FGCU Campus Tour

FGCU Campus Tour

28 January 2020

I was blown away by the wealth of new knowledge I gained just from a simple guided 2 and a half hour tour around my own campus… the very campus I have lived on, walked on, and looked at for the past 4 years of my college career. I was delighted to find out that our buildings are held to LEED standards and have their respectable certifications. I must have been told this at some point in my college career, but I wish I had learned more about the ways in which the buildings meet these standards and why it is important!

The point you made is absolutely valid, we only notice what we’re paying attention to and as much as I thought I was paying attention and taking in what my surroundings had to show and tell me, there were still things I missed! For a long time I kind of scoffed at the fact FGCU called themselves a “sustainable school,” and still do at times, but you’ve reminded me that I need to maintain an open and none accusatory mindset. The Roberston text put it perfectly when describing sustainability that “it is about seeing and recognizing how all the parts and pieces of life on Earth are connected, their interactions, and the importance of it all.” If I had to guess, this would be at the core of why the campus walks are done… to get students out INTO nature so they are not just learning but seeing first hand how these ecosystems work and why they are important to know about and protect. It is a sad fact that our world often does not notice something’s intrinsic value and importance until it is gone. But I know that because of this the motivator for you is that we can educate this generation to make a change for the future of ourselves and our planet!

The meaningful observations that I have taken away with me from this morning’s adventure are…
1. There is always more to know and the “more you know” the more you are capable of sharing and passing along to others. Knowledge is not meant to be kept to yourself.

2. I wish I had gotten more involved in on-campus activities and explored this area more. I feel like it would have grown my sense of place for being a student here and made me more appreciative of the things that only this area had to offer! It is never too late, but not I feel like I will be playing catch up and trying to see what I can in these remaining months before I graduate. 


3. I was also reminded that a lot of people do not enjoy being out in nature. This walk pushed a lot of the students’ limits and comfort zones, and that is completely understandable. But I would hope that people still find other ways to seek enjoyment in the outdoors because it really does benefit your overall wellbeing! And that it helps people like me to try to find something that can resonate with people like that to show them even if you may not enjoy nature, you still have the responsibility as a citizen of this planet to protect and respect it!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

CREW Trail Walk

Lovers Key