6 places

St. Mary's Hall
St. Mary’s Hall was locked when I tried to go in, but the place always gives me a kind of hushed and awed feeling whenever I go in, a sense that important or serious things go on here. Even though I have seen goofy SMC-Men performances and Dance Show performances here as well as poetry readings and guest lecturers, I’m always overwhelmed by a sense of “Shhh!!” when I walk in.

Historic:

I feel that the coffee house in Historic is a pretty neat building. I love seeing historical re-enactments and restoration of historic buildings. I feel that it’s a form of art to not only research these places and times, but then have the imagination and creativity to re-construct and re-enact them. I know I wouldn’t have the patience to do it myself, but I admire the people who do, and I love the end result, and the feeling you get of being transported back in time.

Grave:

I have sat on this bench before and looked at the grave and out at the water, and never really stopped to think about the fact that it IS a grave, and that people might come to this spot to grieve or remember, whereas I have only come there to look at the water or relax. After hearing the story on our walk, I definitely felt a little more somber the next time I sat on that bench.

Shoe Tree:

The shoe tree has always been kind of fascinating, simply because of the sheer number of different kinds and colors of shoes that dangle from its branches. I’m always curious about the choice of shoes tossed into the tree. Do the shoes themselves have any significance, or were they just a pair that could be spared? It’s a spot that always makes me stop to think about all the different things that people could possibly have done to make them want to toss a pair of shoes into the tree.

Gym:

The first thing I notice whenever I go into the gym is the sound of squeaking shoes and the smell of the chlorine from the pool. I swam for ten years, and any time I go into the gym and catch a whiff of that chlorine smell, I instantly feel at home. The smell of chlorine has been such a constant in my life, and it always brings to mind the sensation of moving through the water and the sight of the line on the bottom of the pool.

Grind:

The Daily Grind and the area in front of it will always be a place of some of my fondest memories at SMCM. It is a place that always evokes memories of being with friends – eating food there with my roommates late at night, watching friends perform at coffee house, chatting with friends working at the Grind or in the campus store – it’s always about the warm, happy feeling that comes from spending time with friends.