By Sofia Deleon, Talon Staff Reporter

On April 15th, a group of 47 students visited Oregon State University (OSU) in Corvallis, Oregon for information about the college and a tour of the campus. The 470 acre campus consists of 20 housing buildings, a coffee shop on almost every corner around campus, and approximately 30,000 students total. Upon arrival, the group was in awe and immediately swallowed by tall buildings and lots of different roads.

The students were divided into two groups. My group tour was lead by a current OSU college sophomore, majoring in physical therapy sciences. She brought us around to the Student Experience Center, the Dixon Recreation building, the Valley Library, and several other college buildings where majors and pre-requisites are taught. With the college offering around 200 majors, there are several buildings around campus that will specially teach each one.

What excited most of the group was the intermurals that were offered. The campus has a soccer field outdoors and one indoors for rainy days. The Dixon Recreation Center contains an Olympic-sized swimming pool, two large rock-climbing walls, basketball courts, badminton courts that can be transformed into volleyball courts, an indoor track, three weight rooms, a spa, and a cardio fitness center. The baseball and football fields are definitely not forgotten. Students get in free to all home games with their student card and receive free coffee and doughnuts.

The quietest building of the campus is the Valley Library. It has two 3-D printers and six levels. As you go one level higher, the quieter the room will be. The sixth floor is the quietest floor in the building. Students are not allowed to listen to loud music or watch videos because the room is specifically for students who want to work on reading assignments or just need complete silence and concentration.

OSU is considered the safest college on Oregon, with 19 blue light emergency poles and extra security because of a nuclear reactor that the college has for the nuclear engineer majors. Although the campus contains several buildings and students, it will make all students feel safe and accepted.

After the tour, students were allowed to explore the campus independently, eat lunch, and buy any souvenirs for an hour. At 1:15 students had to be back on the bus to return HRV. “It was a great trip where students could get together, and the campus made students feel together,” junior Mayra Cordova states. She loved the trip and personally thought that the U of O trip was a bit scattered and not as organized. Summit counselor Lisa Roberts, the trip adviser, loves doing these trips for students. She mentioned to the students after the trip that it’s a great preview to college life and it should be giving them a start to what type of college they would like to go to.