Sometimes it can be fun to make fun of Corvallis, Oregon. It’s tiny, it’s quiet—the most frequent crime seems to be public urination and it takes over an hour to get to the nearest city. However, the moment someone who isn’t from Corvallis tries to join in on the bashing, we all rush to our town’s defense. Why?

Because the out-of-towners don’t know the numerous things that make Corvallis really special, and a place we don’t really want to leave. For instance…

1. The fact that it’s not simply a suburb of Portland

Personally, I love that Corvallis is an hour from Portland.

If I had wanted to live in the middle of the squalid, loud metropolis, I’d currently be enrolled at Portland State and probably have green hair and a tattoo of a craft beer.

Instead, I live in Corvallis, which stands alone as a homey, comforting town full of intelligent people who know how to have fun, but also know when it’s time to buckle down and study.

Still, with Portland easily accessible, there’s always the option to take a weekend visit.

2. The natural beauty

The natural beauty that Corvallis possesses is spectacular. Being surrounded by hills and forests and sitting on the Willamette River create a gorgeous atmosphere that give Corvallis extra Oregonian charm.

Whether it’s the bright colors in the fall, the mystical stillness in the winter, the floral pastels in the spring, or the temperate temperatures in the summer, Corvallis remains a lovely place to live year round.

3. The quirky downtown

There’s also the downtown to be thankful for. From the quirky Darkside Cinema to the wonderful riverfront park, Corvallis is a town that you could easily take your grandmother for a nice visit, or party hard with your friends (probably not both at the same time, but maybe your grandma is open-minded and energetic).

There is a plethora of family-owned local businesses, and our town lacks what almost every town in America has accepted—a WalMart. If the lack of WalMart’s in Corvallis won’t make you glow with pride, I don’t know what will.

4. The national recognition we’ve received

Despite Corvallis’ small size, the town has received national recognition in a number of categories.

We were ranked 4th best college town in America by Forbes and 3rd smartest town in America by MarketWatch.

Although we don’t need other people to tell us what we already know about Corvallis, it’s nice to see that big names are also seeing what we see: a town with many upsides.

5. The people

I often can’t go a whole day on campus or even in the greater Corvallis area without seeing someone I know, and I like it that way.

There are exceptions to every rule, but overall I’ve found the people of Corvallis to be humorous, helpful, friendly and fun.

Sure, we’re all ready for summer vacation to start, but those of us who leave in June tend to find ourselves pining after Corvallis by July.

So the next time an out-of-towner gives you a hard time about Corvallis, you can feel automatically superior because you live in a place we’re all lucky to call home.

The opinions expressed in Keating’s column do not necessarily reflect those of The Daily Barometer staff.

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