Good morning, dear reader! The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and it’s another beautiful spring day on Swarthmore’s campus! In today’s blog post, I’m going to take you along with me on my typical walk to class in the morning. For the sake of imagination, we’re going to momentarily forget about the fact that you could be reading this from anywhere at any time and instead pretend that you’re walking right alongside me. Let’s get going, or we’re going to be late!
Our journey begins in Dana Hall, where I lived both my freshman and sophomore years. Dana sits right at the edge of the Crum Woods and has picturesque views of the nature outside all year round, and this particular walk takes place on a Tuesday morning in the spring of my sophomore year. I grab my music theory textbook for class, say goodbye to my roommate (who also happens to be my best friend), and head out the door.
As I leave the building, I pass through the two lounge areas pictured above. While students don’t hang out in lounges much in the morning, they’re typically buzzing with energy in the afternoons and evenings, with friends having meals, playing games, or watching TV together. One of my happiest memories in the Danawell Lobby lounge is the time my friends and I tried to go on a walk in the woods, but it started pouring rain, so we rushed inside and played a soaking wet game of foosball. I lost miserably.
When I exit the building, I’m greeted by the tall, green trees and wonderfully cultivated gardens. Though my nose may sniffle a bit as I inhale all the pollen, I smile gleefully and remember how grateful I am to live in the midst of all this natural beauty.
The next part of my walk leads me through the Scott Outdoor Amphitheater. As Dana and the Lang Music Building are pretty close to each other on campus, I like to take a shortcut on one of the trails through the Crum Woods to get to class every day, rather than walking on the sidewalks outside. Walking through the Amphitheater always brings me such a sense of peace. It makes me smile to think of all the experiences I’ve had here — from First Collection my freshman year to a student-written, student-directed opera that I performed in just a few weeks ago. This is definitely one of my favorite spots on campus.
Just off the trail that leads from the Amphitheater to Lang Music Building, I pass by the Peace Pole, which has the phrase “May peace prevail on Earth” inscribed in close to fifteen different languages. Being tucked away in the woods, this is one of those hidden gems on campus that not a lot of students know about, but I’m lucky enough to see it every morning.
As I exit the woods and walk up to the patio between Lang Music Building and the Lang Performing Arts Center, our journey is nearing its end. I walk inside, head up the stairs, wave hello to our administrative coordinator, and greet my professors and friends in class.
After class, I decide to get straight to work on my assignment for that week, so I head around the corner to the practice rooms. I spot one of my friends working on her own assignment, so of course I poke my head in to say hi! After a quick conversation, we head our separate ways, and I go about the rest of my day with studying, classes, and activities with friends.
Thanks for joining me on this virtual walk! I hope it gives you a glimpse into what walking around our campus looks like.
