Friends back in Eugene

Katie D.

November 14, 2010 - 2:13 PM

It has been a fabulous weekend. My friends Maddy, Stephanie, and Verni came to visit for the weekend. All three graduated with me, and have since moved on to new projects and places, along with most of my other UO friends. It has been so exciting to keep in touch with my people as they've gone new places for new adventures (or returned home for a breather). But I miss them, and I miss the way we used to spend time together.

So, for the weekend, we had a mini-regression to college as it was.

Maddy has been in Amsterdam for the past three months. She studied abroad in Singapore and met a girl from Amsterdam, so she decided to spend part of the time between graduation and Americorps exploring Europe. Getting to see her again made me so incredibly happy. She has had all these adventures, and is busy plotting her steps for the next few years. She majored in Family and Human Services, and is truly dedicated to working with people (especially children) to create a more just and compassionate world. I love talking with her and hearing her stories.

Verni and I lived in the dorms together, and have a hilarious relationship working around our different interests. She's headed to med school, but is getting her Nursing Assistant Certification in the meantime, back in Corvallis living with her folks. I've always found Verni to be fascinating--as a friend she is silly and sweet, and as a student she is completely focused and dedicated. I love her for both.

Stephanie is working for OHSU as a lab tech on an immunology study. This seems to involve both extended work with Excel programs tracking information from blood samples and some really sophisticated data interpretation and protocol design. Of all my friends, I'd say she's the most fully "launched" of my recent UO alumni friends. She has a salary, benefits, and an appartment in the suburbs. While that's not been her ultimate goal, it is an interesting stepping place between the UO and her graduate study, and is strong proof that she's made her way despite the current economic conditions.

Ben, the other member of this weekend's activities, has been one of my best friends for four years, and is completing his fifth year at the UO in biochemistry while applying for medical schools. One of our favorite weekend activities was brainstorming ideas for his med school entrance essays. It's really fun to try to include such facts as "Star Wars junkie," "amateur ice climber," and "pun master" to an otherwise on-target resume.

Of course, getting together meant a good deal of discussion of those who weren't with us for the weekend. Leah is home in Alaska, taking classes to fulfill prerequisites for a Historic Preservation program to continue her interest in art history and art preservation. Grant is in Seattle, working for a museum doing archeology. Olivia is in Washington, DC, working for the Alaska Congressman. Nathan is in Japan, teaching English to middle schoolers.

Getting the small group of us together again made things feel right back at home. We went to one of our favorite Eugene restaurants (The Humble Beagle) and did some of our favorite Eugene activities (campus speaking events, watching sci fi movies, and talking endlessly). The thing I miss most about this group of friends is the ability to kick back and simply be present with people I love dearly, and who know me so well.