Visit #6: Lewis & Clark College

So this last college visit was totally a spur of the moment decision. Seriously, us seniors have to decide May 1st and its what, April 25th right now? Our family is crazy. Anyway, we decided, hopped on a plane, and here we are in Portland, Oregon! 

We landed in the afternoon and after dropping off our baggage at the hotel, we caught the free (for students) L&C Pioneer Express Shuttle for a ride into campus. The trip didn't take longer that 20-30 minutes. Once we got there we to signed in and set off for our tour of campus. 

thanks mom for the creeper shot of me, and of spencer our tour guide doing some acrobatics

The campus was surreal. Everything was green and mossy and beautiful and there's this huge bridge that links the residential areas to the class buildings and if you look down its just a ravine and you're surrounded by towering trees and you feel like you're in a magical world. 

that building used to be an old pigeon alcove, but they've now turned it into one of the schools many cafes! 

After our tour we sat in on an information session with a couple other prospective students and everybody could get their questions answered. Once that was over, mom and I said goodbye and she went back into town and I stayed for an overnight (my first!) visit. 

again, stellar creeper shot of me and spencer, mom

My host was great! Her name was Izzy and she was incredibly cool. First we went back to her dorm and hung out with her roommate, talked a little, and got to know each other. Then, we got together with all of her friends and headed out to dinner. The food was amazing and her friends were really nice people! The funniest part though was on the way from the airport into downtown, mom and I took the train and there was this guy who was sitting by himself and more than once we made awkward eye contact. But you know, I didn't think too much of it. BUT we're at dinner, making conversation, and I look around the room, and guess who's sitting several tables down? None other than train guy -- what a coincidence! Though, unfortunate for me because when I say 'awkward' eye contact, I really mean it haha. 

After dinner, several us regrouped back in Izzy's room and they did some work while I just hung out. But for the day's big finale, a bunch of us got together and made chocolate chip pancakes and stayed up talking and hanging out until about midnight. It was so much fun, but it definitely explains my tiredness! In the morning we got up, got ready, and had breakfast with one of her friends from last night. Then he walked me to my morning class I was sitting in on, Modern European Art, and I said goodbye to Izzy who had to take an exam. I got incredibly lucky because the class was studying about surrealism in conjunction with Freud's theology, and back in Lex we had just wrapped up discussing Surrealism and all of the other 20th century movements and had even seen a lot of the pieces they were talking about when we were in New York. Had I had the courage to speak up in class, I think I could have handled keeping up with them;) 

I can't stop raving about this school. I loved everything about. But some quick thoughts:

1. Location - Portland. Yes. Westcoast. Yes. Campus within a stimulating city. Yes.
2. Size - Lewis and Clark isn't that large of a school. The student body doesn't go over 2,000 undergraduates and I think that's great. That is essentially what I'm looking for, a small liberal arts school. And L&C is just that.
3. Curriculum - If the modern European Art History class I sat in on is going to be any indication of how I'm going to enjoy the classes here, I can easily say I would LOVE them. The professor was incredibly once and welcoming, and before class started I had a 15 minute conversation with a stranger in the class who turns out is double majoring in English and Art History which is exactly what I want to do! The classes are creative, yet they're still structured - a good balance.
4. Student Life - I'm not even exaggerating when I say that everybody was incredibly warm and welcoming. Even awkward eye contact guy from the train smiled at me! Everybody seems down to earth and chill. I could definitely see myself forming long lasting friendships with people here. And! L&C has an awesome summer program for incoming freshman where they come in a week early and go explore the Oregon coast together and get to know each other and form friendships even before the school year has started. That's something I would definitely be interested in!
5. Accommodations - I mean, they're not amazing or anything, but what can I expect haha. However, they have specially geared living residences, sort of like living learning programs, for say the athletes or the visual arts, or substance free and so on, which I think are awesome. If you're in substance free, you get walk-in closets and if you're in visual arts you get full and free access to the ceramics studio underneath the dorms. Definitely huge pluses;) Not to mention, the food is incredible! No freeman 15 here - our tour guide said he even lost weight when he came, that's how healthy the food is! Only downside to the dorms: the bathrooms are communal and co-ed, but if it comes down to it I can get over that.
6. Writing Program - Come on now. I wouldn't be looking at a school that didn't have a stellar writing course, now would I;) Plus, L&C has an awesome domestic study abroad program in New York which I would totally do, not to mention other awesome abroad programs in Europe, like one in Italy for Art History.
7. Finances - Dun dun dun. This is where we run into trouble... After UK, L&C has given me the biggest scholarship, but it still leaves a chunk for us to pay...

And on that note, we're now down to the last couple days before decisions. Fingers crossed; it's crunch time!

and here's a squirrel to wrap up the post with, for posterity's sake.