I found the month of April to be pretty challenging in finding time to go outside and enjoy nature due to imminent finals. However, I seized any opportunities I could find. As a result, I was able to go out and enjoy nature a couple of times. I ended up going out to visit the Barton Greenbelt. Even though I have visited it countless times this semester, there is always something left to explore, since it extends over a pretty large area.
One weekend, I was able to go to Gus Fruh pool at the north side of the greenbelt. The weather was absolutely perfect. There were clear skies, a light breeze, and plenty of sunshine. There were also plenty of butterflies, and a huge variety of birds to be seen. Alongside the pool, there was a huge array of trees and foliage. The foliage allowed for a huge breath of fresh air after being in such an urban area for the majority of the time. It was the perfect time for a break and a swim in the pool along with everyone else. It was so nice to just sit by the shore and enjoy nature, and watch other people enjoy nature.
Although it was well into spring, that kind of weather definitely had a more summer feel to it. In comparison to the previous months, I found the month of April to be the most jubilant and enjoying. I found it to be marked with growth and change; I observed an increasing amount of movement of vibrant life within the environment. Over the past couple of months I have been able to witness the slight changes that occur over a period of time, whether they involved the growth of plant life, or the increase of temperatures as the days went by. Not only was I able to notice these changes as I went on my weekly visits, but also by the comparison of the pictures I had taken across the course of the semester.
It was great to see the Greenbelt so vibrant and so full of life in the spring. While hiking there with my dog this past weekend, I was able to find a boulder high enough to overlook a large portion of the Barton Greenbelt in its entirety. With upcoming finals, just being surrounded by nature cleared my mind from all the stress and great number of worries that accompany the end of the semester. As I had mentioned in my previous blog post for the month of March, it is so saddening to find that people willingly confine themselves to remaining in-between four walls. There is so much comfort to be found outside within the natural world.
Reflection:
Overall, this blog assignment has truly opened my eyes to the outdoors. I have been able to gain more knowledge and truly experience nature for myself. Through these assignments, I feel like I have been able to grow closer to the planet that we live in. Through just a period of about four months, I was able to observe a countless number of changes to the environment. Up until this point, it has been amazing to experience the noise of the earth grow louder and the colors of nature grow brighter.
This assignment helped me thoroughly understand what we were learning in class, and apply it to the real natural life outside. I was able to look beyond just the surface of nature, and recognize the various ecological processes and complexities that sustain the true beauty we see. Various terms such as biodiversity, pollution, and human-interaction would be of no value if one did not have the opportunity to go outside and apply them. This definitely allowed me to appreciate nature more, and look at it from a more complete and whole perspective.
Another big plus to this entire experience being outdoors was being able to manage my stress. This assignment provided me with numerous, greatly needed opportunities to just relax and de-stress outdoors. Being outside just naturally brought out the best in me, so I always felt happier and more relaxed.
The content within the word cloud came as no surprise to me, especially the words that appeared most frequently: time, beautiful, water, nature, park, and trees. These words accurately portray and come as great value to the experiences we had over the course of the semester. I think that the word ‘beautiful’ is completely accurate. I feel like a lot of people don’t normally take the time to sit and observe the world around, so when they do, it finally occurs to them all of the beauty that nature really holds. It also gives me utter contentment to see that everyone else experienced this nature blog assignment just like I did, and experience the beauty like I was able to.
I don’t think there is a better way to describe how I feel than with Aldo Leopold’s words: “There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot.” After having this kind of an experience this semester, I think visiting the outdoors weekly is bound to become a routine for my semesters of college to come, as it contributes so much towards my well being and my love for nature.