Exploring Places

I never thought that a viewpoint, the Wood Center, and an area of woods would have anything in common. One overlooked a parking lot, one was located inside, and the other was behind a playground. As I observed these different places, though different, I found that in some way, they all made me feel peaceful and calm.

The first place I observed was at a viewpoint. I have been in this place numerous times, getting me from upper campus to lower campus and vice versa, but I have never actually stopped and looked around. Today, it was comfortably cold. It wasn’t hot, but it wasn’t freezing either. The big trees were covered with snow while the thin trees were covered in frost. The snow on the ground and gray clouds in the sky gave off a slight gloomy atmosphere. In the horizon, right behind the mountains, was a layer of yellow and orange light trying to overtake the gloominess of the sky. There was a serene feeling looking out towards the mountains. Though there was a snow blower running in the background, it was easy to block out and feel a sort of peace inside. It was easy to forget everything going on in my mind and just stare at the sunrise.

The second place I observed was on the carpeted stairs in the multi-level lounge in the Wood Center. When I entered the building, the place was loud. The blender was rattling, bells were ringing, and other activities were going on. There was something different with the lounge area. Once I reached the carpeted area, the noise seemed to dissipate. The carpeted floor and the lowered ceiling made me feel like I was in another room or building. The lounge had a relax and calm atmosphere. There were separate groups of students interacting and studying, yet it was still quiet.  Like at the viewpoint, it was easy to block everything out and go into a new place in my head.

The third place is in a secluded, woodsy area next to a park in my hometown. I would go there with my friends when we were little and play games like hide and seek and as I grew older, it became a place for me to disappear from reality and to enter my own world. The area was full of hills, berry bushes and tall spruce trees. At the very back, there was a place to look out and stare at the lake. It was big enough for me to get lost in my mind, but small enough to not get physically lost. It was a place for me to think. It was close enough from my house that whenever I needed to get away or be by myself, this is where I would go.

Home, to me, is any place with my friends and family where I can feel comfortable and be myself.