These past four weeks, I’ve given you a brief guide to the place that I consider home. I’ve told you about some amazing food, wonderful people, and amazing experiences that you can have in Knox County. But why does it all matter? After all, you’re just passing through for a short four years.
Exploring Knox County has been one of the best experiences that I’ve had in my three years so far at Kenyon. I have discovered new perspectives, learned to love people who think differently than I do, made lifelong friends, and fallen in love with the countryside. Everyone will get something different from their experiences, but I think that every student should spend some time immersed in the rich community outside of Gambier.
Everyone needs to get out of the Kenyon Bubble sometimes.
As amazing as Kenyon is, it is incredibly insular, and it’s easy to feel claustrophobic when you see the same people every single day. The wonder of Kenyon may capture you for a while, but trust me, the time will come when you will need to get away.
Honestly, I think that having places to go and people to talk to that have nothing to do with Kenyon is absolutely essential taking care of yourself as a student. You don’t just need to take breaks from school work; sometimes you also need to get away from parties, drama, and seeing your ex in Peirce.
Last year was really difficult for me, and there were so many times when everything sucked, and I just needed to get away. Having the outlet of off-campus friends was crucial. Just getting away for an hour or so, seeing different faces, and being a few miles from Gambier made all the difference on bad days.
Since I’m friends with the owners and most of the staff, I often end up at Happy Bean Coffee (pictured above) when I need a break from Kenyon. Often, I go when I’m just too stressed to work in the library anymore. When my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer, visits to Happy Bean were a huge source of comfort.
Whether it’s Happy Bean, Hunan, or the Starbucks in Kroger, find your favorite place off campus now. Then, when you need to escape, you’ll know where to go. And be sure connect with locals. When you’re stuck at Kenyon, the world can start to seem really small, but seeing other people who aren’t preoccupied with that Quest paper will remind you that there really is more to life than exams and Peirce’s giant cookies.
Knox County has so much to teach us.
Being involved in Knox County has taught me so many lessons, both big and small. I caught my first fish on Apple Valley Lake last summer (pictured above). I learned to play bass, now one of my favorite instruments, for the band at church. I learned how to drive a car, how to check the oil level in said car, and what the heck a catalytic converter is and why I had to pay $500 for a new one.
It was also from my local friends that I first learned what it looks like for a community to become a family. I learned that you can absolutely disagree with someone on something really important, but fully love them because even though you don’t see eye-to-eye, they’re amazing. I’ve learned so much about sacrificial love, committed friendship, and genuine community from Knox County residents. My local friends were even the ones who taught me how to love myself.
Listening to people’s stories, I’ve learned that much of the world is nothing like privileged academia, and that academic achievement isn’t always the most important thing. I know people who have never gone to college but who can fix almost anything. I have a friend who left the Amish community alone with nothing. His story of getting a driver’s license shows more tenacity than most of us demonstrated in working to get into Kenyon.
Take some time and talk to locals, and be sure to let them tell their stories. It will expand your perspective, remind you of life beyond our little hill, and grow you in ways that you’ve never imagined.
Consider yourself ready to get out of Gambier…
There is so much to love about Knox County: the way the cornfields look against an autumn sunset, the brilliance of the stars at night far from city lights, the Amish donuts, but ultimately, you have to go and experience it for yourself. Knox County is what you make of it; if you approach it with an open mind, you will grow, learn, and have fun.
…Adventure awaits.
Image Credit: Maggie Griffin