This is a collection of small, random things that I enjoy about the campus here at Exeter. It ranges from the type of buildings this campus houses, from the big white tents found scattered around, yet each of these things, however inconsequential they may seem, are still appreciable.
When I first walked onto the campus here at Exeter the first thing I noticed was the variety of buildings. There were the big, squat, brick dormitories and then there were the glass and metal buildings such as the gymnasium or field house. This mismatch of buildings side by side works together to compliment one another’s differences. I could be visiting my colonial dormitory, and the next minute I could be at the gymnasium, welcomed with shining metal and glass. This may not seem significant in the slightest, but I for one wouldn’t enjoy walking around and being repeatedly greeted by the same mundane types of buildings for the next month, and hence I appreciate the variety of architectural designs found here on campus.
On my first day here at Exeter, I was exploring the campus when the clock struck twelve. This hour was welcomed by the gonging sound of the bell tower. The low sound of the bell resounded across campus and echoed between buildings as it repeated itself twelve times over. The bell tower did two things that day: one it reminded me that it was time for lunch, and two it filled the area around me with a beautiful, resonating sound. This sound which can often be dismissed as the background is actually quite pleasant if you lend it your ear which is why it is included in this collection, for although this sound can easily become invisible it is still noteworthy.
Another completely random thing I enjoy about Exeter’s campus is the white tents found in the quads. During mealtimes I and some of my friends sometimes sit in the red chairs found there for it is both quiet and spacious enough to accommodate large groups of people. The tents are an ideal place to eat for they provide shade when it’s particularly sunny and shelter for when it rains. However these tents aren’t solely used for meals; along with eating I also visit the tents simply to do homework or meet up with people. I am housed in Wheelwright so I’m fortunate to have a tent right outside of my dorm, and because of its placement this tent also functions as an outdoor common room. These tents are a place where I can be outside, enjoying the fresh air as well as be with my friends laughing and chatting all the while.
This small collection of three random things around campus are all something that make my five-week stay here better. From walking across campus whilst enjoying the shade cast by the variety of different structures, or dining with the gonging sound of a bell ringing in the distance, all these features are appreciable, at least to me, for the little things they do.