Eugene, OR

[Aucitronvert]

10 hours ago, The Ister said:

I'm hoping to get some up-to-date info about Eugene. Anyone willing to share their ideas? 

It will be a huge move for me from the other side of the Atlantic. So I want to get a taste of what my life as a graduate student would look like in Eugene. I'm particularly curious about the intellectual and artistic life in the city. Are there a community of artists, literary activities (poetry readings, non-academic gatherings/conferences), old-school cafes, second-hand book shops, underground music venues, art galleries, etc.? 

The second question in my mind is about housing. After a quick search, I thought I might get lucky enough to find a hut in nature not far from the campus. Even the idea of this makes me happy. Do you think there would be such an option? Are there people living in huts? Would you recommend I go with off-campus housing instead?  

Finances is another issue. I'm trying to figure out what kind of a life a GE salary can afford. Please feel free to share how much you think is enough to live a decent life as a single person in Eugene. Any other info will also be appreciated! 

I can't speak to Eugene, but you can easily escape to Portland for the artist community if need be and anywhere in Oregon for nature. 

[tennesseewilliams]

Hi all,

Like @The Ister said, I'd also love to get some updated info about Eugene from anyone who has lived there recently.

In addition to their questions (which were very good questions - I've also been wondering about the artistic/literary community), I was wondering if anyone could tell me about LGBT life in Eugene? Anything is probably better than where I live, but just thought I'd ask. 

Other questions - are there easily-accessible beaches within an hour or so driving distance? What are some good neighborhoods to look for housing in (I plan to live alone)? What's the music scene like? And finally, is there an area of downtown Eugene that's walkable if you live close by? I walk everywhere now, and I'm reluctant to give that up! 

Thanks in advance.

[The Ister]

On 30/03/2017 at 1:16 AM, tennesseewilliams said:

Hi all,

Like @The Ister said, I'd also love to get some updated info about Eugene from anyone who has lived there recently.

In addition to their questions (which were very good questions - I've also been wondering about the artistic/literary community), I was wondering if anyone could tell me about LGBT life in Eugene? Anything is probably better than where I live, but just thought I'd ask. 

Other questions - are there easily-accessible beaches within an hour or so driving distance? What are some good neighborhoods to look for housing in (I plan to live alone)? What's the music scene like? And finally, is there an area of downtown Eugene that's walkable if you live close by? I walk everywhere now, and I'm reluctant to give that up! 

Thanks in advance.

Hi Tennesseewilliams, 

It seems we will have to figure out all these by ourselves. Have you come to a decision with regard to housing? I've talked to a few people from the school, they didn't recommend on-campus options - and the available places on Craigslist seem awful. 

[johnvii]

To the two previous posters. Hi! I just finished my undergraduate degree at UO and will be continuing on for my PhD starting next fall here as well. 

The Ister: To be honest; I am not too familiar with the LGBT community in Eugene, however I do know that there are a few LGBT bars downtown, frequent events on campus, and many many resources provided by the University for that group. The general culture in Eugene is extremely accepting and welcoming of all types of people. 

The coast is about a 1 hour drive, maybe 1 hr 15 mins from Eugene. I would recommend looking for housing around Amazon Park. The Whittaker is also a popular district in town but I have heard it is a bit louder and there is more petty theft around there. Campus is roughly 10-12 blocks from the center of downtown, so it is walkable. Eugene is very bike friendly, so commuting by bike is a very popular option. If you have a bike, make sure to equip it with fenders to prepare for the endless rain during the winter. 

Let me know if you have any other questions.

[tennesseewilliams]

On 4/21/2017 at 3:46 AM, The Ister said:

Hi Tennesseewilliams, 

It seems we will have to figure out all these by ourselves. Have you come to a decision with regard to housing? I've talked to a few people from the school, they didn't recommend on-campus options - and the available places on Craigslist seem awful. 

I've been looking for housing as well, and haven't found many great options. It seems that as soon as something good shows up on craigslist, it's gone - and you're right most of them are awful. I also have a dog, and most of them aren't as pet friendly as I'd hoped. I'm hoping to find something within the next month, and move to Eugene in June / July? Have you found an apt/house yet?

[tennesseewilliams]

On 4/21/2017 at 1:24 PM, johnvii said:

To the two previous posters. Hi! I just finished my undergraduate degree at UO and will be continuing on for my PhD starting next fall here as well. 

The Ister: To be honest; I am not too familiar with the LGBT community in Eugene, however I do know that there are a few LGBT bars downtown, frequent events on campus, and many many resources provided by the University for that group. The general culture in Eugene is extremely accepting and welcoming of all types of people. 

The coast is about a 1 hour drive, maybe 1 hr 15 mins from Eugene. I would recommend looking for housing around Amazon Park. The Whittaker is also a popular district in town but I have heard it is a bit louder and there is more petty theft around there. Campus is roughly 10-12 blocks from the center of downtown, so it is walkable. Eugene is very bike friendly, so commuting by bike is a very popular option. If you have a bike, make sure to equip it with fenders to prepare for the endless rain during the winter. 

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Hi! Thanks so much for your response. That was all very helpful information - especially the good neighborhoods and the bit about the bike fenders!

I was wondering if you knew of a best time to look for apartments? Is there a certain month when a lot of places go up for rent? I'm having trouble finding a studio apartment for June/July, but I'm wondering if I'm looking too early.

[The Ister]

On 02/05/2017 at 7:02 PM, tennesseewilliams said:

I've been looking for housing as well, and haven't found many great options. It seems that as soon as something good shows up on craigslist, it's gone - and you're right most of them are awful. I also have a dog, and most of them aren't as pet friendly as I'd hoped. I'm hoping to find something within the next month, and move to Eugene in June / July? Have you found an apt/house yet?

Fortunately I've found something. I'll take over someone else's contract because they are leaving the city.

I hope you'll find something very soon. Good luck to you. 

[tennesseewilliams]

20 hours ago, The Ister said:

Fortunately I've found something. I'll take over someone else's contract because they are leaving the city.

I hope you'll find something very soon. Good luck to you. 

I actually found something as well! It's a cute little apartment, but the lease doesn't start until July.

[ng94]

Just to resurrect this thread, I'm an incoming Chem phd student and I'm coming from Florida, so I have no idea what the area is like. Some of the previous posters gave great info, but I was wondering if anyone else had some additional pros and cons about the area to look out for. Also, if anyone is looking for roommates for the fall then let me know!

[JoyZ95]

Hello! Anyone from Eugene here? I’ve just been admitted to the University of Oregon and wanted to know a bit about the location as well before accepting the offer (I’m unsure whether to go to the U of Oregon or to the U of Arizona).

Edited March 9, 2018 by JoyZ95

[vanessavinyasa]

On 2/22/2018 at 10:01 AM, ng94 said:

Just to resurrect this thread, I'm an incoming Chem phd student and I'm coming from Florida, so I have no idea what the area is like. Some of the previous posters gave great info, but I was wondering if anyone else had some additional pros and cons about the area to look out for. Also, if anyone is looking for roommates for the fall then let me know!

I have just been accepted in to the master's communication disorders and science program! I'm also coming from Florida!  When are you planning on moving to Eugene?

[directeur]

Hi all, I'm currently a student at UO in Eugene.  I think this thread has already covered a lot about the area and school, but I'm happy to try to answer any specific questions.  I actually moved here from Florida as well.  Eugene definitely has a different vibe from most of Florida.  Colder, grayer, hillier, and more liberal to start with. 

[ng94]

On 3/13/2018 at 1:34 PM, vanessavinyasa said:

I have just been accepted in to the master's communication disorders and science program! I'm also coming from Florida!  When are you planning on moving to Eugene?

That's awesome!! So right now I'm planning on moving up in August. I thought I had a place lined up, but that fell through. What about you?

[rilography]

i will coming from santa barbara to UO in the fall for geography masters. i signed up for the grad housing, i just hope i get off the waitlist, they dont give you a hint of where you are on the list :-/

[Ternwild]

I was wondering if anyone could tell me a bit about Eugene, OR.  I've never been there and am curious about things such as where are nice places to live?  What are some fun outdoor things to do?  What are some downsides to Eugene?

Things change a lot in 10 years.  So, any updated information would be great. ?

 

[read-more-books]

Hey everyone,

I was wondering who might have some insights on Eugene? I haven't lived in a town this small in a long time and I'm a little worried about getting cabin fever, and about meeting people and making friends outside of my graduate cohort. I'm single and I like having access to cultural events, music shows, etc.

[Kapol-in]

On 11/30/2019 at 10:07 AM, read-more-books said:

Hey everyone,

I was wondering who might have some insights on Eugene? I haven't lived in a town this small in a long time and I'm a little worried about getting cabin fever, and about meeting people and making friends outside of my graduate cohort. I'm single and I like having access to cultural events, music shows, etc.

Also looking for any insight into Eugene, I plan to visit their campus during early March; things to do, see, etc.

[Liquirizia]

Seems that there hasn't been a lot of recent responses from current residents of Eugene in this thread, but I want to take a shot in the dark anyway. Does anyone know what typical single bedrooms/studios cost in Eugene? I've been looking and it seems to range from 900 to 1.5k seems to be the range, but I'm not sure if I'm using the best search tools (Craigslist, Zillow, Trulia). What are the best ways to find housing?

Also, how affordable is this city on a humanities stipend? To me, it seems more pricey than I expected. If I want to live alone, most of my stipend will go to rent alone.