Branching Out in Ithaca

Hello from Cornell!

If we were to describe this weekend in three words, they would be fun, exploratory, and more fun! 

Our weekend got off to a strong start with jazz on the arts quad, followed by an intense round of sustainability jeopardy (shoutout to our winning team, Cinco!). 

We woke up on Saturday ready for a full day of adventures. To start, we strolled through Ithaca’s colorful neighborhoods to reach the city’s farmers market! What ensued next, was nothing short of farmers market magic. We sat by the water to enjoy lake breezes while munching on crisp fruit, crunchy homemade pickles, and many more delicious, farm-fresh goodies. Snacking wasn’t the only option on the menu, many students also brought home handmade jewelry, funky shirts, and even a plant or two! On our way back to Cornell, we stopped by Ithaca Commons. Ithaca’s downtown is filled with antique, used book, and record stores – not to mention the entrancing public art and Carl Sagan Planet Walk.

Next up on the agenda was hitting the lanes -the bowling lanes that is! Lebowski’s abound as we laughed, danced, and spared our way through our bowling matches. 

Sunday started off with an open space technology workshop, a student led activity where our group compiled their answer to the question “how do we solve the world’s most pressing environmental issues?”. Conversing and brainstorming the answers to this question got students thinking about where their sustainability related passions lay. As we head into the week, these passions will come to life during our 3-day, start-up challenge – stick around for even more updates this week! 

We finished off a fun-filled weekend with a walk through the lush Cornell Botanical Gardens and cooling off at Flat Rock. Wading in refreshing water, catching crayfish, and basking in the summer sun ensued. 

That’s all for now!