As the semester ends, I wanted to return here to show some of my observations from home. When the coronavirus disrupted the middle of my second semester of freshman year I was devastated. I was very ill during January 2020 (which is why my January post here is blah) and as I suffer from depression had a long 2 week episode and was an anxious mess. When my health returned, I developed I good routine, went skiing with my friends often, and was thoroughly enjoying my time… for about a month. Spring break came and I have not been back to Vermont since. Most of my things remain in my dorm and I did not say goodbye to my friends. The past two months have been difficult as I miss social interaction and Vermont. However I have maintained a routine, trying to do schoolwork during the morning and day time, exercising after, and relaxing at night. My friend group from school has been zooming on Fridays and Saturdays which has been the highlight of every week. With all of the change that has occurred, nature and its impact on me has been constant.

In order to stay sane, I have been adventuring outside here in Mendon, Massachusetts. At first I did not have the energy to get up and go outdoors as I was so sad I was no longer in Vermont. However spring sprung, and the signs of nature and life were unavoidable. Nature has continued even though the world has been on hold. I have found great comfort in the ability to access trails from my neighborhood and to explore the creeks and forests around my home. I am incredibly thankful for what I have learned so far at UVM. I do not think I could have found a better fit for a university. I absolutely love being able to walk through the woods and be able to identify the trees growing, know that the birds activity is due to mating season, listening to the spring peepers mating call, and overall be able to observe the phenological changes occurring. Robin Kimmerer says in Braiding Sweetgrass, “I’m trying to imagine what it would be like going through life not knowing the names of the plants and animals around you. Given who I am and what I do, I can’t know what thats like, but I think it would be little scary and disorienting- like being lost in a foreign city where you can’t read the street signs.” This quote resonates with me, as I feel completely different walking through the woods now compared to a year ago. Now I cannot help but stop and identify the trees, observe the bark and differences in the trees, and look at the ones I do not know the names of. I am able to stand at the edge of my yard and know that the White Birch trees grow on the forest edge for they need full sunlight. I see the singular Eastern White Pine tree that is much taller than the rest, and can identify it as a wolf tree, one that has been here much longer than the rest of the trees. I step outside and hear the woodpeckers pecking away in the woods. I see the trees they have created there homes in, and know that the cavities they create are used by species of mice and other small animals. I look at the giant puddle that forms in my back yard every year due to snowmelt, and identify it as a vernal pool. I know that the spring peepers I hear are down in the pool mating, and that if I dug up the bottom of the pool I could find their eggs.

Maybe this blog post is just me rambling, but as the semester comes to an end, I am so incredibly thankful for the year I was able to have. Although it was cut short, and I am curious as to what could’ve happened over the past two months if I was on campus, I am thankful for the time I did have. I don’t think any other major or university could’ve been a better fit than this one is for me. I love what I am learning and am so thankful for the teachers and experiences I have had so far. I cannot wait to be able to return next year.

These are my photos from the past 2 months. Being outdoors has kept me sane during the coronavirus self isolation. I miss people, but the outdoors are pretty good.