How Growing up in a Town with Little to do Shapes You

For me, growing up in Eugene has been both a great experience and a boring experience. I spent four years living in a newer city in Idaho called Meridian, and the difference between there and here is huge. 

The average weeknight for me when I’m not working looks like trying to figure out something I can do with my sister to have some fun, but coming up with the same ideas every time. Eugene really doesn’t offer that many things to do, especially if you’re under 21. There are some things such as hiking or mini golf that you can do every once in a while but, at least for me, it’s hard to do that multiple times in a row without getting bored.

When I lived in Idaho there was an abundance of things to do with your friends or by yourself. I lived there from ages nine to 13, so I didn’t do a lot on my own, but even then there were more options than here. We had The Village, which was similar to downtown Eugene, but very nice and new compared to Eugene’s dirty and slightly rundown downtown. There was also a water park and small amusement park right next to each other which were perfect for birthday parties or family nights, which Eugene doesn’t really offer. 

I think that the main difference for me is that living in Eugene has taught me to kind of be comfortable with being bored or doing the same things frequently. When I don’t have anything to do, I usually pass the time playing video games or going on walks, which I’ve become able to do for hours on end. I think that it’s important for people to have things to do outside the house, especially with friends, because getting social time is extremely important for mental health. I can even tell that when I hang out with friends after having not for a while, I feel so much better. It would be awesome to have more things to do with your friends here in Eugene. Growing up in a town like this shapes a person differently than a place like Meridian would. I know that if I hadn’t moved back here five years ago, I wouldn’t spend most of my time doing the same few things.

Article by Lucas Harshbarger