From spontaneous road trips to late-night escapades, our alumni recall the memorable adventures they shared with their L&C roommates. Here are a few of their favorite stories—proof that some of the best journeys start right down the hall.
Breaking into SAGA (the name of the food service back then) through the roof. Fortunately, the statute of limitations has long passed.
—Robert Jordshaugen BS ’91
A road trip along the gorge to Walla Walla to see my favorite music artist, a trip down to Eugene to attend the Oregon Country Fair, regular trips on the Pio Express shuttle to explore downtown. So many great memories!
—María Montoya BA ’05
Going on the first international study trip to Japan. Life-changing! My graduate major, future career, and current work with exchange students all resulted from that adventure. My roommate there is still a cherished friend.
—Myrna Ann Adkins BA ’63
Going to Timberline Lodge at Mount Hood. Visiting Multnomah Falls was a favorite. Flying a small plane over the Columbia River. Going to New Orleans on the way to El Salvador. Traveling to Mexico City with a roommate from Mexico. Driving from Portland to Chicago for spring break. Water skiing on the Rogue River in Oregon. Each of these adventures was done with different roommates.
—Jose Torroella BA ’78
I married him.
—Sydne Didier BA ’94
Cross-country skiing on Mount Hood on a sunny day. Packed a picnic lunch with fruit, wine, and cheese. I was with a small group of good friends. I was no good on cross-country skis, so went tree-hooking to get down on the downhill portion of the afternoon. All happy and tired, we made a stop at Rose’s on the way home. A wonderful day.
—William Hulburt BS ’80
When I was living in the transfer dorm, maybe 1992 or 1993, it snowed! We all found pieces of cardboard and used them as sleds behind the dorms. So fun!
—Julie Mowrer BA ’94
During spring break 2004, my hallmates and I drove my red Ford Econoline to Cape Kiwanda. It was cold and rainy, but we had fun ironically shouting “sPrInG BrEaK!” as if we were in Cancun. After exploring the cliffs, we noticed a lot of people driving on the beach, so we decided to try it too. Well, it turns out guys from New Mexico, Colorado, and Connecticut don’t know much about how to drive on Oregon sand, and we got stuck almost immediately. As we waited for a tow, saltwater and sand flowed into the van. Finally, we were rescued. We gave the tow driver all the cash we had, which couldn’t have been much. Somewhere along the way, the van’s axle got bent. So we cleaned it up as best we could and drove back to campus at 45 mph. I got the van’s axle repaired, and the rest of it was miraculously fine. However, until the day I sold it in 2012, I continued to find sand inside, which gave the old girl the name she carried for the rest of college and beyond: Sandy.
—Jason Simms BA ’06
After a mega water-fight battle in the halls, three of my friends and I drove to Multnomah Falls at 1:00 a.m. Had a wonderful spooky experience (no lights at that time and we didn’t have flashlights). Just loved hearing the falls and seeing all the stars. Finished the night at Banning’s for hot chocolate and nachos.
—Heather Skillman BA ’92
We lived in Forest, and six of us pooled our money and bought a 1972 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser. We used it as communal transport, road-trip magic bus, and, in the end, a profit center (sold it for more than we paid). For a brief, shining moment, it was infamous.
—Jess Engler BA ’98
Many of my favorite L&C memories are with my exchange student roommate from Japan. One afternoon in my senior year, we took the shuttle to a Japanese restaurant in downtown Portland. He introduced me to miso soup and green tea ice cream, two foods I had never tried before but enjoyed tremendously. His stories about Japan reminded me how big the world was and how much of it I had yet to experience. At the same time, Portland and the L&C campus became more exciting for me when I saw my roommate experience them for the first time. He and his fellow exchange students were a wonderful part of my college experience.
—Noah Foster-Koth BA ’19
Going to Thai Peacock near Powell’s after the first week of classes. Still one of my favorite Portland restaurants!
—Becca Yant BA ’19
We did a road trip to a friend’s family house on the Oregon coast. We made the required stop at Tillamook of course, milked goats, and jumped into the icy Pacific.
—Sierra Abukins
During my freshman year in Spruce, my quad roommates and I jumped in the car on a whim with our sleeping bags and drove out to the coast. We slept in the sand with the surf in our ears, and we were up with the dawn (unlike weekend mornings at school when it was sometimes a struggle to get to brunch before they closed the doors at 12:50). I’m sure we stopped for coffee somewhere on our way back.
—Embar Wal
