he bubble just popped, my friends. We get too comfortable here. We walk down the same streets each day, on the way to the same classes. On the weekends we hang out at the same places. It's easy to get lulled into a routine here, and there's not necessarily anything wrong with that.
But I find that my DePauw experience has definitely been enhanced by just a handful of chances I took to get off campus and explore Greencastle.
It's easy to believe the notion that DePauw is our home, but Greencastle is a small town, and we are an essential part of it. DePauw is just a part of our larger Greencastle home, and it troubles me how few of my friends have explored its many nuances.
Our Nature Park is a great place to start. I often take it for granted, I've spent so much time out there I could run its trails backwards and blindfolded. But sometimes I go out there alone, stop at the overlook and just enjoy the serene silence. It's good for the soul.
But if you've been there and done that, there's more to the story.
I love to drive around "rural Greencastle" in the fall. The roads are winding, the terrain is a little hilly, and there are a lot of great views out there. Head out towards the Dunbar covered bridge; on your way back to campus you'll be treated to an aerial view of our campus.
It's amazing to look at our world in a new way, and I promise you'll carry a more grateful perspective with you when you return.
Cataract Falls is about a 20-minute drive from campus. That's right, you are only 20 minutes away from Indiana's largest waterfall (by volume). It's a great place to relax, do a little reading and lose yourself in the sound of the moving water. Climb on the rocks and rediscover some of your childlike energy.
Just because it doesn't have a screen and buttons doesn't mean it isn't worth your while. Sometimes we have to disconnect to reconnect.
If you want to get a little grimy, and more than a little creeped, head out for the Four Arches; a bridge over a mostly forgotten Greencastle road. You can crawl from one end to the other through the arches in the middle. Once you're down, head up top and throw some rocks off the train tracks. If being scared is your thing, look up the Edna Collins covered bridg. I won't get into the story of it here, but it has creeped me out more than a couple times.
That of course is a short list - a very short list - of some off-beat things to do in this home we all share. Get your friends together, do it alone even, there's no shame. Head out on an adventure, we'll be here when you get back. Trust me this place has a unique charm, a lure all its own. If you fail to explore it, you haven't taken all you can from this amazing place.
Check out for a while, it's ok I promise, the roads are always open.
- Droddy is a senior from Indianapolis, Ind. majoring in communication.