It’s hitting that point of semester where some of our jays are feeling tired and stressed, and are in dire need for a break. Though the college can’t grant us a second spring break, they have given us beautiful spots on campus to sightsee.
Around campus, students have multiple favorite spots they enjoy taking a moment for themselves or relax with some friends. Some of the most famous spots would be Blue Bean, the Brossman Commons patio or the Bowers Center. Though those are fantastic and social spots, sometimes I find myself wanting to connect with nature a bit to reconnect my thoughts.
That’s why my recent favorite campus scenery has been Lake Placida. This not so hidden gem on campus has a wide variety of plants, animals and even fish. When I feel tense about an upcoming exam or course selection, I take a bike ride or walk around the lake. One of my favorite things is to gaze into the water from the bridge and see if there are any fish visible.
Another great thing about Lake Placida is the versatility of its use. I love seeing the amount of community members who take a kayak on the lake or practice catch and release fishing. The multi-purposeness of the lake makes it enjoyable not just for my sightseeing, but also for many different interests. In the winter, some students like to see the snow fall into the water, or observe every day how much more of it is frozen.
“It’s really peaceful, especially with the sunset overlooking it. It’s really quiet and almost dreamy,” Teddy Bazyar, a sophomore computer science major said.
Besides students, community members love Lake Placida as well. There are often neighbors of the college who walk around the lake, go on runs, enjoy the beauty of it and walk their dogs. Personally, I love getting to see the dogs get excited by the lake and all it has to offer.
Much of campus is away from the lake, so many Jays go days without seeing it, and when they finally do, it feels refreshing. It could sound like a bad thing that the lake is a walk aways from the academic building, but the short walk there allows me to clear my thoughts and get some fresh air. It also does not let me get too used to it, so I never feel sick of beautiful Lake Placida.
“I like sitting on the edge of the lake on the chapel sides and taking pictures of the ducks,” Rebecca Green, a sophomore political science major said.
My absolute favorite thing to do by Lake Placida is sit on a bench, enjoy my time sightseeing and turn on a good audiobook. Sometimes the audiobooks are for class, sometimes they are my personal current read.
Overall, Lake Placida serves as a beautiful, scenery filled place on campus that many of us Jays love to see. Campus has countless stunning places for the students to study, read, or decompress, but Lake Placida takes the win because of its combined beauty, natural feel and general environment that allows me to forget about school or stress for a few minutes.
