Arts/Cultural Blog Post #3: The Arboretum at Penn State

I absolutely do not think of myself as a nature lover at all. I think part of it has to do with where I come from. Being from south Florida, it is hot and humid all the time, making it a miserable experience to be outside for an extended period of time. On top of that, palm trees can only be interesting for so long. Nature was never something I could truly enjoy, as I just became bored with it way to easily

Surprisingly, I enjoyed going to The Arboretum. This happened to be my first time going there. The walk was a bit of a trek from my dorm, but it was a nice cool day and gave me a chance to experience what fall actually feels like (we don't really have seasons in Florida). When I began to approach the Arboretum, I saw just a ton of green. From a distance it looks like just your average field. As I walked up the hill, the vivid colors of the garden started to come in to view. When I made it up to the Overlook Pavilion, it stunned me just how large the garden is. I was immediately drawn to the map of Penn State's campus just outside the Pavilion. I thought it was extremely cool once I realized what it was that  I was looking at. I stayed with the group as we walked around the garden, walking under what seemed like a massive arc made of trees to get to the outer edge of the garden, where I took the picture above. I think the fountain was a real nice touch too, as it added a sort of tranquility to the center of the Arboretum.

Overall, I enjoyed the trip. It was very eye opening on how beautiful nature can be when it's outside of your normal enviroment. I'm not quite sure if I would go back there on my own time, but I would not complain if I was with a group of friends and they suggested that we go back there. It was a cool experience and something I will always remember.