The quad on south campus is a home to many people at UK. I think it is overlooked because it is only seen as a passage from one place to the next on campus, although it is a place that contains it’s very own community and has the potential to be a place where people can hang out and meet new people. Especially when this area is home to many new students I expected it to be used for hanging out on the grass catching some rays while reading a book or maybe a game of pick-up soccer. I have yet to see the quad be seen for its own valuable qualities.
Thousands of students pass through this area each day either going to class, for a meal at commons market, to get help at the study or for many other reasons. The quad is busy at all hours of the day, but each time has a different mood. Weekdays are filled with backpacks, sweatpants and starbucks cups. In the nights, especially on the weekends there is a new feeling in the air. Girls are dressed in heals and their hair is done up while boys are covered in polo shirts and sweaters. Music can be heard from the dorms and cars around south campus. The different atmospheres makes it well suited for a wide variety of people and can reach out to everyone’s interests. Whether it is walking to class with someone or finding out if there is a party that night the quad can be used as a social network on south campus.
Each season brings a new feeling into the quad on south campus. I remember when I fist arrived at UK in August all I wanted to do was be outside. The grass was green and lush, the sky was clear and blue and it was filled with a world of new faces. Fall set in and the trees began to change colors and fill the ground of the quad with mounds of orange, yellow and red that reminded me of jumping in leaf piles as a child. Now the winter is in full blast and the air is cold and dry. Students have no chance to see the true potential of quad because they are freezing and their eye is set o their warm destination. When I was observing the area I had to work hard to stay focused because I was consumed with thought of how my feet were freezing and my cheeks burned from the wind.
The bare tree branches shook as the wind whistled through them and there was a recent dusting of snow on the ground that was just enough to have most students in their boots. People are walking briskly with their hands in their pockets, heads down and tilted to avoid the wind from striking their face. Students return to their dorms with “to go” boxes from commons market or Ovids. The “click” of the swiping ID that opens the dorms is a frequently heard noise and the slam of the door behind them as they scuffle into the warmth of their dorm. I am still able to smell the grease and deep fryer at commons and the future heart attack it may cause. People sit in the little cubicles between each dorm talking on the phone or cuddling up with their significant other.
On a weekend morning the setting is a quiet different. Activity is quiet and contains a few stragglers that have to unfortunately be awake. The quiet is calming and soothing and allowed me to appreciate the quad for its beauty. As the day progresses people begin to stumble into commons for brunch. Conversation consists of activities from the night before and laughs from different groups of people.
As the season changes fro spring I hope that people will see the quad for its potential and take advantage of its beauty. I know I will definitely be taking a nap in the grass and enjoying the warmth of the sun.
No comments:
Post a Comment