Sense of Place

This evening I took a stroll around South Village at FGCU and it was close to sunset so I was able to see a variety of the beauty our campus has to offer. I started out from the parking garage next to where I live in Osprey Hall and immediately when I looked to the sky, I could tell the rain was not far off so I had limited time. I wish my phone's battery had not died at the start of my walk so I could have taken some pictures of the sky because the way the clouds were rolling in was magical. I am someone who enjoys a good summer storm and tonight when I looked to the sky and saw the orange sunset mixing with the gray puffy clouds, I was literally on cloud 9.

SoVi is suburban industry mixed with that sustainable, naturalistic lifestyle that FGCU is all about and that is what makes me love it so much. I saw a ton of small lizards and even a tiny frog on the window of a bedroom when I passed by Eagle Hall! I took note of the trees that surround the SoVi loop and really took it to heart how fortunate I am to call a place such as this home. The wildlife is literally at my doorstep and no other school would give me this type of opportunity. During my walk, I tried to think and embody the statement "sense of place". I am a very in the moment type of person and I am known for my adaptability in any situation or place, and SoVi has really proved to put that to the test for me.

My sense of place during my walk meant that I was noticing every detail and not just physically present, but mentally as well. Making a place home and having that sense of place is where I live, and that continually changes in many different aspects. While walking I took notice of everything I saw, living and inanimate, I felt at peace and had a sense of home. I walked on the paved road for a portion of my walk and then a few steps into the nature path before I started to feel a few rain drops begin to come down, but I was so in the zone that I hadn't noticed the clouds position themselves above me.

Most of my sense of place reflection, to be honest, occurred after my time on my walk. While I did notice the trees surrounding SoVi and the clouds rolling in, and even the tiny wildlife, I was in a mental state where I felt very in touch with my thoughts and kept zoning into deep thoughts. My sense of place will always be where I am at. Like I stated before, I am adaptable and what I mean by that, is that life is what I make of it, and no matter where I am or who I am with, I will always have a place to call home. Home is where the heart is and as cliche as that sounds, it's 100% true. Home isn't a place, it's a feeling that gives you a sense of place.