Home » Student Life » Powerlines

Categories

Powerlines

Location is key. Who we are is often dictated by where we are, the pressures we face and the opportunities that present themselves to us. Fortunately for a philosophy major like myself, opportunities to channel Thoreau and escape into nature to reflect are many. This is perhaps my favorite perk of living at Juniata; the rolling foothills of the Alleghenies provide as many opportunities to get as lost as one wishes.

Living in a rural area has been a change for me. Where I live at home in Massachusetts might technically be considered exurban, but I’m no civil engineer. It’s safe to say that I would have to drive for several hours before I start seeing cows in pastures on the side of the road. Here, however, cows are nearly as common as cornfields. While some might think this would be a shock to my system, it has in fact proved the opposite. Living in a brand-new environment and facing novel challenges has strengthened my character considerably. Going out of one’s comfort zone–whether it’s taking a class on Business Management as a philosophy major (as if a philosophy student will ever be in charge of a successful business) or joining the SCUBA club as a novice on a week-long trip to Florida–is the most surefire way of developing one’s self.

Zach's Picture
Yet we can’t be challenging ourselves all the time. Even the strongest people need a break. When I’ve had a long week of classes, essay-writing, readings, and my on-campus job, I head off to the power lines in the nearby State Game Lands. Not five miles away from school, these lushly forested game reserves are a hot-spot for runners, hikers, and hunters. My favorite trail takes one along the power lines to overlook the Warrior’s Ridge Dam upon the Juniata River. If you get there at the perfect time, you can see valleys full of mist, a beautiful sunset…
…or both! It’s not always easy to be a diligent student here at Juniata, but it certainly is easy to see why I love this place so much.