Whether it was on a tour or during registration, every student has had a first time that they’ve stepped onto campus. A variety of things may have stood out: the armillary sphere sitting out on the Great Lawn, the bell tower on the horizon as you drove in, or Sam Phil at the end of the vista. Campus is full of things that awe students on first arrival, but these campus monuments do not stay topics of conversation for long. After some time, they seem to lose their novelty, replaced by academics and other stressors, and instead of looking up at Andover’s campus, students start walking with their eyes cast down on their phones.
Regardless of how long you’ve been a student at Andover, however, the board believes that there is always plenty to appreciate on campus. Even if you’re walking the same path, the foliage changes with the season, squirrels run up trees, and flower buds bloom in the Spring after the ice thaws. Racing from one class to another during the school year, even the scarce moments between commitments are consumed by our need to be productive, but there is a healthier way to spend these moments. Instead of reloading our Canvas page or emailing our teacher, we can spend the minutes between classes or back to the dorm following the retreating sunset or gazing at the great, old trees.
This is admittedly difficult. Nonetheless, attempting to block out Andover during quiet moments is the first step. To appreciate the beauty that exists on this campus, we must choose to actively observe the ground, the trees, and the sky, to make the difficult, yet rewarding decision to practice the art of noticing. We all have preconceived images of an orange sunset and pillaring trees, but a true appreciation of beauty comes from simply noticing what’s there. Through the art of observation, each day presents a new landscape, and so the novelty of this campus’ beauty should never expire.
This seems like an intimidating task, with no obvious starting points, so here are some ways that the board tries to appreciate the campus. One method we discussed was to walk around campus as if you’re looking for a good photo to send to friends, searching for the perfect angle or frame. By looking at nature with this attitude, it’s more natural to notice the sunset peeking above the horizon or the wizen shape of the branches ono that tree you always walk past. Another way is to let yourself be present in the moment. Give yourself a good five to ten minutes to just exist without the expectation of doing work or going to meetings. Be aware of your surroundings, give the world around you your most undivided attention, see things the way they are, not the way you think they should be.
Campus can be beautiful, but only if we allow ourselves to see truly see it. At the same time, we must acknowledge and show gratitude towards those who maintain the natural landscape at Andover. Appreciating our campus also means appreciating all the effort that goes into its maintenance. Like friends and other parts of campus, our time here will come and go, and it’s a privilege to be at Andover. Take a moment and take in the view.
