A Mexican Feast

Chelsea G

May 2, 2012 - 10:00 PM

This weekend, my roommates and I decided to host a work barbeque in celebration of Cinco de Mayo, beautiful weather, and our awesome backyard. It was a perfect break from the busy midterm week we just all had. Our get together was buffet style and everyone brought a traditional Mexican dish. The dinner turned out to be a feast and it was amazing having a break from my typical microwavable food. We all love having the opportunity to bond outside of work. My coworkers are some of my closest friends and that is one of the reasons I enjoy my job so much. It's so much more motivating to work on days that I am tired knowing that I will be surrounded by such a positive atmosphere. If anyone is struggling meeting friends in college, I strongly suggest working on campus. It provides you with an opportunity to meet people from different social circles and majors. The variety of people makes a great combination that you wouldn't be able to create on your own.

This week has been overall very pleasant. There was the annual ASUO street fair which always brightens up the whole campus. If you are unfamiliar with the street fair, it is definitely something I suggest to check out. It's like the University of Oregon's little version of Saturday Market. 13 Street was filled with delicious food, handmade jewelry, and music. Trekking to campus was so much easier when I knew there was thai food there waiting for me. I'm already looking for the street fair in the fall and the amazing treats that come along with it.

[ 0 Comments ]

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.

[ 0 Comments ]

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. . .

[ 0 Comments ]

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.

 

[ 0 Comments ]

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.

 

[ 0 Comments ]