Food Forest

             Sense of place; such a statement can be interpreted in an abundance of ways. To find a deeper understanding of my own sense of place, I walked around my current environment. Living in North Lake is much different than living in a house or apartment off campus. Everywhere I look I see a prominent focus on environmental importance.
             I started my exploration walking down the waterfront of North Lake. Immediately I noticed the almost excessive amount of Palmetto ferns (pictured below). As I kept walking down the lake I heard and saw multiple fish quickly breaking the surface of the water. I always knew there was wildlife in the lake but to disconnect from everything else and simply take time to appreciate it truly shows the extent of wildlife I take for granted while paddleboarding, wakeboarding, and simply enjoying my current backyard. I presumed by the time I made it back to my building I would have learned enough; to my surprise I felt inspired to finish my evening with a late night exploration of the nature trails. This was fascinating to say the least. As I entered the nature trail I was very nervous, there was hardly any moon light and I could barely see my palm before my eyes. The fear of the unknown dwelled in the back of my mind as I journeyed deeper into the unfamiliar terrain. Minutes later I realized my eyes had adjusted to the darkness and I could see everything clear as a bobcat with flawless night vision. My fear of the unknown had vanished and for a brief moment I legitimately felt as one with nature. It was at this moment that I understood my sense of place. I felt primal but I knew I as a human am THE keystone species in such an environment. I realized the impact I as a living organism leave on the environment and it was truly enlightening. After a few minutes of star gazing on the trail and simply taking in the whole experience, I returned to my dorm feeling the most "down to earth" I've felt in a while. I wouldn't be surprised if I make a similar spontaneous late night adventure soon.