One of my friends once remarked to me that Bar Ilan was a huge waste of space. She did not mean this figuratively, though there might be those who would agree with such an assessment. Her point was simple- Israel is a small country, and though the Bar Ilan campus is quite big, being a university and all, the university actually wastes the space by turning it into parks and promenades. While I certainly understand the point she is trying to make, I realized today how much I disagreed with her.
Returning to campus for the first time after a lengthy, two and a half month vacation, I truly noticed the beautiful décor around campus. Unfortunately for me, I scheduled classes that are at opposite ends of the campus. I have a mere half an hour (usually closer to 25 minutes) to pack my stuff, run across campus, and get to my next class. Needless to say, I can probably spend a little less time at the gym now.
Strangely though, the walks (or runs, or even dashes, if you want to get literal) weren’t all that bad. It was so pleasant outside that I actually enjoyed walking through campus to get to my next class. Imagine if Bar Ilan was just a row of concrete buildings, all lined up next to each other. Going to school would be depressing, a chore. The beautiful upkeep only adds to the atmosphere.
The ‘wasted space’ in Bar Ilan is actually a saving grace. I might not have time to stop and smell the roses, but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate their presence.
