As a twenty-year-old college student, I will admit that I enjoy being on my phone an unreasonable amount. Just recently, however, I realized how often I use my phone while walking to class, and after falling down a staircase from lack of social awareness, I decided to spend a whole week walking to and from classes without being glued to my little electronic screen. Here are a few of the things I noticed when I lifted my head and opened my eyes to the world around me.
1. Squirrels are really weird creatures.
I have lived in a squirrel-populated area for my whole life, but without my phone to check while walking, I was able to notice how interesting these little creatures really are. The squirrels here on campus are conditioned to humans so you can actually get pretty close and see that they are bizarre looking and just plain weird.
2. Gonzaga is beautiful when it rains.
It was an early spring morning when this experiment occurred, and the green campus was full of dew and plentiful signs of recent rainfall. The smell of spring was truly in the air and the grass had never been more beautiful.
3. Wind sounds really cool blowing through long hair.
Typically when I walk around campus on a windy day, I tend to get annoyed by my hair getting blown into my face and obstructing my vision. However, today I noticed that the sound it makes lapping against itself is actually really cool and somewhat soothing.
4. Seeing people I know makes me happier.
When I looked up from my screen, I tended to notice more people that I know. I was more aware of my surroundings and was able to say hi to all of the people I have been in classes with for a while now. It was fun to realize how many people I recognize if I am looking up.
5. Similarly, the walk across campus doesn’t feel as long if you have another person to walk and talk with.
When I was aware of what was around me, I recognized people I knew who were right next to me that I otherwise might not have seen. The time flew by much faster walking from one end of campus to the other with a friendly face to talk to.
6. People here are generally super happy.
Nearly everyone has a smile on their face. It’s a rather remarkable thing.
7. There are seriously a lot of layers of paint on that wall!
You hear it all the time in tours, maybe you even heard it in a tour you took once yourself, but there is an unreal amount of paint on that wall in front of Crosby. It’s amazing to think about all of the years of history and events that are recorded there. I almost wish I could look at it layer by layer and see all that Gonzaga’s past holds.
8. Spring Gonzaga is the best Gonzaga.
There really is nothing quite like Gonzaga in the springtime. There are people everywhere, happy people, and it is just such a fun time to be here.
9. We are so lucky to be on this campus.
During this time of year, it’s easy to take all of this for granted. You’re swamped with finals, tired of COG food, and so ready to go home. But this place is truly magical. And we are all so blessed to have the opportunity to be here.
10. I trip less often.
Enough said on that.