Last week, we saw beautiful weather in Lewisburg. Everyone was outside, on their porch, in front of academic buildings and dorms, the rail trail, the farmer’s market and most notably, the quad. 

As a Bucknell student, you can’t miss the quad. It is right in the center of core academic buildings and the Bertrand Library. It’s also on the way to the apartments, chapter houses and a few first-year dorms. Most of us walk through the quad at least once a day and are taken aback by its beauty. Perfectly cut grass and blooming cherry blossoms. Clean cut, brick walkways going in every direction. Inviting blue and orange Adirondack chairs. The view of Rooke Chapel in front of a jaw-dropping mountain range. What’s not to love?

Really nothing, and during the spring, our appreciation for it seems as strong as ever. In the fall, we are just coming back to school. It’s still scorching hot and we are ready for cooler days. Getting back into our routines, the quad does not seem to offer the Bucknell student much more than a path to and from class. Winter is a different beast. Bucknell’s colder months leave the quad barren, like a ghost town. Many even seek out rides to class, so even the foot traffic is minimal. With a hat on that I push down to shield as much of my face as possible from the wind, sometimes I won’t even be able to see the quad during these months. 

Slowly, students and the weather start to defrost. We cling on to any warm day we get, which we saw during those 70 degree days in February and 80 degree days last week. Everyone storms the most sunny locations and many find themselves on the quad, soaking in the Vitamin-D they were deprived of all winter. 

Day into night, our presence on the quad doesn’t falter. During the day, friend groups make a circle with chairs and others lay out on the glass. At sunset, they return with blankets and dinner and stories from the day. Quad sits to quad dinners; the energy never fails to lift spirits and make days better. 

What is so special about the quad is that it is one of the only spots on campus where students can meet up and hangout outside of class. Of course, the different food options have seating areas, but the quad provides a much more open and unhurried environment. Also, the quad allows students to socialize in a different kind of way. At dining venues, you usually walk over with your friends. But at the quad, it’s usually a stop on your way to somewhere else. You may sit down with a group of people that you would not necessarily hangout with otherwise. And who knows where a conversation with a friend outside your close group could lead you. 

As a senior about to graduate, the stress levels are through the roof and finding time to be outside and enjoy my last month at Bucknell is so crucial. With everything about the future being so uncertain, focusing on the present is all we can do.