#4: Trip to the Arboretum

The H.O. Botanical Gardens at the Penn State Arboretum, in my opinion,  is by far the most beautiful part of the Penn State Campus. I had been there once before but had not explored it quite as thoroughly as I did on this trip with our English class.

I may have really bad allergies, but I am definitely a nature lover. I truly appreciate nature and everything it has to offer; it is beautiful. I took photography for four years and I haven't had a chance to take exceptional photos in quite a while. Going to the Arboretum was a great experience for me because it gave me a chance to get back into photography and take some really nice pictures of the landscape and the flowers.

I would definitely come here again and even bring friends because it is a completely different aspect of Penn State, aside from football, academics, and the arts. It represents the naturalistic beauty of the school and the astounding landscape that surrounds us.

The Arboretum has many alluring aspects to it. When you first walk up to it there is a path layered with flowers and shrubs on each side of the walkway, drawing you in. This path leads you to many different paths that either take you to fountains, sitting areas, or the Overlook Pavilion. The Pavilion is enticing with its unique pointed arch, stone walls and white canopy. The design is very modern and simple; It has neutral colored bricks for the walls but the building itself has an interesting design. It reminded me of an awning that you would see at a wedding (I heard some people have actually gotten married here!). If you are standing underneath the edge of the canopy, you will look out and see a dazzling mountain range and a forest of trees. There are several hiking paths that you can take if interested in exploring the mountains of Penn State even further. The design of the Botanical Gardens is very tasteful overall.

I felt very relaxed and calm when I was exploring the different paths and plains of the gardens. It is a peaceful area, a good distance from campus but not too far, so one knows they are still part of Penn State but in a more serene environment. It was very easy to get lost in my own thoughts.

When I was younger there was a small reservation of land next to my house. There was tall grass and vines that connected into natural archways. There were rabbit homes, which look like domes made out of sticks and twigs, and they covered a huge portion of the land. All of this was incased in trees and vines which gave it the feeling that it was nature's creation of a house. The best part was that it was right next to a highway, but you could neither see nor hear the cars passing by, which made it seem like it was in a whole different part of the city. I would go there with my dad and explore because I loved going on adventures and discovering new things. It was beautiful and peaceful and I never saw anyone else within its boundaries so I believed it was mine. It was my small, secret world. Not long after I had discovered it, construction began on the site and it was soon turned into a parking garage. I could not believe that no one understood what beauty that small patch of land held, and to turn it into something that seemed like a waste of space. The Arboretum reminds me of this area in a way. They are both reserved, peaceful, and beautiful; I believe I can really go here and just think.