I come from The Johns Hopkins University, hailing from the city of Baltimore – in its own words, “the Greatest City in America.” (I want to know who came up with that slogan.) We take pride in the little things, I suppose. And so it is, that every spring just when the weather begins to turn warm, all the students make their way onto the JHU Beach for a little fun and relaxation. Now don’t get the wrong impression, the JHU Beach is not a real beach… it’s really just a big green oval, one that overlooks the oft-scenic view of Charles St., Baltimore. We’re still a good three miles from any sign of water and a good 50 from any sign of a beach, much less a nice one. Yet we enjoy what we have nonetheless.
Now imagine my pleasant surprise coming to the American University of Beirut and discovering that this new school has its very own beach. Not a big grassy oval, but a real-life beach – right on the Mediterranean. I was skeptical, but when I heard it was finally open for the summer I dropped by to take a look. Somehow, some way, these people at AUB had managed to turn what had looked like a nice rock and concrete collection sitting on the shore into a decent beach. It didn’t have the white sands or waiters delivering drinks, but it would do. I almost immediately discovered just how gorgeous the snorkeling was off the coast.
In my head, I have had these romanticized visions of what it would be like going to a school next to the ocean. Some southern California attitude, walking from the surf waves right into class. I thought it was more of a dream. Not anymore. Why not spend every minute not in class at a beach? In fact, why isn’t it a law that all colleges should be located next to gorgeous oceans? I think the summer of sloth has begun…
