My eyes flutter open to see the autumn foliage and Carolina blue skies above me. I sit up on the cool stone bench and look around at the forest and dirt path, forgetting for a moment that I am still on the UNC campus. After this peaceful nap, I’m ready to take on my afternoon classes.
I am in the middle of the Battle Park pedestrian trails, right here in Chapel Hill — my favorite secluded location. The park and it’s multiple walking, running and one biking trail are less than a 10 minute walk from the Old Well, right across from Center for Dramatic Art.
It’s the perfect spot to get some fresh air, clear your mind and spend time outdoors. Upon entering the protected forest area, you will feel as if you are in an entirely removed world.
I’ve often gone for a jog around Battle Park to escape the constant stopping for crosswalks on campus and to avoid the multitudinous pedestrians on their way to and from class. The headspace the trails provide is immeasurable in a chaotic academic environment.
Spend some time by the babbling brook, go alone with your favorite novel or grab a friend and pack a picnic. The stone platform of the Botanical Garden within Battle Park is off the main trailhead, and with its benches and embellished fern ironwork, the setting is superb for a nap or some homework.
I would encourage all of us to take time out of our hectic schedules — just a 10 minute wandering — to pass through the paths, drink in the crisp Carolina air, hear the leaves crunch beneath our feet and simply be immersed in the nature that we are so lucky have access to on university property.
Transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson once shared a lesson: “Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.”
I believe that is a lesson that we cannot learn even in the prestigious halls of UNC. We must take time to find the peace which the pace of nature provides on our own.
