If you asked anyone on campus why they decided to come to UofR, I am quite sure that virtually everyone would say that one of their top reasons is our campus. Our lives revolve around the Westhampton Lake; most of us cross it everyday, and whether we realize it or not, its beauty unites us all. The lake plays a pivotal role in our everyday, yet before Wednesday very few of us had explored its perimeters, and even fewer had any idea where its water comes from. Our campus is a closely manicured lawn that zigzags through moist pockets of lush wetland. Regardless of the the enticement these pockets provide, why is it that few of us ever penetrate their thin barriers?
As we walked along the northern creek that feeds the lake, the first thing I noticed is how close the neighborhoods are to campus. As we talked about in class, the creek acts as a definite border to our campus. The road beyond seems to only further reinforce the border, its asphalt dripping down the eroded creek bank at places, coming to a rest just at the water’s surface. Although the water was high on Wednesday (it may have been the highest I’d ever seen it, several of the trees’ trunks were submerged in the lazy current), it is typically little more than a few feet deep, and in many places can be hopped across. I have jogged around campus since freshman year, but it wasn’t until last semester that I ever ventured beyond that creek.
I encourage everyone to find an activity that forces you into the more obscure parts of our campus: Frisbee golf, running, sketchy drug deals (kidding obviously)… But really, find a reason to regularly walk through the woods across the lake or to follow the creek off campus. You’ll find exciting places, some neighborhood parks, bizarre bamboo forests, and much more. But even more importantly, you’ll develop a deeper understanding of the environment you move through everyday.