Spring Break in Gambier
I’d never stayed at Kenyon over a break before, so it felt like something I had to try over my last break as a student. While many college students flock to more tropical locations, I took the chance to hang back and enjoy some leisure time on the Hill once I returned from a quick trip to New Orleans with the jazz ensemble.
Blessed with an early break of warm weather, I spent most of my week taking walks down in the BFEC, Kenyon’s nature preserve. There are a lot of great trails to take with plenty of benches and scenic views for taking breaks. I would snag a sandwich from the deli or a few snacks from the market, load up my pack with a few books, and head down for an afternoon among the trees.
Staying at Kenyon over a break really gave me the opportunity to capitalize on so many things that I was always too busy for during school. I regularly relaxed in the steam rooms and saunas at the KAC — there’s also a hot tub. I checked out a projector from the library (yes, you can do that and it’s awesome) and watched movies with my housemate back in our apartment. I went into Mount Vernon a few times for dinner on the nights that I wasn’t making full use of my stunning NCA kitchen, seen here in all its glory:
The market has a lot of great local meats and vegetables that you can combine with some official Kenyon farm fresh eggs to make the ultimate Gambier dining experience.
With so much of campus life dominated by the students, it’s easy to forget that the campus itself has so much to offer. Actually giving myself time to walk around and take it all in has set me up nicely to truly enjoy my last months on the Hill.