It’s around 4 p.m. during dead week. The sun sits high above the Willamette River and there is zero percent chance of precipitation. Should you study, sit at Taylor’s listening to the top pop songs on the radio, or should you head to the river for some sunbathing, river soaking, shoreside lounging fun?

The choice is in your hands. But if you do choose to spend your time by that large blue body of water that runs right by campus, here are a few suggestions for how to maximize your time at the river.

First and foremost, directions are key unless you plan on spending your time at the Mill Race inhaling mosquitoes. Whether you are walking, biking, skating or rollerblading, make sure to head toward that giant stadium that people sometimes play sports at. From campus, go toward the Jaqua Center and cross 11th Avenue on the corner.

The Willamette River provides students with many options for swimming and relaxing. (Rick Obst/Flickr)

Once you see the field of the greenest pastures possible, you have reached the fork in the road and are very near to some of the most desired stretches of the river. You can either walk straight across the Autzen Footbridge and follow the bike path that runs right along the river, or you can go rogue and cross to the backside of the baseball fields until you come across a small footpath.

Along this path, you may find yourself battling large bushes and burly branches equipped with pokey things that attempt to block your path. But do not fear. Push past these obstacles until you reach the holy land.

The average river goer doesn’t look past the first available spot and plops right down after being seduced by the sun and sounds of running water. But a pro tip is to walk along the river in any direction, possibly doing a little wilderness pioneering, until you have found a spot that speaks to you. There are numerous options up and down both shores of the Willamette where privacy can be obtained and more than standard picnic foods can be consumed.

After you have found the perfect spot and have reached the needed body temperature for a swim, find some slow moving water and jump in. If you are feeling bold, you may consider swimming into some quicker moving water for a brisk river float, but be aware of submerged rocks and quick currents.

After taking in all that the river has to offer, it is crucial to acquire all your belongings, especially trash from your group. Head back down the path from which you came and be prepared to enter back into the concrete mess of cars and crammed buildings that contrast the lovely simplicity of the Willamette River.

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“I’m the R to the A-F-A-E-L, I thrift all my clothes but they fresh as hell!” Rafael Newman shouted from the stage at the Willamette Valley Music Festival. “Raf,” as his friends shortened it to, considers himself a b-boy. According to google, a b-boy is “a young man involved with hip-hop culture” but according to Newman, it’s a job.

Newman is a junior at the University of Oregon studying general social science. He is a member of the UO Hip-Hop Dance Club and is also the hype man for the Illaquips, the UO hip-hop ensemble. “I get people jumpin’ and movin.’ It’s more of a state of mind,” he said.

Rafael Newman does a handstand while dancing along the Willamette River. Newman has been dancing for most of his life. (Levi Gittleman/Emerald)

On most days, Newman rocks Converse High-Tops with his laces wrapped around his ankles. His pants are cuffed and his socks match the rest of his outfit that would put every storefront mannequin to shame. He greets everyone with a smile that captures his kindness; he walks like a dancer who can’t help but move in style.

I first met Newman when he was freestyling with my roommate after class one day. He had an Arizona Iced Tea in one hand and held an imaginary microphone in the other. His fluid style and passionate voice boomed from deep inside him. His whole body swayed as he spoke; his hands shook, his eyebrows jumped up and down and he never stopped smiling.

Whenever music is playing, Newman is likely moving. Whether he is twitching his foot or nodding his head, he is bound to a rhythmic beat like a wind-up toy that never slows. Newman’s love for hip-hop and dance started at a young age. He grew up watching his mother, Dora, a Brazilian dancer from Salvador Bahia, dance. “She’s my main influence,” he said.

When asked why he dances, Newman simply said, “I just love to dance. And by dancing I was always around DJs and musicians, and I just got wrapped up in the hip-hop community.”

Dora has her own dance group called Dancing with Dora. She has danced with a wide variety of other groups in the past. Through her dance experiences she met Jeromeskee, a member of the dance group Massive Monkees, who exposed Newman to old school hip-hop and funk styles of dancing.

“Just being around [Jeromeskee] when I was younger, and later on taking dance classes in middle school, my love for hip-hop just grew,” Newman said.

Newman not only learned to dance from his mom, but she also taught him how to make his own clothing. Dora created all the costumes for her performances by hand, including extravagant traditional Brazilian dresses with vivid colors and layers of materials.

“The only reason I really got into sewing was my desire to make clothes,” Newman said. “I love fashion designers and all that but I’m not gonna buy their $300 thing that I could just make myself.”

Rafael Newman jumps and twirls while dancing himself into a trance under a bridge by the Willamette River. (Levi Gittleman/Emerald)

I recently fell while skateboarding home from school, and I profoundly ripped my pants when I landed in the splits. Newman was cracking a 40 ounce Pabst Blue Ribbon in the kitchen preparing to make music with my roommate, so I showed him the tear and he said he would “see what he could do.” A few weeks later he had patched the tears with some fabric he had found at a thrift store, and adding some of his style — which I desperately needed — to my pants.

Newman typically finds clothes at thrift shops around Eugene and adds to them by sewing on patches or different pieces of fabric that he acquires. He also takes large pieces of fabric and creates various clothing items, such as tank tops or shirts, both for himself and for others.

“I got a new-school ’90s theme going,” Newman said of his clothing style. “I have elements of the ’90s that I wear, but I’m not a kid who’s stuck in the ’90s. I like to mix it up — never plain.”

Newman can commonly be found whistling while he works in the Craft Center at the EMU with loud hip-hop music playing in the background. He’ll carefully go through all the fabric he has in his backpack, pulling out strands of material with care and laying them on the table. After some careful selection, he picks his favorite piece and patches it on to whatever clothing item calls to him.

Newman’s style is captivating — whether he’s dancing, singing, rapping, sewing or simply talking, it’s hard not to watch and listen.

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The sun was shining and the Washington-Jefferson Skatepark was packed at 4 p.m. on Friday during the Nike SB community wear test. Nike SB, along with Tactics Skateshop had two booths set up and were renting out the new FC Classic and Koston Hypervulc models for skaters to test out. Other Nike SB representatives were filming the event for a recap video, skating with the locals and giving away merchandise such as hats, shoes, t-shirts and other items as prizes for impressive tricks.

Gabe Mackenzie, the Nike SB northwest sales rep, said that the company has been holding these wear tests for three years now. “We just want to get kids skating in the shoes, trying them out, and getting stoked on the brand,” Mackenzie said.

Read the Emerald’s feature about skateboarding in Eugene here.

Olin Vetterlein, a junior at the University of Oregon and a longtime skateboarder, grabbed a pair of shoes and proceeded to say, “these are pretty lush,” while practicing some flip tricks.

He was able to wear the shoes for about 15 minutes, getting a feel for them while slithering around the sun-kissed skatepark.

Another skater named Ryan Hulmes took a more direct approach toward testing the shoes. He repeatedly threw himself down the set of stairs in the street section of the skatepark while attempting a finger flip. After a handful of bad falls and sketchy bails causing Hulmes to sprawl out on the concrete while holding his knee, he eventually landed the trick and won himself a t-shirt.

Ryan Hulmes attempts to finger flip down the 8 stair at Washington-Jefferson skatepark during the Nike SB wear test. (Levi Gittleman/Emerald)

People were going all out in their attempts to impress the Nike SB reps, which made the event even more entertaining. Kids crowded around the edges to watch talented skaters express themselves in a wide variety of ways. Some took the grungy approach, smashing their board on the ground after a failed attempt while flexing their tattooed torso and cursing into the air, while others were more laid back and liked to casually waft around while performing incredible tricks that seemed effortless.

These community wear tests are the first of their kind, but Mackenzie aspires to spread the event onto other skateparks around the Northwest. For now, they remain a unique attribute to the Washington-Jefferson Skatepark and provide for some good laughs and some lively skateboarding.

Highlights from the event and all skate footage collected will be made into a recap video that can be found on YouTube or on the Tactics website.

Watch the 2015 highlight video from the event below:

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Gregory Alan Isakov is a touring musician among many other things. His songs sound like a cold water creek, flowing calmly and smoothly as they invoke a variety of emotions with his moving lyrics. Originally from Johannesburg, South Africa, Isakov moved to the U.S. when he was 6 years old. He now lives in Colorado, but he spends much of his time on the road. He is currently touring in support of his most recent album, “Gregory Alan Isakov with the Colorado Symphony,” released in 2016. 

The Emerald spoke on the phone with Isakov before his show at the Hi-Fi Music Hall on Monday night.

Gregory Alan Isakov spoke with the Emerald before his performance at the Hi-Fi Music Hall on Monday night. (Blue Caleel/Courtesy of Sacks & Co.)

Emerald: How did you get started making music?

Gregory Alan Isakov: It really started as a family thing. My brothers and I are really close and we would move to a new town and wouldn’t really know anyone so we would just play music in the basement all the time.

E: What was it like moving from South Africa to America as a kid and bouncing around the country a bit?

GAI: I was only six when my family moved, so all I really knew about America was “The Wizard of Oz” and tornados, and it was just a little kid lens of the world at the time.

E: Do you see that feeling of moving along to different places reflected in your music?

GAI: I think it definitely makes it in there. Especially now because I travel so much for music.

E: I saw a comment on one of your YouTube videos saying “I want to drive all around America listening to his albums.” I get that sense in your songs, do you?

GAI: It has felt like that lately. That’s funny because I have this rule and I’ve never seen a YouTube video of myself. Like five years ago I made that rule because it was so weird watching myself and I just said, “OK, no more YouTube.”

E: Do your songs begin as music or do they begin as lyrics?

GAI: It’s kind of both. They happen at the same time. I don’t have a method. I write a bunch that is either prose or poems or stuff that isn’t going to sing well. I’m a huge fan of Leonard Cohen, and he first became a poet and then he started putting out records later. He said that ‘only some poems are worthy of songs.’ So when I’m in front of an instrument like piano, guitar, banjo or something, it kind of all happens at once. I don’t have the writing in front of me — it’s just kind of in there, churning.

E: What are some of your hobbies besides making music?

GAI: I have tons. I’ve always been really into gardening. I run a small farm in Colorado and we grow heirloom seeds and stuff like that. I’m always building stuff. I love photography. I’m always into shit. I’m taking a class this summer about small engine repair. People always ask, “What do you do?” and I hate saying I’m a musician because there is so much more to be into than just one thing. There are so many things to learn.

Q: Has music made you more or less comfortable?

GAI: That’s a great fucking question. It’s been a huge source of medicine for my sanity. I need it. I need to play. Performance and travelling and relationships and trying to juggle everything can be so hard. I’m not built for it all the way as a performer and it’s a really vulnerable place that you have to be in every day. So it’s definitely both. I would never stop playing but it is definitely hard for me.

E: Are you excited to come out to Eugene?

GAI: So excited. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a show in Eugene. We’ve just been hitting major cities like Portland, Seattle, San Francisco and nothing in between, so I’m real excited.

Watch the video for “Liars” below:

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Tiana SantaBarbara, a sophomore at the University of Oregon, stared at students scampering up the rainbow-colored plastic rock wall located in the heart of the Student Recreation Center. “I feel like this would be a great place to bring a date,” she said. “If it got really awkward, you’d always have something to talk about, and you’re bound to see somebody else you know.”

Collin Wellman talks to Lana Caldwell as she belays her friend up the climbing wall at the Student Recreation Center. (Levi Gittleman/Emerald)

Throughout the day, students can be seen attempting to conquer the wall by reaching the top or simply socializing with the large community that constantly flows in and out of the area. The indoor rock climbing scene began in 1987 when the Vertical Club in Seattle opened the first indoor climbing gym. It continued to evolve into an industry as companies such as Patagonia and Black Diamond produced materials for avid climbers.

Indoor gyms provide a space for beginners to make their first ascents and for experienced climbers to fine tune their skills in less risky situations. They also create an opportunity for students to join and interact with a large community of outdoorsy people. The UO rock wall even has its own Facebook page where members frequently sell climbing gear, post about upcoming events and ask others if they want to go climbing.

“The climbing wall is super social,” said Will Phelan, an experienced rock wall climber and former rock wall employee. “Whether you go to the rock wall alone, with a date or with a large group, it’s easy to meet other people. It’s a great way to be active, relax with friends and try new things.”

The climbing community at UO comprises a variety of people. Most share a common love for the outdoors, but some are simply drawn to the seemingly tiny figures dancing their way up a 30-foot wall while dangling from a long rope.

Senior Lana Caldwell has been a part of the climbing community for a few years. “Climbing is such an ‘anyone can do this if they try hard enough’ type of sport, so you meet people from all different walks of life, ages, countries, majors, etc.,” she said. “I don’t know any other place where people say, ‘Hey I see you’re struggling, let me help you with that.’ ”

Whether you want a new date spot, a place to push your climbing skills or an opportunity to meet new people, the climbing wall has it all.

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As people trickled onto the dance floor at WOW Hall, they were welcomed by a couple sweatily practicing “touch improv.” The couple looked like two playful puppies nudging and touching each other, but they were two full-grown adults rolling on the ground. Beside them, a large, burly man with long, curly hair that bounced like a slinky swayed and jumped to the trance-inducing music.

(Levi Gittleman/Emerald)

Coalessence Dance is a group that meets twice weekly on Sundays at Wow Hall and Tuesdays at the Vet’s Club. It’s an all-welcoming group of dancers whose mission is to “inspire dynamic dance journeys — celebrate and explore movement, connection, and true expression, guided by a rich, diverse soundscape.” In short, it’s a bunch of people who gather to dance to trance music in a spiritual way.

On Sunday, April 16 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., the event began with slow-paced sounds similar to what it might feel like to float through space while unable to breathe. The tempo increased as participants grew more comfortable with the quicker rhythms and vibrations. The group formed a large circle while the music transitioned and dancers warmed up.

Paul Deering, a calm man wearing thick, fuzzy pants and an embroidered tank top, was the facilitator of the event. He set the ground rules before the dancers broke off: no talking on the dance floor, all touching must be consensual and be mindful of your surroundings. The group held hands for a moment and then slowly disintegrated and spread out across the floor.

Victoria Lawton-Díaz participates during the Sunday Coalessence Dance group. (Levi Gittleman/Emerald)

Victoria Lawton-Díez, a regular Coalessence Dance attendee and sophomore at the University of Oregon, said she participates every Sunday. “I do ecstatic dance because to me, it’s a form of therapy — both physical, and mental. It’s a form of self-expression through movement, and it helps me understand what’s going on internally with my emotions by allowing me to release them externally.”

Throughout the entire two-hour session, Lawton-Díez could be found all across the dance floor. She fluttered around elegantly, occasionally breaking her focus with bouts of laughter and shouts of happiness.

As the session came to an end, the amoeba of movement slowly formed a circle. Tiny kids skipped and stumbled toward their parents as adults held each other in exhaustion and the elderly slipped out of their meditational dance moves with ease.

“Young, old, abled, disabled — everyone manages to find some sort of joy in dancing, which is what I truly love about it,” Lawton-Díez said.

Read about the Duck Street Dance Club here.

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April 20, the nation’s most popular day for smoking copious amounts of pot, is approaching for the second time since recreational marijuana use has been legalized in Oregon. The origins behind this weed smoking holiday are pretty hazy. Some say that it all started when Jerry Garcia asked his band members to meet up at 4:20. Others argue that police officers used the code 420 to indicate that people were smoking or selling pot in the area.

The LA Weekly reports that it all traces back to a group of high school students in the ’70s who called themselves “the Waldos.” The San Rafael, California group met at 4:20 p.m. to smoke together when school was out, and the term evolved from there.

Regardless of whether the rumors are true, April 20 remains a high holy day for the common stoner. Now that marijuana is officially legal in the state of Oregon, people who are 21 and older can head to the dispensary of their choice and stock up in preparation for the day.

The Emerald has provided a list of the best deals for cheap weed in Eugene to fulfill all of your 4/20 needs.

Read about the status of the legalized weed industry in Eugene, two years after legalization.

In honor of the second legal 4/20, the Emerald recommends the best deals from dispensaries in Eugene. (Aaron Nelson/Emerald)

Eugene OG (2045 Franklin Blvd)

Eugene OG is conveniently located right across from Matthew Knight Arena. Its modern design and knowledgable staff make it one of the premiere dispensaries in town. The staff travelled around all of Oregon hiding gift cards in various locations ranging from state parks to local spots in Eugene. They will be releasing the geo map on April 20, so keep an eye out in order to find those hidden treasures.

What they’re offering in honor of 4/20:

• 1 gram pre-rolls for $4.20
• 10 percent off all edibles

Jamaica Joel’s (37 W 13th Ave #201)

Jamaica Joel’s is a fairly new dispensary located close to campus on 13th Avenue. The locally owned store pays the sale tax on marijuana products for the customers, making it cheaper than most other options around town.

What they’re offering in honor of 4/20:

• 40 percent off all ounces of weed
• 20 percent off everything
• Surprise specials to be presented on 4/20

Twenty After Four Wellness (420 Blair Blvd.)

Twenty After Four Wellness is located in the Whiteaker neighborhood, conveniently close to Tacovore. This dispensary focuses on marijuana-inducing pain relief with products including wax, edibles and weed.

What they’re offering in honor of 4/20:

• $5 grams of indoor sour diesel weed
• 20 percent off everything on 4/20
• Free pre-roll with purchase of an eighth of weed or more

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