I'm About to Make You Really Hungry

If there's anything this travel course has taught me, it's that small-scale traveling is traveling too. I've been to a few new spots on campus this semester, from walking new paths to old destinations, to trying new food - the latter of which I'm going to write about now.

Before this semester I had never been to iSlice (International Slice Pizza), a popular pizza place at the top of campus. I'm picky about pizza; I grew up in New Haven and regularly eat at Pepe's. But I do have a soft spot for single-slice pizza. It's like pizza on the go, pizza in a perfectly not-too-filling meal, pizza that you won't overeat because it'll actually run out after one or two slices. The only excuse I have for not going before is that I didn't expect much from it - why waste my time with mediocre pizza when there's a perfectly good Mexican place around the corner?

I was promoted to a team leader at work for this semester, and every week the team leaders and our supervisor (5 of us in all) get lunch and talk about work. Going to iSlice seemed to be a time-honored tradition, and who was I to argue with that? I'd heard fantastic things about their garlic pizza, so I got a slice of that, and also a slice of "white," which looked like margherita with chunks of feta all over it.

It was what I would describe as a transcendent pizza experience - something I had only before experienced at Pepe's and a place in Brooklyn called Grimaldi's. It's when - whether it is you who is in the state to receive great pizza, or the pizza just being supremely delicious - the pizza you are eating is just perfect. This was my experience with the slice of white. Perfectly greasy, salty, warm, with thick tomatoes and even crisp and flavorful crust. I'm sure the garlic would have yielded a similar experience, had I eaten that slice first. As it was, I couldn't finish them both (they're big!) but they were both amazing.

The lesson here is to try new things despite your own expectations, and possibly that you can never go wrong with slice pizza :)

Twenty Minutes

Does it matter how you get to work every day? Most people choose the most efficient route (if they absolutely must walk): whatever is fastest and easiest. For my first three years at this university, I walked up campus almost the same way every day, concerned only with getting to class on time - not with aesthetics or the experience of walking. But this year I've changed my route, and it became apparent to me how significant a beautiful walk can be. That is why my first travel log is about something as simple as my 20 minute journey to work.

I live in Garrahy Hall, which is at the bottom corner of campus. Before, I would cut diagonally across the middle of campus, rushing by the main buildings and across the Quad. However, over the summer URI completed construction of the new pharmacy building, which doesn't affect me at all aside from the fact that it's located near my dorm and opened up a new path to my destination. Now, when I walk outside, I turn left instead of right, and the first place I encounter is a tree-lined road on the edge of campus, with woods bordering the opposite side. On sunny days, the light streams through the trees and dapples on the ground, offering a lovely, serene view and a good balance of shade and sunlight.

After walking up this gentle slope for five minutes, I come to an opening on my left, a bright walkway beside a pristine, impeccably mowed, rolling field across from the aforementioned pharmacy building. This area is picture-perfect, very spacious and bright in the right weather. The new building is not bad to look at, too - the side facing the path has several glass walls, so it's easy to see into offices and classrooms, which are newly built, still clean, and state-of-the-art. It makes me a bit envious that I don't have a class there, but all this scenery can do wonders for my mood.

The rest of the way is more familiar, yet still different from my previous route. I now walk up the path beside Chaffee and past the bus stop in front of it, which still has an abundance of trees and, in the middle of the day, is pleasantly crowded. This might not be for everyone, but I find it interesting to be part of a crowd of other students bustling to class; it's a great time to people-watch on the go. I reach the Quad from here, passing between the beautiful library and Davis Hall - it seems that I hit all the most aesthetically pleasing buildings on my way! And everyone knows the Quad - oftentimes busy or otherwise scattered with a few sunbathers, it's a nice place to be at any time.

So what difference does this make? If I look back on it, I spend about four hours a week walking this route back and forth, to and from class and work. At the very least, it's better to spend these hours surrounded by nice scenery and open spaces. But it has more of an effect than that - it makes the day seem brighter. If the walk is pleasant, you arrive at your destination in a more pleasant mood. This means better days and better weeks and a better semester overall. Therefore, you need to pay attention even to the most basic of your travels, down to the mundane trips you make every day.