Hello all! My name is Argyris and I am a rising junior studying Mechanical Engineering from Athens, Greece. I am going to write today about a spot that is not exactly on Olin's campus. Actually, to be honest, it is not a exactly a spot.
As you probably know, while Olin is a small community, there are so many things happening on campus at any given point. I love the energy of the campus, but sometimes I just need some time with my friends or for myself, and that is when I escape to my secret spot(s).
You might be wondering: What exactly is this place, that is not exactly on campus and is not exactly a spot? Well, it is a place that starts from Olin’s campus and with some direction, or some luck, can get you anywhere in the Greater Boston Area. My favorite spot is the running/walking trails that pass though Olin’s campus!
The running/walking trails that pass through Olin's campus
There are countless kilometers (yes I measure distance in kilometers) of beautiful trails that are a great escape from campus. I have spent hundreds of hours and kilometers exploring them in an effort to get a break from my projects and assignments. It is also a great place to walk around with your friends on the weekends, or even late at night (midnight walks can be fun!).
Running around in the trails
Personally, I have been a long-distance runner since elementary school, and running is still part of my life now. At Olin, I am part of the Running Club, a community of students and professors who come together for morning, afternoon and sometime late night runs. Some people like running alone and some in groups, but once you are out in the trails you will probably see other Oliners running or walking.
Athletic clubs at Olin are also a great way to meet students from our partnering institutes, Babson College and Wellesley College. Most of the sports teams, like Ultimate Frisbee, soccer and sailing, are open to students from all three colleges.
Lake Waban at Wellesley College, just a trail away from Olin
The most interesting thing is how I learned about all these trails around the campus. Well, it was from not only older students, but also professors. As Olin is a small college, we get to know our professors well…and this is how I found myself learning about all these trails while running in the morning before classes with some of my professors.
Morning run with the Running Club and professors
As you have probably noticed, there is a global pandemic going around, so unfortunately I have not spent a lot of time recently at my favorite spot on campus. Well, at least the running community has been able to stay connected in our virtual Olin Running Club on Strava, a mobile app that tracks your runs. On the day the Boston Marathon was supposed to happen we even hosted a remote marathon challenge where student classes, alumni, professors and staff members competed remotely from wherever they were in the world.
Olin’s Remote Marathon poster
If you are a current Olin student reading this, next time you want to take a break from campus, try to wander around and explore the trails. If you are a prospective student and have the chance to visit our campus, the trails are a good opportunity to see the community surrounding our campus.
Argyris Kriezis (he/him/his) is a rising junior at Olin from Athens, Greece, studying Mechanical Engineering with a passion for Aerospace Engineering.