Final Reflections

            So here we are, my very last nature journal entry. Looking back, I think I’ve discovered quite a bit about myself and have takeaways from the class that I will attempt to apply to my everyday life a great while after the class ends.

            For instance, having never entered a canoe, I am more willing to go on these excursions and will try to go on some that the campus recreation center offers. I have also become more aware of the nature around me and how I can affect the world with the smallest of actions.

            Prior to this class, I had no idea that the nature center even existed, much less what was actually there. Even though half of the excursions we were supposed to go on were rained out this semester, I still enjoyed this experience and will be willing to go back to the nature center in the future. I did not have the chance to see the bison whenever we were over there and I think it would be interesting to go see them.

            I also thought that the readings were crucial to the framework of the class, although the workload seemed heavy at the end of the semester when I would have preferred it would have been heavier in the beginning of the semester. However, these readings shaped my understanding of nature writing, which was a genre I did not have much experience with. These readings made me realize that I need to do more in my everyday life and be more of advocate of nature conservation.

            I would say that I would recommend someone taking this class because it expanded my awareness and deals with a relevant topic. We cannot escape from nature, so being able to understand it and appreciate it more is overall beneficial. Maybe in future semesters the weather will work with the class instead of it seemingly against us with it raining the majority of Wednesdays. However, being able to appreciate nature means also appreciating the elements, even if they mess up plans to be outside.