After taking the last final of every semester, I fall into a routine. Its start marks the end of a marathon of papers and exams that only seems to get harder each year. And each time it culminates in one of the most rewarding realizations.
It’s 12:01 P.M. on the last Saturday of the fall semester. As I finish my last final, the routine begins. I make my way out of the testing room with a pace slowing from that of an amateur speed walker to a casual saunter. I tuck my phone into my pocket and pluck my headphones out of my ears. My eyes are awake and alert. Having removed all of the barely-used books from my backpack, a weight has literally been lifted from my shoulders. I take a deep breath, push open the Science Center doors, and take my first steps of freedom. It’s time for me to take a walk.
I wander through Harvard Yard and take in my surroundings. On my right, I pass by my freshman dorm; memories of laughing and bonding with people who would ultimately become integral to my college experience come rushing back. On my left, the bright white steeple of Memorial Church towers above me. It strikes against a cloudless pale blue sky and makes me wish I was a professional photographer, so I could pull out my DSLR camera and capture the simplicity and beauty of the composition. I see several students throwing a Frisbee on the grass in front of Widener Library, while many others sit on its steps chatting with friends, reading, or just stopping for a break.
Finally, I reach the gate separating me from the Yard and the streets of Cambridge and I look up, squinting to read the inscription: “Depart to Serve better Thy Country and Mankind.” And that’s when the realization hits me.
On a typical day at Harvard, the Yard is filled with two sets of people. Tourists make up one group: most of them can be found crowding around the John Harvard statue as they eagerly wait their turns to snap pictures with the Statue of Three Lies. Others can be seen making the trek up the Widener steps to get a closer look at the grandeur of it all. Students make up the other group: they are easy to spot with hands gripped around a coffee cup or book, eyes fixed forward with laser focus on reaching their destination. They rarely stop on their way, pausing briefly only to exchange a quick “How are you?” with people they know.
It is in these moments that for Harvard students—myself included—“walks” are no longer leisurely strolls, but mere missions to get from point A to point B with the fewest distractions. It seems like we are always juggling ten different things at once, running to a class, meeting, or practice. Pretty soon the answer to most invitations becomes “Sorry, I don’t have time,” and the 15-minute trip to the Quad to see someone you haven’t seen in a month becomes too much of an endeavor.
With everything going on, it’s easy to take things for granted. In that sense, the tourists seem to know something we don’t. Having every minute of every day planned in a color-coded calendar that would make Corporate America proud may seem like the only thing that is keeping our lives in order. But it is just as important to carve some time out for ourselves: We should take a page from the tourists’ book and learn how to take a moment to take a walk, pause, and appreciate our surroundings. Walks like these can help reflect on our accomplishments—trust me, we have plenty of them—and goals, and remind us of why we chose Harvard in the first place.
Whether you’re debating the merits of such a walk or you’re in the midst of one now, there’s another four-letter word you should keep in mind: Four. It is easy to get swept up in the daily routine of classes, work, and extracurriculars. But we only get four years at Harvard. In the blink of an eye we will be off serving our country and mankind in various capacities. Many of us will no longer have these incredible opportunities and friends at our fingertips as we are blessed with now.
I will admit that I used to only find myself on these walks after a major exam or a particularly stressful week. So in my final semester, I’m challenging myself to go on one of these walks every so often. It’s important to take a moment to slow down and reflect on my experience amongst the chaos that is so common to the life of a college student. And I hope you will join me, because a walk is a four-letter word that we should always make time for.