The Arboretum at Penn State

My first trip to the Arboretum started off hectically as I was running late from my class that is on the other side of campus. I had just made it to east halls around 12:25, the time we were supposed to be there, so I went into a full on sprint trying to make it there as fast as possible. Luckily, I was not the only one running late but given that I am not a nature lover, I was not off to a good start. As previously mentioned, this was my first trip to the Arboretum so I had no idea what to expect. I have been to Penn State so many times but had never heard of it. I knew it was a big garden that would have many interesting trees, bushes, and plants but I did not know how vast or unique it would be. Most gardens I have been to are very simplistic and ordinary in their design, consisting of only the basic plants.  Well, I do have to say I am very surprised I had not heard of it before because for a non-nature lover it was actually pretty neat and had something for everyone. From the numerous purple flowers to the stone by The Hosler Oak tree, the Arboretum intrigued me and helped me appreciate gardens more so than I usually do.

The abundant, bright, purple flowers that lined one of the walkways of the Arboretum, grasped my attention immediately. Its bold color and pure originality came in bundles, and it seemed as though this group of flowers could go on forever. The sun glistened off the crisp, bountiful petals, making me really appreciate their beauty and how these types of things can put your mind at ease and just make you appreciate the little things in life.  Purple was the color of my high school and is one of my favorite colors which is one of the reasons why these flowers stood out in the midst of all of the other beautiful things in this garden. It brought back a lot good memories for me from playing sports, meeting amazing people, and having a great four years there.

Something else that caught my attention was the large stone by The Hosler Oak tree. I had never seen anything quite like this which is what made me stop and take it in.  Its hard, large structure, isolated from the tree and surrounding bushes, softly nestles against the mulch. It just lies there, probably being mistaken for an animal such as a turtle quite often due to the similar characteristics and the fact it is not near the tree. A curved outer layer that directly blocks the bright sun and shields the mulch underneath it is another key feature of this stone. The majority of the stone is a worn out gray with a slight touch of light red stripes near the bottom right of the stone.

The Arboretum was definitely a great, peaceful place to go to. It allowed us to relax and just let our minds wander which was really nice considering how hectic the start of college has been. I am surprised I had never heard of the Arboretum before because it was pretty cool and definitely better than I thought it would be. Every student should make sure to check it out at least once during his or her four years here.