Animals I Encounter on Campus
Juanita writes about many of the animals she encounters during her time at Carleton College.
Juanita writes about many of the animals she encounters during her time at Carleton College.
Animals I Encounter on Campus
Nice Days Outside
Being from the Midwest, I am very familiar with the temperamental weather that we often face here in Minnesota. Although the winter is long and cold, Spring and Fall make up for it! Here at Carleton College, Spring Term is my favorite because there are a lot of events on campus. I am also able to get outside and walk around campus. This is especially fun because the days become longer.
This past Spring Term, I took the Introduction to Aerobic Walking PE course led by Bob Carlson to fulfill my third PE requirement. I was very excited about this course, because it was early in the day. It was also a great way to get outside for at least an hour before my day became busy. Although this class was only two days a week, Bob encouraged us to walk every day and take advantage of the arboretum as much as we could. I enjoyed walking before this class, and once spring term ended, I continued to walk in the afternoons.
Common Encounters
During one of my evening strolls, I was surprised by how many animals I encountered on my walk and how photogenic they were! I ran into squirrels, ducks, geese, and many bunnies. I would try my best not to scare them, and I would quickly snap a picture. The squirrels and bunnies are quite typical to spot around campus, especially during the fall and spring. By contrast, the geese are unique because every spring they come back to campus as little goslings, and we get to see them grow into teenagers by the end of the term. There is a debate about the friendliness of the geese. If you ask me, they’re only scary if you make direct eye contact with them!
I remember arriving on campus my freshman year and hearing the goats from my Myers double. I was confused at first. Yet as I walked to the recreation center for the first time, I grew excited to see them gather around Lyman Lakes for the first time. While I was unsure of why they were there, I later learned they were brought in to help remove some of the invasive plant species around the lakes and in the Arb.
Campus Celebrities
Another celebrity on campus is Albus, an albino squirrel that lives near Weitz. My friend snapped this picture, which again highlights just how photogenic he is! No matter the season or time of day, the odds of seeing an animal on campus are high.
One of my favorite animals on campus is my Area Director’s cat Isabella, who I occasionally get to cat-sit. I have always considered myself strictly a dog person, but after spending some time with her, I am willing to reconsider!
My other favorite animals to see on campus are the SWA dogs, who are part of the Office of Health Promotion and visit campus weekly during the academic year. Additional, an honorable mention is the Equestrian Club’s event this spring where they brought their horses to campus and students got to see a demonstration.
Although I miss my dog being away from home, there is never a shortage of animals, large or small, to see here on campus. The spring and the fall are great times to take advantage of the Arb’s trails or the Bald Spot (our campus quad) to see all of the funny little animals running around.
Juanita Silva is a Psychology Major and a Spanish Minor. A fun fact about Juanita (she/her/hers) is that she can tell when it’s going to rain because her elbow will hurt! Beyond this real world superpower, Juanita is a member of the Latin American Student Associate (LASO) and is a Resident Assistant (RA) during the school year. You can find her walking in the arboretum in Fall or Spring, or relating to the energy of the mini bald spot, which, just like her, has so much happening all the time!