On the day prior to the GeoJames exam, I decided to take a break from the library to lay in the hammocks. The environment of the library can be a bit overwhelming: the sound of clicking on multiple keyboards, the collective exasperated sighs of overly-stressed students. Stressed out by the environment, I decided to leave my belongings in the library, phone and all, and take a walk around the lake and towards the hammocks. As I swing in the bright orange hammock next to the lake, I take in everything around me. The sky was cloudy and gray, and the trees across the lake look somber. The geese and ducks were quietly resting close to the hammocks. Though it was a nice, quiet study break, everything seemed to take on a monochrome color scheme.
Now I’ve returned to the spot a couple weeks later on a Sunday afternoon and everything seemed much more alive. The sun was out, giving a richer color to everything and reflecting on the ripples of the water created by the calming wind. The trees look more diverse in color as we get deeper into the fall. I observed people making use of the lake. Across from me, there is a boy fishing, trying to throw the line as far as possible into the lake. Next to me, there is a father and a little girl laughing and playing in the broken hammock. Families huddled in the gazebo to throw bread at the ducks. Many dog owners and joggers ran on the trail and on the bridges around the lake. Even the geese around me were out and about: some made loud screeching noises while others peacefully swam around the lake. I smile at my surroundings, glad to have found such a great place to reflect and collect my mind. Though I had to leave, I am glad to have found a spot to escape the stressful environment of the library.