A Little Path

A Little Path

As a class we were tasked to locate a specific place that we find ourselves visiting frequently in times of stress or in need of peace. A responsive webpage was designed to contain the various locations. Each location has it’s own page with a navigation bar, body text description, and a gallery of photos.

One of the entrances to this trail is located near the Appalachian Heights dorm building on Bodenheimer Drive. This entrance starts off with a wooden staircase that descends down the giant hill. I take this route almost every time I head down to campus because the other side puts you down by the west side of campus next to Frank and Eggers Hall. The trail is quite peaceful because the trail is surrounded by trees, plants and pushes, it also feels like a whole different location given how close it is to the campus.


Back when in person classes were happening, I’d get ready to leave my dorm around 7:40 a.m to get to my 8 a.m, and this time was the absolute best time to take in all the nature. The trail would look absolutely stunning with the rising sunshine rays peeking through the openings of the woods. Almost as if the trail was being illuminated. Not only is this spot beautiful in the morning, but also throughout sunny days during the fall because all the warm tones of the falling leaves gives the environment a cozy fresh atmosphere. The temperature feels just right, and when I imagine placing myself in that very moment, I can exhale a breath of relief. And if you’re lucky enough, you might just encounter the family of deer that roams around the trail.


Another starting point of the trail is located a little bit into the Greenway parking lot, also located on Bodenheimer Drive. There is a sign posted next to the trail so you can’t miss it. However, that is not what I want to focus on, actually if you continue walking into the parking lot and staying on that same side of the grass, you’ll eventually find a noticeable opening. This opening will reveal a huge lookout of all of campus. I don’t know why standing on top of something so high always feels so compelling. Maybe it has to do with feeling a sense of power about looking at all the tiny places below your feet. Or maybe it’s the tranquility that is most irresistible because we are removing ourselves from that location and viewing it from afar. The first time I went to this location it was with my roommates from my sophomore year. We had just finished sledding late at night, when one of them told us about this amazing lookout, we just had to check it out. It was worth it. All you could see were the varying lights across campus. We all stood back and tried to take it all in. No one spoke a word. We were just in complete awe of the darkness.


The most recent time I decided to check out the lookout was on a rainy day. I was just staring outside of my window, listening to all the raindrops that hit the ground. Suddenly it all stopped, the sun decided to peep through the clouds, and I felt this sudden urge to leave my dorm. Being outside just after a pour always feels so refreshing to me and that might have been a contributing influence into luring me into this spot. What I also enjoy is that when I’m there, I am not focusing on anything else than what is right in front of me. My thoughts and worries seem to escape me temporarily and I feel content with myself. I’m reminded that I’m alive, and that’s what truly matters.