The mission of the Gustavus Arboretum is to offer environmental education programs and to foster environmental stewardship. Another goal of the Arboretum is to provide a natural space for recreational activities. A unique example of a recreational activity that takes place in the Arboretum is the Spring Dance performance. This event consists of several of the Gustavus Dance classes doing wonderful performances right in the Arboretum.

I live in an apartment very near the Arboretum, and I often see groups of people socializing with friends, playing catch, and just relaxing in the peacefulness of the Arb. The Linnaeus Arboretum showcases the beauty of a southern Minnesotan environment, and Gusties are lucky to have such a place right on campus.

The bookstore is open Monday through Saturday. They have a cheery and helpful staff that are proud to serve the Gustavus community. Every time I have shopped at the Bookmark, I have been treated with an almost motherly type care.

The Book Mark is especially convenient for Gustie students because it is on campus and close to all academic buildings. I especially appreciate that I can easily stop by the Book Mark and purchase shampoo, contact solution, or toothpaste if I run out.

The Book Mark sends out coupons to GAC students during the their birthday months for the bookstore. I have used my birthday coupons to purchase Gustavus sweatshirts and other clothing.

The Book Mark is the store that I purchase all of my course textbooks at. They have a great website, where I am able to purchase new or used books, and then pick them up once I arrive on the Gustavus Campus. Check out the Book Mark’s website here.

All in all, the Book Mark is a all purpose bookstore that is convenient, helpful, and just another unique part of Gustavus.

The theme for this years event was “Troubled Water.” Scholars from many different regions made their way to Gustavus to present informational lectures. Lectures focussed on global water consumption, sustainability, and the social and economic challenges associated with providing water to a global community.

The keynote speaker for the conference was Aaron Wolf, a research scientist from Oregon State University.

I had the opportunity to attend a very interesting documentary during the Mayday Conference. The documentary highlighted the environmental issues associated with building dams. The writers of the film encouraged people to become aware of the enormous impact dams can have on the environment (through flooding, soot accumulation, etc), and to choose sustainability for out nations rivers.

The Mayday Conference is an annual reminder of the important social issues that the global community faces. Furthermore, I have always left the Mayday Conference feeling equipped with some basic tools to make change.

The first question, of course, is desktop or laptop? There is no doubt that desktops give you the most bang for your buck. You can buy a cheaper and more powerful computer if a desktop is chosen. However, you sacrifice portability and desk space. Desk space is more important than you may think, especially as an incoming student living in the dorms. Gustavus does have computer labs all over campus, so even if you have a desktop, personal computing can be done in places besides your room.

Laptops are generally a bit more expensive, but are easy to bring from one place to another. I chose to purchase a Dell Laptop, which has worked pretty well thus far. The computer I bought is large, weighing around 10 pounds with a 17 inch screen. It has affectionately been called, The Toboggan (picture engulfing a smaller computer) . If I was to buy a computer today, I would look for something much smaller. I think a 15.4 inch screen is a good size. I also would look for a computer with long battery life. After all, one of the benefits of laptop computers is that they can be used away from an outlet. 4-6 hours would be an appropriate life for a college laptop battery.

There are many great computer choices out there, and before buying, I encourage all potential Gusties to really think about what needs they would like their computer to fill. It is also important to mention that the Gustavus computer labs make it possible for a Gustie not to need a personal computer at all.

Luckily, on campus apartments are cleaned once a week by a cleaning staff. Can you believe it!! The cleaning staff wipes off counters in the kitchen, mops the floors, cleans bathroom toilets and showers, and takes out the trash. They do a wonderful job, and make our apartment a much nicer place to live.

Before the cleaning staff arrives every week, my roommates and I do our best to clean our impressive pile of dishes so the staff can do their work. This is important because it forces us to do our part to keep the apartment clean.

I feel fortunate to have a cleaning staff that helps keep my apartment clean. Additionally, on the several occasions that I have met the staff, they have been nothing but courteous and helpful. GAC students are lucky to have such a service on campus.

While cooking in an apartment requires a bit planning, I have enjoyed whipping up my own meals. There is a lot of satisfaction that accompanies nicely prepared food.

My favorite original dish this year has been a rice, onion, pea, tomato, and tuna combination. Interesting but tasty. The most common food item that I prepare is pasta, closely rivaled bagels with peanut butter and jelly. Putting a pizza in the oven is always an option when a easy, satisfying meal is needed. In my apartment, we even have a small toaster oven which works well for toasting bread, making hot dogs, and the occasional hot pocket.

I usually eat my own food, but I can also go to the GAC caf and purchase quick meal too.

This year, Gustavus has signaled to the campus community that proper energy usage is a priority by participating in the National Campus Energy Challenge. This Challenge, which occurred during the month of February, involved colleges across the nation competing to reduce the greatest amount of energy.

Throughout the month of February, Gustavus monitored its own energy consumption and developed methods of reducing energy use. Check out the GAC’s energy consumption arranged by building here!!

Students were encouraged to turn off lights when not in use, turn down the thermostat if possible, and take more reasonable showers. The underlying message of the campaign was that small lifestyle changes can dramatically reduce our community’s energy consumption. I am confident that this energy mindfulness will continue at Gustavus, as it is an important step towards becoming an environmentally compatible institution.

CAB (Campus Activities Board) is the group responsible for bringing Ben Folds to Gustavus. CAB is currently writing a blog that details the upcoming concert. The Blog is very informative and interesting. Check it out here!!

I think that CAB is a wonderful organization because students are able to become members and directly participate in bringing events to campus, ranging from musical guests (like Ben Folds) to noteworthy speakers. One of the priorities that CAB sets for itself is to bring events to campus that the entire student population will enjoy. For example, this year, CAB held a vote so the entire student population could voice their opinion on which musical performer should make the trek to remote St. Peter.

I think Ben Folds will be a real crowd pleaser, and I can’t wait for the show.

However, there is a sliver of my apartment that is dedicated to a slightly more natural decor. Near the west facing wall of my living room, four different varieties of house plants live out their lives amongst hard working college students. I am grateful for these plants not only for their oxygen producing capacities, but also because they are a symbol of clutter free living. These plants are refreshing. Yes, they demand a little care, but a sprinkling of water and some positive mental vibes go a long way towards making indoor plants healthy.

So, when its time to move to college, make a little space for natures gift.

After the program was over, I had the opportunity to travel with some of the friends that I met during my program. We made our way to Nicaragua. A typical day included waking up around 8 A.M., making our way to some attraction (volcanoes, forests, beaches, monuments and the like), returning to our five-dollar-a-night hostel, and falling asleep exhausted.

A memorable moment: At one particular hostel, we decided to cook a light breakfast early in the morning. After finishing my gallo pinto (rice and beans), eggs, and juice, I still had a half-eaten banana on my plate. I decided to set my plate on the ground and relax for a moment in order to regain my appetite. Soon after I set my plate on the ground, a small turtle slowly emerged from a nearby plant. As you can imagine, it took its sweet time, but the little turtle soon made its way to my plate. Once it had finally arrived, the turtle proceeded to eat the rest of my banana. Anytime that I tried to take my banana back, the turtle gave me a nasty little glare.

My time abroad was wonderful, but I am extremely excited for my spring semester at Gustavus. I must admit however, that the weather in St. Peter is quite the contrast to the warm and dry afternoons of Costa Rica.