A Stroll Around a College Campus on a Rainy Day

“Other psychologists say, on the other hand, that we have an inborn preference for winding paths, for roads that provide some sense of mystery – what will happen next? Man as an animal is defined by a need for what piques curiosity as well as for survival. We also need, they say, legibility, ‘an environment that looks as if one could explore extensively without getting lost'”

Nathan Glazer, From A Cause to A Style

There is something special about walking around a college campus on a rainy day. Especially when the buildings are made of concrete and brick. The rain soaks through the surface and the earthy tones are brought in in their full splendor. The tree leaves are faded and colorful. It’s as if the campus was designed specifically for a day like this.

I remember walking out of class and feeling the chilly air on my cheeks and smelling the earth. A creek ran through campus and there were trees everywhere. I would take a break between classes and sit on a bench near the creek and listen to the sound of the water gently lapping over the rocks in the creek bed and of raindrops pelting the leaves with a dull thud. The buildings were scattered all over campus and walking around was like walking through a heavily wooded park. On rainy days the buildings would disappear into the mist as if they were returning to the earth itself. It was a perfect mental palette cleanser after a demanding college course.