Second-year music student and USC photographer, Alex Lam, holds his camera as he walks in for his interview.
“I keep my camera on me all the time,” Lam admits. “Just to always be ready.”
Like many aspiring photographers on campus, a big part of Lam’s job is finding the right setting for his photos, or “sweet spots” as he calls them.
But being on the lookout for photo-worthy spaces has become a trend for even the average Instagram user or blogger. The fascination with exploring and documenting an adventure has begun to spread, with more and more people getting bitten by the wanderlust bug.
“I’m always on the hunt,” Lam explains, revealing that there are many unexpected places on campus for students to explore. “The toughest part is just getting out of your warm, cozy bed,” he jokes.
While the struggle of getting enough sleep is real, our bodies aren’t meant to lay in a pile of pillows all day – our bodies are meant to move. And some students share the same sentiments as poet Henry David Thoreau saying “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately … to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life” instead of laying in bed all day.
For those looking for some woods like Thoreau, Lam recommends the hiking trails along the Thames river and behind Saugeen-Maitland Hall. These nearby locations are great starting points for anyone wanting to take a break from Weldon, see something new and inhale some fresh air instead of more Spoke coffee.
Plus, getting outside is perfect if you’re looking for a spark of creativity.
Third-year biology student, Nick Lemire also buys into the wanderlust trend — with an impressive Instagram to show for it. His posts feature creative photographs taken throughout campus and the London community.
Lemire hopes that his account will show people that there is more to see in London than just what meets the eye.
“You can find something beautiful wherever you are,” he says.
Lemire admits that he’s always looking for new places as an escape and a reminder of his home in Blue Mountain.
“Just take the time to find places,” he adds.
In Lam’s opinion, wanderlust-themed photography is an artistic tool that allows for the sharing of stories. But he also notes that you don’t have to document everything to still have a worthwhile experience. It’s all about enriching your mind, body and soul with the beautiful little things we are surrounded by but too often overlook.
By adding a spontaneous adventure to your life here and there, you’re not only escaping the ordinary but escaping stress and worry as well. First-year kinesiology student Jessica Toquia believes it’s like free therapy.
She explains that she likes to explore campus as a way to stay calm and motivated, and power through exam season. Like many Western students, Toquia feels anxious around this time and often feels in need of a breather.
“A change of pace is something we all need once in a while,” she says. “Staring at the same four walls you’ve been stuck in for days during exam time won’t let you relax. Being confined is not something we as people are meant to do.”
Toquia adds that some of her favourite spots to explore are the blown glass displays on the lowest floor of the Physics and Astronomy building and the greenhouses in front of the Visual Arts building.
It’s apparent that wanderlust help some students live life more fully and beat the daily grind of school. For others, wanderlust is a perfect way to excel academically and take care of themselves. Taking the time to enjoy a new atmosphere is one way to regroup and de-stress and it can even be used as a way to spice up one’s exercise routine.
Paul Davenport, second-year Engineer student and competitor on the rowing team, says that he tries to keep as much adventure in his life as possible by constantly exploring London.
“When we do team runs we have run along the Fanshawe Lake trail,” he says.
Davenport also admits that gym visits can become too mundane at times and instead he tries to use rowing, running, biking and hiking as more scenic alternatives to exercise and a way to relieve stress.
Whether wanderlust is a destressor or just an outlet for people to explore, the desire to discover is something that can be satisfied right here on campus and throughout London. Take a note from Thoreau and find out what London has to offer – it could be around campus or outside the Western bubble.