A New Place to Live

These days the majority of college graduates are choosing not to apply to masters programs immediately after graduating. Instead, they are taking a few years off to serve coffee at Starbucks, work for their parent's company, or travel abroad. The lucky few might have a legitimate job or internship in their field of interest. So where does everyone go after college? Well, the obvious choices are staying in your college town, going home, or attempting to make just enough money to pay off outrageous rents and feed yourself while living in New York City. Although these seem like the most pragmatic or opportune places to live, why not try living somewhere novel? A place that is beautiful, full of friendly people, reasonable and caters to a young crowd. Recently, I stumbled upon this ideal city in Eugene, Oregon.

The most wonderful benefit of Eugene may be its location. Populated by 140,000 people, Eugene is surrounded by the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. The actual town is flat, but in every direction there are peaks with the highest being snow covered. An hour away is the Pacific coast and although the water is probably too cold to swim in year round, the rocky Oregon coastline is extremely picturesque. Skiing is nearby, Mount Hood and Bend, Oregon are both within a few hours drive and Mount Hood can be skied all year. And then there is Portland, the largest city in Oregon. Portland is less than two hours away and continues to grow in size and popularity as a city that offers a lot of culture and activity. But even with all these great escapes nearby many Eugene residents are content spending time within the city limits as it has a lot to offer and exudes an all-welcoming feel.

A local radio announcer proclaimed Eugene, Oregon to be the hippie capital of the world and although dreadlocks are as common in Eugene as red sox hats are in Boston, that statement is debatable. What is not debatable is the overwhelming friendly and liberal aura of Eugene. Unlike most cities, it is neither uncommon nor frowned upon to approach complete strangers and engage in conversation; in fact I experienced this phenomenon a few times. At the track, a middle-aged couple looking to talk about running approached me, and at a clothing store I was given a 25 percent discount after chatting with the owner for a few minutes. The cashier at the bank taught me all about Oregon geography when she found out I was a visitor. I began to notice a trend that everywhere I went I was meeting welcoming, extroverted people.

Unlike a large city, Eugene offers a nice slow pace where people don't honk their horns if you sit at a light a split second too long. In fact, many opt to ride bikes or take advantage of the excellent public transportation system. Although the pace is slow and relaxed, there is plenty of life and activity for those looking to go out. Bars and restaurants account for a lot of the business in Eugene and they range from college type establishments to a little bit posh. The town also has theatres, jazz clubs, museums, comedy clubs, and botanical gardens. There are always events being held on campus at the University of Oregon as well. Eugene is partly a college town, which keeps the crowd young.

Living is extremely affordable in Eugene. Apartments start at around $250 a month and most restaurants are in the $5-$10 range per entr‚e. Thrift stores are prominent and most likely outnumber the designer clothing market. Overall, a low corporate influence keeps Eugene a small town, but also limits work opportunity. Because of this, lack of professional work may be Eugene's biggest advantage and disadvantage at the same time.

At the airport I picked up a pamphlet entitled Track Town USA, not knowing how conducive Eugene is to running. I found that Eugene is full of wonderful running trails; the Amazon trail is a one-mile loop comprised of woodchips, there is a bike path that follows the Willamette River that goes forever and there are many other great places to run and workout. It is evident that people value running, eating well and staying in shape more so than the norm. So in the vulnerable years of putting on weight after college, Eugene is a good place to keep one lean and healthy.

So if you are graduating soon and seeking a fresh place to live, Eugene, Oregon may be worth considering. Eugene offers everything a big city has without the hassles of traffic, parking, expensive housing and high crime rates. A resident said, "It is a very livable, easy life." Eugene provides an ideal setting for someone making the transition from college to the real world with many benefits that most cities cannot offer.

Mike Don is a junior majoring in Psychology.