By: Ty Wilson, Staff Writer
The phrase, “Wonderful weather we’re having,” aptly describes how beautiful the weather has been the last few weeks on campus. What better way to enjoy these times than to be out on campus hanging out in the shade?
Many students just put a blanket down or even prop up a lawn chair to avoid sitting down right down in the grass. But what if I told you there was a solution that not only kept you off the grass but also provided a means of comfort and serenity? That solution, of course, is a hammock.
College campuses across the country have embraced hammock-mania by starting clubs encouraging the use and practice of slinging hammocks. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen a single hammock on Newman’s campus let alone a club devoted to them.
The layout of Newman, however, is perfect for hammocks, especially in between Sacred Heart Hall and the Fugate Gymnasium. The way the trees have grown in close proximity would allow for dozens of hammocks to be strung up.
While older hammocks may be made out of wood and rope and must be bolted into a tree, newer, more modern hammocks are made out of nylon and other lightweight fabrics that can be tied around the trunk of the tree with bungee cord. The best thing about them now is that they can be folded up and could even fit in your backpack.
You may be asking yourself: What the heck is so special about hammocks? For me it’s the feeling of swinging ever so lightly back and forth, like being back in my mothers arms as a child. The elementary nature of a hammock is so simple yet it offers so much to those that choose to indulge in its pleasure.
It’s a travesty that Newman hasn't taken advantage of this opportunity for hammock-mania. If it were up to me, I would replace all desks and chairs on campus with hammocks then have a bonfire made out of said desks to celebrate the ushering in of a new era for Newman. If all goes as planned, we could enjoy this bonfire while swinging in our hammocks.
Now that would be a story to tell your grandkids: That you were there when hammock-mania started at Newman.
