2020 has been a year of change, unexpected events, and staying inside. For many people, the world has become an online jungle with little access to the outdoors. It seems like a bit of an impossible goal for a class about peace and the environment to have students connect with nature while online, but all has not been lost for PACS 310: Peace and the Environment, taught by Professor Jennifer Ball.
Despite the geographical separation between students, Jennifer requested that each student find their own “sit spot” to connect with nature and reflect on their experiences. While immersed in the outdoors, students welcome the break from screens, unavoidable as a student studying online.
“Today I felt gratitude and I am grateful for my sit spot. Being able to feel connected to others, just by sitting in one spot and taking in my surroundings, is an amazing feeling,” reflected PACS student Sean Crecs. “Quarantine is getting harder to deal with every day and being reminded of happy times gives me a little extra push to try and use my time to be productive, respectful, and loving. Not only to others but also to myself.”
Another student, Stephanie Fink, wrote, “I had the sense of being part of the cosmic story as I sat beneath that tree. I felt great waves of gratitude for the place as it is now, and for how I get to be a part of it.”
In 2020 fashion, PACS 310 isn’t what the class would normally be, but instead, it’s a refuge for students amid the chaos.
