By Balan Selvamuthukumaran ’27
The constant hustle and bustle of college can be exhausting. Even at a liberal arts college that emphasizes learning in all forms—not just academic—there’s always a lot to do. Tests to study for, readings to catch up on, meetings to attend (or even run!)—it all gets tiring after a while. When this happens and everything starts to feel overwhelming, one of my favorite things to do is go on a nice long walk. It’s a good way to stretch your legs and do something that isn’t directly productive for a change, and if you’ve got a purpose for the walk, all the better.
My favorite kind of intentional long walk is an evening walk to Trader Joe’s with friends. There aren’t a lot of easily accessible grocery stories in the area, and Trader Joe’s is pretty much the closest option if you want to buy something quickly or even if you just want to avoid huge outlets like Target and the like. I usually head to TJ’s when I want a few specific ingredients for a meal—this doesn’t happen too often since cooking is hard (and sort of pointless) when you live in a dorm and have a meal plan.
Most recently, I went to buy some snacks—chocolate and so on, just little treats to eat when midnight rolls around and you still haven’t gone to sleep. This time, I decided to bring my digicam along and take some pictures. Our walk to TJ’s is roughly a twenty-minute trip, and it was right around sunset. On a beautiful sunny day marred with few clouds, it is an extraordinary sight, especially once you emerge from the thicket onto Foothill Blvd. I got all the snacks I needed, some things I definitely didn’t need, and enjoyed a peaceful sunset walk. In short, I took it easy and embraced the mundane.