Outdoor Observations 1


 The overwhelming feature that I noticed during this observation was the wind. There are moments when it is almost completely absent and moments when it is so present that I can’t focus on anything else. The trees don’t react too differently to different amounts of wind. A big gust doesn’t seem to shake the trees any more than the less powerful, more frequent gusts. If I were to watch the trees on a silent video, not feeling the wind myself, I don’t think I would be able to identify when the gusts picked up.

Most of the Tava Quad is homogeneous. I have always been interested in the intersection of monoculture and biodiversity near the labyrinth. The bright green grass meets a patch of dirt with flowers and trees that are unlike the flora on the rest of the quad. It’s almost like the changing of biomes on a miniature scale. The wind changes direction as I continue to sit outside. I haven’t noticed that specifically before.

There are a lot of people on the manicured quad. Enjoying the warm Sunday weather. It feels like “nature” but in my previous classes, I’ve learned that beneath the quad, there is infrastructure for the school. I can’t decide if that makes the quad itself any less valuable as an outdoor spot for people to spend time when they want to be outside. My bike was propped up by its kickstand, but it fell over after the strongest gust of wind came yet, out of nowhere, from a different direction.

The sky is very white, but it isn’t cloudy. It’s unclear if this is from pollution or a naturally occurring process. Overall, this is a very enjoyable place to sit, even though I’m reminded of what lies beneath the quad, and the wind can be uncomfortable at times. I think it’s important to appreciate the outdoor access I have, even though it’s hard to forget how constructed it is at times.

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