University of Oregon’s soon-to-be graduates got out of their beds Monday morning and headed over to Taylor’s Bar & Grill to begin celebrating their big day. This, with little surprise, gathered hundreds of eager students to line-up and join in on the fun.
“I closed last night and we were so slammed I barely got home and got called right back in,” said Josh Laraut, who works at the bar. “I haven’t even been to bed yet.”
Luckily for Josh the crowd had started to taper off around 9 a.m. However, the anticipation of a busy night remained. Taylor’s wasn’t alone in their early opening as bars across campus opened their doors bright and early to accommodate to the influx of graduates.
Students and their families ordered everything from Bloody Marys to tequila shots to get their morning started.
Gavin Arblaster, a graduate, said he had gone out to dinner with his parents the night before, which had led him to a later start time the previous evening. He and his friends went to their favorite bar, Max’s, the night before and ended up staying out later than expected. He anticipated starting at 6 a.m., but he admitted that he and his friends were too hungover to get out of bed. Gavin and five of his friends were sitting on the outside patio of the bar watching soccer and taking shots. They wore their green robes with pride as they ordered, what could be, their last drinks from the bar.
Neighbors of the bar didn’t need to be reminded that the bar was opening early due to the large amount of sound that filled the streets in celebration.
Michael McDermott, who lives within a few blocks of Taylor’s, said he could hear the graduates starting at 4 a.m.
“It’s their day of celebration,” he said. “I think it’s okay as long as they’re not getting wasted.”
The general ceremony for all graduates will take place at 9:30 a.m. at Matthew Knight Arena and will conveniently lead a walk to the arena down University Street, the same block that Taylor’s resides on. For Michael and his friends, a 9 a.m. start time should be nothing to worry about. However, those who got out of bed for the 7 a.m. kick-off may be needing some extra help.