The Noland Trail


I always enjoy going outside to walk around and explore a new area. I am not one who can sit and listen to lectures for hours; I tend to get distracted to fidgety. Going outside to get a fresh air clears my head and helps provide and healthier mindset, letting go of all the responsibilities and lists on my laptop that have built up over the week. Observing every little thing around me, using all my senses. I stare down at the outflow of the lake water, where the warmer fresh water full of nutrients meets the York River. Where this happens, small fish swim upstream fighting the strong current. It was brought to my attention that in the spring months, larger fish make a journey through the current into the lake to spawn. We then walked towards the tree line where we encountered several plants that were landscaped into the side of hill heading towards a statue. The plants had fresh scents; I particularly liked the scent of the rosemary herb. It reminded me of my Aunt’s house that has herbs surrounding it back in Massachusetts. I enjoyed getting outside of the classroom and have a chance to explore the surrounding area of campus.  

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