Pulse Editor
Jacquelyn Lewis
jacquelynlewis@dailyemerald.com
Oregon Daily Emerald
Tuesday, May 13,2003
Creativity
can cure
residence
hall blues
Dear Nat: It’s my first year in the resi
dence halls, and I have extreme cases of
spring fever and
cabin fever. I’m
anxious for sum
mer to come so I
can live in a real
home again, and
I’m having a hard
time concentrating
on my schoolwork.
Every moment in
my claustrophobic
room is depressing,
and I’m dying to
just get out of here.
How can I regain
my focus and make the time appear to
go by faster?
— Residence Hall Doldrums
Natasha
Chilingerian
Ask Nat
Dear Doldrums: Oh boy, reading your
letter sure resulted in some unpleasant
flashbacks to my first year in the halls.
Washing dishes in a communal bath
room sink, hearing booming music
through the paper-thin walls at 2 a.m.
and seeing the shocked faces of visiting
family and friends as they gawked at my
pint-sized living space are not memories
that I am fond of. So you’re certainly not
alone — anyone who downsizes from a
comfortable family house to a cramped
room has the right to complain.
But hey — you’ve almost made it.
With about four weeks left, there is still
time to restore your concentration and
shift your focus away from watching the
clock. Make a homework schedule for
yourself and go somewhere other than
your room to study. A local coffee shop,
the EMU and (if the sun ever comes out)
the lawn are places that can give you a
change of atmosphere. During leisure
time, engage in activities taking place
outside of your dreaded chamber. Go for
a walk in the park, go downtown and, if
possible, visit family and friends in other
towns during the weekends.
I’ve always found it amusing to have
some sort of countdown to the last day of
school. Grossing off boxes on a calendar
and writing down the number of days left
has suited me fine, but I suggest taking
this idea and upping the creativity level.
How about making a jumbo construction
paper chain and tearing a link off every
morning? If that doesn’t help the days
speed by, at least it can make your room
look a little less dull.
Sure, the residence halls certainly
aren’t the University’s best feature. But I
think that holding out in a crummy liv
ing situation can help you appreciate a
future, higher-quality living condition.
Chances are, you’ll be highly thankful for
your space once you move into a medi
um-size house or apartment. When the
time comes to move out of the halls,
you’ll leave not only as a relieved individ
ual, but as a stronger individual for en
during nearly nine months of living out
side of your comfort zone.
Dear Nat: I’m traveling to Europe this
summer, and I’m terrified to fly. It’s never
been a problem for me before, but ever
Turn to Ask Nat page 8
Liz Carskadon for the Emerald
Onsen's 14 private hottubs are surrounded with large plants to create a natural environment
Bubbling
away stress
Onsen, a local spa parlor, furnishes a clean,
friendly ‘outdoor* environment for relaxation
Hot spots
Mark Baylis
Pulse Reporter
Midterms had done a number on me. My girlfriend
knew it; my friends sensed it. My roommates felt it. I was
the walking embodiment of rigidity. Luckily, a cure was
only a few blocks away.
My girlfriend took me by the hand, led me to the hourly
hot tubs at Onsen, plopped my board-like body into the wa
ter and watched the color seep back into my complexion.
If a review could be summed up in a four-letter word, this
review would say: “Ahhh.”
Tucked away behind Franklin Boulevard, Onsen, located
at 1883 Garden Ave., remains a relative secret, despite its
20-year history. I’ve lived in Eugene for years and have nev
er known it was there. It’s easy to miss — the one-story
wooden oasis enjoys an inconspicuous setting amid trees
and foliage, a little set back from the road. At night, the only
telltale clue to the dimly lit building’s existence is a subtle
wooden sign rubbing elbows with the shrubbery.
Onsen has 14 private hot tubs available for hourly rental.
Each room’s approximately 12-by-12 size isn’t huge, but is
certainly ample. The tubs shun distracting decor for a natu
ral environment, teaming two to three large plants with
wooden walls, concrete floor, bubbling water and sky to pro
vide the senses with all the natural elements. Each unit also
houses a covered dressing area and a small shower.
Except for the bathrooms and the covered breezeway, the
building is ceiling-free, essentially making it an outdoor es
tablishment, with cubicle walls for privacy. On a clear night,
this is heaven. Trees rise over the building, framing the open
view of the sky. My tub just happened to offer an evening
scene of the half-moon. The steam mixes with fresh air and
the smell of pine and leaves. It’s truly magical.
Turn to Spa, page 6
Oregon nudists win increased exposure
A growing number of Oregonians are
stripping away inhibitions—as well as
their clothes and past preconceptions
— as nudist camp memberships grow
Ryan Bornheimer
Senior Pulse Reporter
Squaw Mountain Family Nudist Club member Phil
Moriarty sums up his attraction to nudism in three
words: “I hate clothes.”
Moriarty’s simple philosophy is more illuminating
than it might seem. It points to the essential compo
nent of a lifestyle far removed from the preconcep
tions of nudist organizations that have existed in the
past. As the number of nudists in Oregon grows, the
stereotypes are crumbling and a growing number of
people are shedding more than their inhibitions.
As of today, there are eight clubs in Oregon offi
cially affiliated with the American Association for
Nude Recreation, the largest nudist organization in
the United States. AANR represents 240 clubs and
nearly 50,000 individual members.
The organization’s name alone proves an increas
ing acceptance of nudist lifestyle. Until recently, the
AANR was known as the American Sunbather Asso
ciation, a much more ambiguous title that afforded
its members a little secrecy in their nudist practices.
But a more vocal defense of the lifestyle has perhaps
resulted in less reason to hide.
Nudist clubs basically fall in to one of two cate
gories, landed and non-landed. A landed club is a
nudist organization with its own property and
Turn to Nudists, page 8
Jeremy Forrest Emerald
There are eight clubs in Oregon officially affiliated with the American Association for Nude Recreation.