment along I-5 as you sit in traffic, take time to let the moment release its power on you. It is inspiring to realize how far I have come and gone in my college experience and I guess the drive home makes me realize just how great a distance that is. When I return to Eugene I will have just one week of classes and one week of finals before the longer winter break. I feel as though my trip home has empowered me to keep pushing through the finish line. And when I return home again for the holiday season, I know the time to relax amongst friends and families will be even more satisfying.

Okay week 10, here we go! Just 12 more days until the end of fall term.

- on a side note: you know you're in college when: you start counting down the days until the end of term instead of days until presents.