Scribner Seminar Program
Course Description
Outside the Box
Instructor(s): Amy Frappier, Geosciences
Constructed, air-conditioned, climate-controlled indoor spaces, where modern people spend most of our time, offer us an experience of the world increasingly divergent from ancestral generations. Inside four walls, what do we lose by avoiding exposure to sunlight, variable weather conditions, and green plants? What do we gain by immersing all of our senses in nature and expanding our experiences outside the box? Does spending time outdoors feel strange? How does one become comfortable even in 鈥渂ad鈥� weather? As we dislocate from our homes and land together in a new campus, we aim to reconnect with nature and ourselves by meeting entirely outdoors, rain or shine. We鈥檒l ground ourselves in our new environment on campus, hiking North Woods and walking Saratoga Springs. We鈥檒l study the work of several eminent thinkers about the human relationship with nature, and learn practices for savoring what the outdoors offers to us. By exploring regional natural areas and manmade parks and farms, we will encounter a range of experiences that kindle the senses, inspire the mind, and invigorate the body. Gain confidence with the skills and knowledge of this place. Outside the walls of our civilized boxes, we find new, raw experiences that enrich our understanding of being human, and teach us to more deeply appreciate time spent in both indoor and outdoor spaces.
No previous outdoor experience is required. Students use their own boots, rain gear and cold-weather gear, or borrow from the Outing Club.
*Subject to Curriculum Committee approval*
Course Offered: