Wandering the nooks and crannies of any college campus produces sights that are essentially the same: most places have some sort of hallowed building (i.e. a chapel, library, or auditorium with particular significance), expanse of land for lounging, and tasteful campus statues (or a giant blue decrepit teddy bear with a lamp emerging from its forehead). The most striking similarity among college campuses, however, is the people that you’ll see. Sure, you might be thinking “Brown’s so unique! We have a huge range of people on our campus,” and, I won’t say you’re wrong, but, have you noticed that college kids get inordinately excited from the mere sight of a small kiddo or a senior citizen? Have you wondered why that is? Well, because they don’t exist on college campuses! Everyone in a college campus is from about 17 to 60(ish?) years old. Seeing someone outside that age range is like spotting a unicorn—it’s a spectacle that you have to spend at least a few seconds oogling over.
I have frequently caught myself, and on further examination, all of the students around me, gawking at clumsy little toddlers. I would clarify that this is not to be attributed to baby fever, however, because I, and those I’ve asked, did not have this same obsession over the summer, for example. The rarity of a child on campus results in said child’s ability to immediately capture the attention of an entire green of students. Just the other day I watched a lil guy horribly (read: cutely) kick around a soccer ball. I felt tears welling in my eyes– not sad tears marking the beginning of my sophomore slump, but rather happy ones, for the appreciation of adorable life forms.
Older humans bring a very similar mood-brightening result. Did you know that life still exists past college? And it’s not just a life where you’re stuck in a job toiling over Excel spreadsheets and contemplating what bogus networking skill works the best? There’s a part of life when you’re done with all of that bullshit and are finally able to enjoy the world: retirement! What a wonderful, wonderful thought! The elderly command both appreciation and maybe some envy; I know I’d far rather be figuring out the bunion situation on my foot than have a midterm in two days. But maybe that’s just me.
Seeing these people at opposite ends of the life spectrum is just as– if not more– soothing as those doggos they bring to campus for ~relaxation~. Children and the elderly make students realize that there is existence beyond the walls of Brown. Children remind you of a carefree attitude that is possible due to an utter lack of responsibilities– an attitude every Brunonian ought to emulate to one degree or another. The elderly exhibit the wiseness and old age we’ve yet to garner—qualities that don’t come from classrooms but rather, from living life. Appreciate these free stress relievers, and if they’re not doing the trick for you, take a word of advice from this cat:
