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Northwest
of Nowhere
There's
something endearingly goofy about dorm life.
by
Nate Puckett
photos by Linda Smogor
 "KEITH -- you are one sexy bitch! I want to jump on
your bed. Luv, K."
Alas, Keith is not home -- but the dry-erase board mounted on his
locked door keeps a lively vigil. Packed with messages in the looping, feminine scrawl
of Keith-knows-who, it confirms what most of his 3,200 neighbors began sensing as
they checked their parents at the door: New rules are in the making, and they must
be learned.
Welcome to the UO dorms, 2001.
"It's not gonna be, like, wild all the time. It can't
be," Eric Gebhardt reminds his roommate, Bill Bister.
"Yeah," says Bister. The two freshmen have known each
other for less than 24 hours; for the next nine months, they are planning to share
a room the size of a large closet. Already, they have adopted the wisest, most pragmatic
stance for such a setup: agreeable indifference.
"But, I mean, tonight --" says Gebhardt.
"Yeah," says Bister.
"Tonight's different."
"Hell, yeah," says Bister, nodding somberly. His roommate
eyes him across the three-foot span that separates their beds. Both have their hands
lap-clasped, as if in some sort of halfhearted prayer. Their feet dangle from long,
skinny mattresses, bouncing to a rhythm that breaks whenever sandals graze sneakers.
We're All Friends Here
A college dorm is its own universe, Northwest of Nowhere,
and every year another wave of bold, well-financed youngsters (1) hurtles into the mix. Friendships are
forged. Experiences are ... experienced.
And the first few days of such a pile-on are electric. They
are also bizarre, and exhausting -- a dorm-centric existence is a busy one at this
stage in the game. On Sep. 21, the first Friday of the dorm year, (2) most students are busy sorting through
the stimuli with Cheshire grins and plenty of nodding. We're all friends here,
they seem to project with every move. At least until I figure out what the hell
is going on.
"I shake so many hands and say, 'Hi, I'm Heather. Hi, I'm
Heather,' and there's no way I can remember everyone's name," says freshman
Heather Gillissen. She shakes her head, smiling. "But I know I'll meet people."
Gillissen is unflappable; she smiles even as she expresses concern over the amount
of toilets on her floor (two for 24 women (3) ).
Most dorm halls, which are made up of three or four floors, have
a theme. There are music halls, for example. There are international halls. There
is even a substance-free hall -- although most of the substance-free residents are
kind of touchy about this, and give short, defensive answers to any question that
has the word "substance" in it.
Freshmen Katie Quintong and Liana Vega share a room in a Creative
Arts hall (4)
. Both of them already seem comfortable in their new surroundings -- it's easy to
imagine them thriving as the year goes on. Quintong mentions the Honors College classes
she'll be taking this term; Vega responds to a purely journalistic (albeit mean-sounding,
in retrospect) query about her Wisconsin accent with a casual shrug. She is far too
hip, you see, to let such silliness phase her.
Not that they're a standoffish pair. "We're the loud girls,"
says Quintong, as she and Vega laugh through a description of knocking on every door
in the hall. "It seems like there'll be some interesting people (in the Creative
Arts hall)."
The First Hurrah
Optimism is the recurring theme in every dorm, and the energy
is palpable. Stereos blast through open windows and echo off courtyards. Thumbnail
sketches of pre-dorm life are exchanged. ("You're from Beaverton? I'm from Lake
Oswego!") Factions form and evolve and merge. It's a gloriously strange
time; many students look secretly exhilarated, like they are sharing an inside joke
with a few thousand other people.
And why not? There is something intrinsically, endearingly goofy
about the dorms. It's camp, basically, complete with counselors -- they call them
"resident assistants" here; one lives on every floor -- and cafeteria food.
There's plenty to do, and plenty of people your own age to do it with. Many of them
have never lived away from their parents' house. It's a first hurrah.
"It's like everybody's starting over," says freshman
Evan Squire. He takes another look around his room, stretching, and nods to himself.
"It's a totally different world."
Footnotes
1) Sounds like a dismissive,
nay, bitchy characterization, but don't worry! That's actually some
high-grade ultra-deluxe reportage you're lapping up -- a four-year
college is pricy, especially if you live there; dorm denizens are
youngsters, typically 19-year-olds whose cap-and-gown pictures still
sit dustless; and almost all of them, upon arriving at the dorms,
realize it is imperative to introduce themselves to dozens of people
each day, the same way a nesting heron understands she's sitting on
something of profound value, or a death-row convict considers his
last few weeks and the shortest path to the electrified fence. It
makes them bold. And "well-financed" neither implies nor
decries any suckling at the parental teat. It costs $5,898 a year
to live in a standard UO dorm room with a standard meal plan (19 a
week). Many -- students receive grants or loans from the school, the
government, and countless other organizations. Some have jobs. Most
have parents. But they're all able to ante up the six grand.
2) Wednesday, Sept. 19,
was the first day students were allowed to move in. By Friday morning,
almost all of them had. So Friday was extra-intense -- the dust had
settled, and it seemed like these people were now devoting full attention
to each other, rather than hooking up computers, finding the coffee
shop, etc. Scary stuff, Friday.
3) Plus two urinals.
4) Named "Tingle,"
and located adjacent to the substance-free hall, which sets up an
intriguing little yin-yang dynamic. If any of the teetotalers get
weak, they won't have far to go -- a good chunk of the Creative Arts
kids seem like they'd have more than enough substance to go around.
Giving
Good Counsel
Local
resources abound for students and others dealing with trauma.
by
Aria Seligmann
 Two weeks after the surprise attacks on New York and D.C.,
most individuals are finding ways to continue to function, without breaking down
and crying every few minutes. But feelings of loss, grief, shock, anger and fear
are still common -- and completely normal -- according to local counselors. What
to do with those feelings is something that is sometimes hard to figure out, but
local resources are available to returning students and the larger community for
talking, reaching out and finding help.
At the UO campus, the Counseling Center has walk-in counseling
between 8 am and 5 pm Monday through Friday. Clinical director Nancy Taylor Kemp
says "We've geared up to do some group debriefings and outreach presentations
in the aftermath of the terrorism." If students are feeling unsafe, worried
about hate-crime related harassment or having anxiety problems, a variety of discussion
groups will be available.
The Multi-Cultural Center is forming a group entitled "Having
Our Say" for international students who may feel concerned. From noon to 1 pm
every day there will be a gathering place in the EMU where students, faculty and
staff can meet with representatives of the Student Life office, counseling center
and religious organizations to talk, get information about where to contribute, how
to make a constructive difference or discuss any problems on campus. "We want
to do this in the student union so everyone can feel comfortable coming to check
in," says Kemp. Under discussion is also the possibility of holding teach-ins
on issues related to terrorism, foreign policy and hate crimes, says Kemp.
Off campus, White Bird Counseling Center has a 24-hour crisis line
that is open and free to anybody who needs to talk. Clinic coordinator Bob Dritz
says "If someone is having trouble with anything, we're open to talking to them."
White Bird has had an increase in the number of calls on the crisis
line and many seem to be related to Sept. 11, Dritz says. "Grief, fear or anger
is the motivating heart of the call." He says the incidents can be a triggering
factor for previous trauma. An increase in the number of clients coming in for counseling
is also obvious, he says. "The clients we're seeing have family or domestic
problems, work problems, different forms of mental health issues, substance abuse
issues, or levels of anxiety and fear that are part of regular life and this can
escalate it," he says.
Getting people involved in social behavior and activities that
reinforce the positive side of life including recreation, talking, spiritual activities
and social connections is helpful, says Dritz. "Very often, people are looking
for assurance or something they can concretely do that is meaningful," he says.
The White Bird Crisis line phone number is 687-4000.
Because the clinic is designed for crisis counseling, those in
need of ongoing care are given referrals to other agencies that provide either low-cost
care or that provide coverage under the Oregon Health Plan.
The Center for Community Counseling provides low-cost counseling
for those without insurance coverage, with sliding scale fees starting at $2 per
session. Seventy volunteers, including social workers, therapists and others, are
matched with clients after an in-depth telephone intake. There is no crisis line,
but those who desire counseling can call 344-0620. Staff employee Patricia Dawson
says there is "always an increase in the number of clients this time of year,
so we're not sure if there is an increase now because of the terrorist attacks."
During a standard inservice meeting for counselors last week, the board president
talked about terrorist activities and how to talk to clients about that issue, says
Dawson.
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Warning
Signs
of Disaster Shock
"Disaster shock" symptoms include: jumpiness,
tension, sleeplessness, nightmares, being startled by sudden noises or vibrations,
being afraid to be alone, worrying about other family members, forgetfulness, minor
accidents, crying easily, numbness, avoiding bridges, talking more quickly than normal,
anxiety, anger, irritability, helplessness, survivor's guilt, and re-experiencing
earlier traumatic events.
If you or a family member is experiencing any of the above symptoms,
it is important to know that these symptoms are all normal unless they are severe
in intensity or last longer than a few weeks.
Source: Disastershock: How to Cope with the Stress of
a Major Disaster by Brian Gerrard, Ph.D., Emily Girault, Ph.D., Valerie Appleton,
Ed.D.,Suzanne Giraurdo, Ed.D., and Sue Shaffer, Ed.D. Center for Child and Family
Development. University of San Francisco. 2001. See full text at www.soe.usfca.edu/ccfd/ disastershock
Selected
Resources:
White Bird
24-hour crisis line: 687-4000.
UO Counseling Center: 346-3227
LCC Counseling Center: 747-4501, ext. 2322
Looking Glass Station 7 24-hour crisis line: 484-4428
American Red Cross, 344-5244
Center for Community Counseling: 344-0620.
Lane County Mental Health: 682-3608
Options Counseling: 687-6983
PeaceHealth's Mental Health Match: 744-0828.
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Those covered under the Oregon Health Plan can find service
providers by calling Lane County Mental Health at 682-3608. That agency has lists
of providers who can help clients depending on specific needs. Up until now, however,
telephone traffic has been light. Director Al Levine says "We geared up for
an onslaught of stuff that never really came." The first week the agency provided
drop-in groups in the afternoons for existing clients, but turnout was lower than
expected.
Still, the agency expects there could be a higher demand for services
in the future, and for that reason is reforming a consortium of counseling agencies
that evolved following the Thurston shootings.
The Community Mental Health Disaster Consortium includes Lane County
Mental Health, PeaceHealth, McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center, The American Red
Cross, LCC, and others. The groups are planning to meet later this week to discuss
holding a few community meetings for everyone to come talk about their feelings in
a facilitated environment. The group wants to be especially sensitive to the needs
of community members who have been harassed just because their skin is darker than
other people's, says Levine.
People in need of counseling who have health insurance that includes
mental health benefits can call PeaceHealth for referrals and will be referred to
private counseling agency Mental Health Match at 744-0828.
According to Mental Health Match counselor Helen Jackson, there
is also an urgent counseling clinic for their clients or people in the community
who need someone to speak with immediately. "It's basically to help people deal
with emotions, clarify what's going on and make referrals," she says. Jackson
says there hasn't been an increase in the number of clients the agency sees, nor
have they had an increase in the number of calls fielded. But Jackson echoes other
counselors who say that, for clients who have problems with depression and trauma
events in their lives, the attacks "kicked up new emotions that they can't quite
figure out. Some of it has to do with the things in the news, images ... it recreates
old traumas."
Jackson also says that it's important to "connect with another
trusted friend to talk to about it. Grieve together with others, in either public
or private situations, confirming that this was a horrible outside act that has caused
upheaval in normal day-to-day functioning."
Secondary Stress
The intensity of the terrorist attacks for those that are
suffering and have needed to see counselors has an impact on the counselor, as well,
says therapist Joyce Baker. "It's important for therapists to be taking care
of themselves if they have secondary stress," she says. "It takes a lot
of emotional energy to carry this much heaviness as well as the therapist's own trauma
that gets invoked. Comfort food, warm baths, going for a hike, gardening and bike
rides to fill their reservoir to sustain them as they do their best to sustain other
people," is crucial, she says.
Meanwhile, who's helping the kids? While schools have geared up
and have instituted measures to check in with kids, look for warning signs of stress
and have sent information home to parents, the counselors are there at the front
lines ready to help. Andrea Beardsley, Pleasant Hill High School and Elementary School
counselor, says the system has moved into a crisis response plan used in schools
throughout the community. "We meet with students first period or homeroom, talk
to them, give facts. We set aside time for them to talk about what they heard or
clarify things and talk about feelings." In the past week, Beardsley says things
have settled down quite a bit, but lingering emotions remain. "Little kids are
more scared than older kids. They take it more personally, like 'How is it going
to hurt my daddy?' Older kids are moving on with their lives."
All teachers are continuing to keep an eye on the students, especially
tuning into secondary issues with kids who have previous traumas, she says. As for
dealing with various student's reactions, Beardsley says "Some kids move into
a nationalistic mode and revenge. I'm not there. We need to learn how to live in
peace." (See sidebar for web site information on trauma warning signs in children
and adults.)
A final clearinghouse for information and referrals is the American
Red Cross, 344-5244. Community Relations Director Jenny Carrick says "We've
noticed for a lot of people that making a donation or just calling us is therapeutic.
No matter the size of the donation, there's a story attached to it. Getting that
story out is important. We're spending a lot of time listening to people."
The Red Cross also has several pamphlets and brochures on warning
signs of post-traumatic stress disorder and ways of dealing with stress. The brochures
are available at the office at 150 E. 18th Ave.
Get
a Boot On
EW's
outdoor guy's top five recreation destinations near Eugene.
by
James Johnston
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A foggy afternoon
on Mt. Pisgah.
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MT. PISGAH: This tall
grassy knob to the southeast of town is a favorite year-round hiking destination
for Eugeneans, and a short drive or easy bike ride from campus. Pisgah features a
fascinating arboretum and more than seven miles of pleasant hiking trails along the
Willamette River. The main attraction though, is the trail to the top of the 1,500-foot
summit past pretty white oaks, blackberries and wild roses. From the top you'll enjoy
a great view of the Willamette Valley, and there's a neat bronze pedestal that helps
you identify Cascade peaks and other landmarks. For directions and more information,
check out www.efn.org/~mtpisgah/
SPENCERS BUTTE: The
tall forested ridge to the south of Eugene, easily visible from I-5 driving south,
is Spencers Butte. My recommendation: Bring a flashlight and hike the Butte in the
late afternoon. Stay for the sunset and watch the city lights from a rocky outcropping
at the top of the 2,000-foot summit. To get there, simply drive south on Willamette
Street for about five miles from downtown Eugene. Turn left into a parking lot at
a sign for Spencers Butte. The best way to the top is the trail immediately on your
left past stairs from the lot. The trail is about a half-mile long, and fairly steep
in places. Watch for poison oak. There are no really good web pages, but you can
check out www.jp.kids-commons.net/vc96/vc-08/geo.html
FALL CREEK: If you
never leave town for anything else, visit the exceptionally dank old growth forest
along Fall Creek. The giant mossy trees will blow your mind. The creek itself is
a popular swimming spot during the summer months. To get there, drive I-5 south from
Eugene to Exit 188A. Take Hwy. 58 (towards Oakridge) for 14 miles. Take a left on
the Jasper-Lowell Road and follow the signs for Fall Creek through the town of Lowell.
1.5 miles out of town take a left at a four-way intersection. In another half mile
stay to the left and take the North Shore Road for about 11 miles into the Willamette
National Forest. You can park at the Dolly Varden Campground and hike upstream on
the Fall Creek trail, although the best part of this trail is at the eastern end,
another 13 miles up the paved road. See www.hoodoo.com/Fall%20Creek%20Area.htm
Many strange things are afoot at Fall Creek these days. If you're
up for sharing space with spotted owls and flying squirrels, feel like meeting some
really different people, and are not afraid of heights (about 200 feet up an old-growth
Douglas fir tree) call 684-8977, or visit www.tree-sit.org. Tell 'em
James sent 'ya.
OREGON DUNES: The
ocean beaches west of Eugene are some of the finest in the world. The best places
to enjoy the sand and waves are at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. From
Florence, head south on Hwy. 101. After about four miles, most of the turns on your
right will take you to giant sand dunes and long flat beaches. This place looks like
the planet Tatooine (you know, Star Wars). The water is cold, but bearable.
There are nasty riptides along this stretch of coast. If you swim too far out, you'll
be sucked out to sea and die. See www.fs.fed.us/r6/siuslaw/oregondunes/.
HOBBIT TRAILS: OK,
this place is really weird. Just north of Devil's Elbow State Park, about 13 miles
north of Florence on Hwy. 101, are these trails down to the beach. Twisted roots
and low branches have turned the paths into eerie psychedelic tunnels that lead down
to gorgeous sandy beaches. A fabulous place to spend the night. Did I mention the
strange green lights and the glowing sand? Not making it up. A neat site with good
pictures is: http://slimac.lanecc.edu/users/macnaughtand/heceta/heceta.htm.
MORE NOTES:
-- Yes, it is legal to drink alcohol on Oregon beaches. If you're 21.
-- Yes, the Sea Lion caves are worth the $5. The sea lions are awesome.
-- Yes, Eugene has it's own hiking club, the Obsidians. See www.obsidians.org/
-- Your key to having fun outside is the UO Outdoor Program. See http://outdoorprogram.uoregon.edu/index_flash.html
Back
to Campus Briefs
War Resisters
The Sept. 11 attacks have reportedly inspired many young
men and women to contemplate enlisting in the military. There has even been discussion
of the possibility of restarting the draft.
A pamphlet from the War Resisters League (WRL) urges potential
recruits, "don't enlist before you check out the reality of military life."
Here's a list of the WRL's reasons not to enlist:
-- According to a Veterans Administration survey, unemployment
among veterans is about 31 percent higher than among non-veterans. Only 12 percent
of men and six percent of women veterans made use of their military skills in later
civilian jobs, according to an Ohio State University survey.
-- The military often requires non-refundable deposits or long
terms of service in exchange for college aid.
-- Racial discrimination is an ongoing problem in the military.
In 1992, 32 percent of personnel were minorities, but minorities accounted for only
13 percent of officers.
-- In a 1990 survey, 64 percent of women in the military reported
sexual harassment.
-- "Discrimination against gays, lesbians, and bisexuals is
not only intense within the military, it is official policy," according to WRL.
-- Recruits lose basic rights and can face arrest and imprisonment
without a trial for leaving work without permission or disobedience. Recruits' freedom
of dress, grooming and expression are severely restricted.
-- Even in peacetime, military personnel die in job-related incidents
at a rate 8.5 times greater than those in civilian jobs. -- AP
Animosity on Campus
When staff at the UO International Student Office came
to work Sept. 13, two days after terrorists destroyed the World Trade Center, they
found a threatening note.
On a world map in a public area, someone had written the word "Die"
over Afghanistan, according to UO spokesperson Pauline Austin. Staff reported the
vandalism to police.
"There's a lot of animosity on campus," said a member
of the Abu-Bakr As-Saddig Islamic Center who identified himself as "Vultan."
He described being harassed and threatened on campus by one individual, but did not
report the incident to police.
Last Fall, 1,373 international students attended the UO. About
46 of those students were from the Middle East. Another 27 came from India.
In the wake of Sept. 11, the American Arab Anti-Discrimination
Committee (ADC) has reported more than 200 incidents nationwide of hate crimes and
discrimination against Arab Americans and Muslims, or those perceived to be, including
three murders.
Austin says the UO has had no other reported incidents of harassment
or other crimes against Muslim or Arab students. From 1997 to 1999, the UO reported
six bias crimes on campus. -- AP
Moral Clarity
Nationwide and on campuses everywhere, the new terrorist
attacks have revived the debate over whether we should view world conflict in terms
of black and white or shades of gray. Conservatives are deriding what they see as
"moral relativism" that's broken out in the wake of Sept. 11.
"This is not the time for moral relativism," was the
headline of a column in the New York Times by Charles Krauthammer. Krauthammer
derided those who search for root causes of the terrorist attack as "disgusting."
The day after Krauthammer's column, President George W. Bush echoed,
"This is good vs. evil. There is no justification for these actions."
But author and essayist Susan Sontag wrote in The New
Yorker that the destruction of the World Trade Center was an "attack on
the world's self-proclaimed superpower, undertaken as a consequence of specific American
alliances and actions." Sontag sited the U.S. bombing of Iraq and said, "A
few shreds of historical awareness might help us understand what has just happened,
and what may continue to happen." -- AP
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