Day Eleven

Caitlin H.

April 8, 2010 - 8:00 AM

The following takes place between 8:00 and 9:00am:

A lawnmower attacked the grass somewhere beneath my bedroom window. Was the grass being cut, or beaten and abused? The engine roared to life with more gusto than seemed necessary for an ordinary lawn mower. But then again, it was early and this was less peaceful than the calm awakening of music pouring from my alarm clock I'm accustomed to. I probably had a grudge.

I opened my window and let the crisp morning air waft in carrying the scent of freshly cut grass with it. Don't you just love the spring? I wish Eugene weather could be easily explained. Just two days ago it had been raining so hard my potted strawberries on the deck were officially floating. Yesterday, the weather was perfect. Oregonians rejoiced in the 70-degree weather by wearing shorts. Today: cooler, but still sunny and perfect in most respects.

Before I had fully appreciated the morning for all its beauty, I had fed the fish, gotten dressed, grabbed a bagel and ran out the door in haste. My job required I be to campus by 8:30 to give a classroom presentation in McKenzie Hall. These presentations are brief in length (often times lasting no more than two minutes) but are an important part of publicity for the study abroad office where I work.

A short bike ride later and I was standing before 35 students giving my plug for study abroad and global internship opportunities at the University of Oregon. Nearly a quarter of all UO graduates will study abroad at some point during their time as an undergrad. Of the classroom I spoke in today, I can expect at least a few will pursue study abroad. Sometimes the presentations are done in front of classes with only 15 students, sometimes in large lecture classes with over 100 students. The median size for a lecture class on campus is 26 students. On average, the UO offers 3,054 undergraduate classes per term. Of those, only 107 classes have more than 100 students.

When the minute hand hit the six, I started in. I told the students who I was, what study abroad was, and the quick info on how to make it happen. The presentations go so fast I can barely remember them happening. The students clapped and I was back out the door and free to enjoy the rest of my morning.

The only other commitment I have on campus today is work from 12-2 in the study abroad office; I'll do drop-in advising for students starting to think about study abroad opportunities. In the meantime I'm going to study in the Erb Memorial Union.

Walking across campus the clouds are starting to roll in a little bit. Model United Nations is going on, bringing an abundance of high school students to campus clogging my normal walking routes. The fishbowl, where I usually like to lounge in the EMU, has been taken over. The fishbowl is the place on campus to meet people. Nine times out of 10, if I feel like finding someone to hang out with on campus, going to the fishbowl can make it happen. Today, the fishbowl did not fail me. I sat near the glass windows planning through my day, and within 15 minutes my friend Alex had found and joined me.

Despite the fishbowl's certain powers in bringing friends together, today the overcrowding from Model UN students is urging me to relocate. I'm on the move again...

Authors Note: This term I've decided to dissect my day one hour at a time to inform you about my college life. My own life set to the Fox Network's hit show "24." ...If only I were as sensational as Jack Bauer. In this ‘season' you can expect a thrilling and innovative drama complete with a few unforeseen plot twists.