Written by Aidan Broome
Growing up, I never considered myself an outdoorsman. While I lived in an area rich with state parks and walking trails, I was far more comfortable indoors reading or playing video games or making stop-motion movies with LEGOs.
When I first visited Harding’s campus, however, it was not the high-tech science labs that compelled me. It was not the library or even the abundance of above-average coffee shops. I connected, rather uncharacteristically, to the plants. I was mesmerized by the great trees which seemed to reach out from the heart of campus into a great hug of shade cast over the front lawn and surrounding edifices. My tour guide, perhaps noticing that my eyes were perpetually affixed somewhere far above eye-level, expertly steered me toward the brightly colored First Ladies Garden, where the carefully landscaped winding path presented a different, yet equally beautiful presentation of what plants have to offer us.
After that experience, it was hardly a surprise that I settled on this school. From my once reclusive and indoor self, I slowly grew to appreciate nature more and more. From hikes up Sugarloaf to explorations of Bridal Veil Falls to simply watching as the campus trees changed colors and bloomed, my love for it all began. Most recently, I have brought my newfound love for plants to the comfort of my dorm. I have never tried to decorate, but now my roommate and I live, work and sleep surrounded by no less than 13 different species of plants. Each has unique appearances, needs and nicknames that I have chosen for them. Though I once dropped a large textbook on “Alduin” the Calathea —- killing half its leaves —- and badly sunburnt “Thermal Detonator,” the unusually large Zebra Haworthia, others like “Carl” the Ghost Plant and “Adoring Fan” the Money Tree bring me joy as they regularly grow new leaves.
Caring for these plants is a domestically blissful responsibility. While a video game or a book is a fine way to use free time, the relationship one develops with a plant is something else. Every day I get the simple joys of feeling the dirt for moisture, watering when needed and keeping a record of pictures to monitor growth. For anyone interested in starting a rewarding hobby, that will also enhance the aesthetics of your dorm room, I recommend this: cultivate a love of plants.
