August 4, 2020
I’ve been missing Amherst a little extra the past few days.
I had the chance to drive out to Amherst this past weekend to pick up the things I had left on campus from when we had to leave on short notice in the spring. I had been excited in the few days leading up to the trip, but I was still astonished by the sheer joy I got from being back in the area, if only for a few hours. I drove through campus to grab my stuff and drop off some books at Frost Library that I had taken with me for a research paper; I grabbed some food in town (it was hard to pick only one of my favorite spots to eat at); and I hiked Mount Tom in Holyoke, a couple towns over from Amherst itself.
Then, yesterday, I went on a socially-distanced walk with a friend of mine from Amherst for a couple hours, and we talked a lot about the college, among other things. We talked about our favorite spots on campus, our favorite classes and professors and friends, the things we miss about life before the pandemic and things about the current situation that may turn out as hidden blessings.
So I’ve had a little more reason than usual to reflect on my time at Amherst so far, and what I might do with the time I have left.
It’s hard to pick one or even just a handful of things I think are most important. There are a lot of obvious ones: my friends, my sport, and, yes, even my classes. But I think a big part of what makes Amherst such a wonderful place is that the small things are just as meaningful and rewarding and fun as the big ones.
The fresh air to start my day on my walk to Val in the morning. Seeing a friend and saying hi, or even just giving a nod or a wave as we pass by each other between classes. The lights in the Science Center turning blue for a few moments on the hour at night, sometimes reminding you that time is ticking and you really have to grind on this assignment, other times reminding you that time is ticking and maybe it’s okay to skip the last few homework problems and get a little extra sleep tonight.
When you look at colleges, online or in person, they’ll show you the big stuff. They’ll show you what classes are like, what clubs you can be in, what it’s like to live in a dorm. These things are obviously important; they’ll take up most of your time and energy and give you the most in return as well. But more than that goes into feeling that a place is just simply right for you. Call it a vibe, a sense, or a gut instinct, I think it’s this infinite multitude of details that we so often overlook that can make the difference between “a college” and “my college.”
It was hard for me to do when I was looking at colleges, and still often is hard to do with other things, but I think that especially with all the craziness in the world today, few acts are more rewarding than slowing down and taking a moment to appreciate the little things. They start to stack up, and before you know it, the little things make a huge difference.