People Watching
By Lauren Slattery
Photo by Lindsay Love
It may be weird to admit, but one of my favorite things to do is people watch. I know that sounds so scary and it’s definitely creepy when I say it out loud, but I know I am not alone in this. If I had one more day on earth I think I would schedule in time to people watch. Sitting at the beach watching kids come running out of the water yelling and giggling to their parents. Sitting in a local restaurant and watching as a couple of grandparents walk in with their grandkids. I love imagining their stories and what their lives looked like before they crossed my path. Call it reality tv in person or call it seeing the little moments, whatever it is, I love it.
Last week after a few days of rain Raleigh finally saw some sun. I have yet to experience a spring semester at State, but this last week at school made me excited for the weeks, and the weather to come. I had the hot of August on move in day and the cold, rainy Sundays that January had to offer, but I am biased to spring.
Everything seems happier in spring. Maybe it’s the baby animals, the colors that come with the season or the weather, but I think spring brings out people of their shells. People end their winter hibernation and begin to get excited for afternoon plans. The spring makes things feel less sad, less gloomy, everything seems a little bit brighter and softer when spring is near.
A week ago, the sky was perfectly clear, that blue that you read about in books, and a perfect seventy degrees. It seemed like everybody was outside playing games, eating dinner at the picnic tables, hanging from an Eno, or just enjoying the day. It was as if the whole campus took a second to enjoy the sun.
Those few warm days, I spent as much time as possible outside and I got to watch all the people around me enjoy the same day I was enjoying. I got to watch everyone take a moment in between classes just like I was doing. They sat in the grass and waited for their friend or they took a nap and let the sun hit their face. Whatever they were doing I, and so many others, were right beside them enjoying the same weather.
That is my perfect day. It is a uniquely human thing to get to stop and feel the sun on your face, to have a professor let you out fifteen minutes early to enjoy the weather. It is the little human things that I like to watch people do and I love when we get to experience them together.
