Lost in Eugene

I just got back in to Dallas after a trip to Oregon for Grad Day. Grad day itself was awesome, I even met a few fellow buffs in the land of ducks. I took TONS of photos, but here is the first batch along with my first impressions of Eugene, Oregon.

Oregon lived up to its reputation as it rained on and off throughout the duration of my trip. This wouldn’t bother me normally, but it seemed as though waterproof in Texas is not the same as waterproof in Oregon. I learned this because my “rain coat”  decided that it shouldn’t keep water out as much as it should keep/let water in…

This small town reminded me so much of Boulder, CO that I often would pause to wonder where the mountains had gone. There was one difference that was very noticeable however:

1- Colorado is extremely dry whereas Oregon is extremely damp.

1.2- Because Colorado is so dry, everything tends to be very brown/yellow. In Oregon, there is green growing on everything!

In fact, if you stand still for too long you’ll likely find moss growing on your back.

Another thing unique to Oregon is the athletic nature of it’s inhabitants. I may well have been the most over-weight person in Oregon. EVERYONE is wearing running shoes all the time. All the girls seem to enjoy wearing yoga pants… everywhere… always…

Unlike my alma mater, the University of Oregon does not restrict the design of its buildings on campus to have a consistent “University look”. While the older buildings generally look the same, newer buildings each look completely unique. This is nice because it allows for architectural diversity. However, as a first time visitor, I found it very easy to wander off campus without knowing it…

This idea of new and old designed is replicated throughout the city. You’ll see an ancient pancake shack next to a modern library next to an older building that has received a face-lift. Very fun.

I have many, MANY more photos that I’ll post as I edit them. Eugene looks like it’ll be a great place to live. The city is great and the campus is lovely, but most importantly the architecture school seems fantastic!

Now excuse me while I scrub the moss off my back.