On October 10 I decided to do my homework outside. Just the previous weekend my parents had come to visit, and my mom asked, “Do you ever do your work outside?” I thought for a second and said “Ummm, no mom it’s too cold now.” Although she was satisfied with that answer, I was not. I had been at Geneseo for over a month and not once had I ventured outside to complete my work. A couple of days after she left I decided to do just that. On October 10th, the weather was warm and welcoming. I found myself at a picnic table by a residence hall close by. I had brought my headphones with the intention of listening to music while I worked; when I have my headphones in I am able to tune out everything else around me and focus. I soon noticed, though, that my music was unnecessary because I had all of the “music” I needed around me. I noticed dogs barking, birds chirping, and squirrels rustling through the nature that surrounded me. At first, I was skeptical about how far I would be able to progress in my work in this environment, but after a short while I was making more progress than I was ever able to do in a silent study room or library. The outdoors was able to bring me a sense of peace and relaxation as I completed my work. I would take short breaks to observe my surroundings and feel the breeze on this beautiful day. Instead of getting distracted after my short breaks I would go right back to my work. This was a great experience and I was promise myself to do work outdoors more often and use the warm weather to my advantage.
A Blog for Tesla House at SUNY Geneseo