Ann Arbor in the Summer

 I was born and brought up in a small country called Oman. To be honest, coming to the States was    a big deal for me back then as I never ever lived alone at a new place by myself. Though I was a bit nervous, I also had this excitement as I got a change to be independent, make my own identity, and more importantly be a part of this very prestigious institution.  

Before arriving at this university, the only part of the U.S. that I had seen was inside the movies where they usually showed busy metropolitan cities like New York, where they usually show high rises, heavily packed areas, traffic, and people busy with their hectic lives. I was under the impression that Ann Arbor would be pretty similar, but I was mistaken.
 
Upon arrival to this town in July, I was shocked mostly because Ann Arbor looked nothing like what I had pictured it would be like in my mind. I was mesmerized to see the very beauty of this place, as the place where I come from has mostly shopping malls and tall buildings everywhere; and it is very rare to find a place where a person can just sit down and relax under the shade of the trees and enjoy the quiet and the scenery.          



As I had a lot of time before the fall semester commenced, I asked people around about what people do in the summer. One of the things mentioned was visiting the Ann Arbor Summer Festival. Usually this event is held from the first week of June to the first week of July; I was lucky enough to make it in time for this very event. I am a huge fan of music and enjoy listening to live gigs. From Disc Jockeys to Jazz musicians, this event has musicians playing music of all genres. Want to have a good time in the summer? This festival is the place to be at!

Even though I made sure I attended most of the events at the festival, the highlight of the summer was my trip to the Nichols Arboretum.

     

During the summer, the Arboretum or so called "Arb" is the best place to be at in Ann Arbor. The Arb has extensive but dispersed collections of native, exotic trees and shrubs masterfully crafted into a naturalistic landscape. At this very place, one can find one of the richest landscapes in the region, as well as complex glacial topography that presents vast panoramas, broad valleys, and intimate dalens and glens. If you are a fitness freak and want to go out for a run on a nice sunny day, you know where to go now!

For those who want to check out beautiful art, the Gardens is a place you would want to visit. At this place, students and faculty artists may present their voice and work for public comment. Some of the works are specially commissioned for precise locations too! This place profoundly supports artistic creativity and all the works on display have been vetted through faculty review. A few are on permanent display, also.

I can always keep going on and on about the beauty of several places present in Ann Arbor. However, I believe that these words still wouldn't be enough to completely describe the very essence of this place. I hope some of you have the opportunity to explore this place in the summer and hopefully cherish these wonderful moments forever. GO BLUE!

-Rushikesh Ved, Undergraduate Student studying Electrical Engineering and Industrial & Operational Engineering