Downtown to have heaviest traffic during Commencement outside of campus

By MILES GREEN News Contributor

Commencement Day is a yearly event to congratulate and celebrate Oregon State University graduating students. However, as many families travel into town to celebrate with their new graduates the city of Corvallis can become very busy.

This year's commencement day will take place on June 17, at Reser Stadium. According to the OSU website, the gates will open at 9 a.m. and the ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m, which means that the OSU campus as well as parts of Corvallis close to campus will have far more people than usual.

“It felt like freshman move-in day, super packed.” said Jordan Vanaken, a mechanical engineering major who graduated in 2022. “Also, I did not attend commencement because of how many people there were.”

Jordan also advised those attending the commencement ceremony to park north of Harrison Boulevard, where parking is free,

“We attended two graduations in 2016 and 2018,” said Tim Smart, a father of two

OSU graduates. “Family also attended from Eugene so about 6-8 people each year. In general, the traffic was 30 min or so with delays once we got off (Interstate 5).”

Smart said that for the elderly and those with disabilities, parking can be difficult, as the walk to commencement is, for most families, around half a mile from where they parked, which for some can be quite a journey.

“As for food and restaurants, there are a few choices so reservations are critical if you are celebrating in an establishment. As for us, we opted for the BBQ and outside space for celebration. Games, camping chairs, and good food hit the spot after each graduation we attended,” Smart said.

According to Google Maps, the most traffic heavy areas in Corvallis are the downtown areas, including 2nd Street, 3rd Street, and 4th Street. Additionally, some of the downtown cross connecting roads such as Jefferson Avenue, Madison Avenue, and Monroe Avenue, and roads like Harrison

College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences you have options and you have access to home-cooked meals … when you’re on campus, it’s kind of hard to get fresh homecooked meals. Rice was a hard thing to get here.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW NOW THAT YOU WISH YOU KNEW?

TRINIDAD: I wish I knew how much I was going to miss home. (I) feel like I didn't appreciate what I had at home. I kind of felt like, in high school, I kind of chased that feeling of wanting … to be off the little rock … I didn't realize how much I was gonna miss it and crave it.

BANDONILL: I didn't realize how independent you had to be when you leave.

I didn't realize how reliant I was on my family. I thought, right then and there, that I was independent already, because I had a job, I could drive, I cooked for myself, I cleaned, I looked after myself. I thought that was independence. But then coming to college, coming to Oregon State, and living on your own, it's a whole different type of independence. You're literally fending for yourself without your parents or your family’s help.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR INCOMING FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS?

TRINIDAD: Find people you feel like you're at home with. I think that's what really helped me here. Find people that you feel like you have a sense of home and community, and you feel like you have a sense of belonging with, because who you surround yourself with and what you surround yourself with really can make or break your four years.

BANDONILL: Be open to opportunities, and also to turning down opportunities. Just because one door closes doesn’t mean another one isn't going to open. That's how I felt a lot … just because I lost one opportunity, I thought it was the end of the world. But in actuality, it opened another door, which could honestly benefit you more. So I feel just be open to opportunities and experiences.

Trinidad hopes to be an optometrist in the future, and Bandonill is looking into the fields of dermatology, oncology and hematology.

The two wear jewelry given to them by their family members, which includes Bandonill’s Pandora charm bracelet and Trinidad’s jade bracelet to bring prosperity, wealth and good luck.

Boulevard, 14th street, and Western Boulevard can become heavily congested.

Construction will also be taking place on Van Buren Bridge, the main eastbound connection for Corvallis to I-5.

“All of our work will still be off of the roadway during that time,” said David House from the Oregon Department of Transportation. “No lanes on Van Buren will be closed Saturday, June 17. Traffic flow shouldn’t be any different than what everyone is used to.”

Finally, while some may be worried about the commencement day traffic, others, like Aidan Connell, a fifth-year construction engineering management major, don't even consider it an issue.

“Unfortunately, I really don’t, most of the time I tend to be outta here before graduation/commencement,” Connell said.