Hi. My name is Janice He and I live in Boston, MA. I am a rising freshman at Boston University. Even though Boston offers a plethora of recreational opportunities, I always find myself back at a little hidden location surrounded by a layer or trees and predominantly used by locals- Chestnut Hill Reservoir. It’s the kind of atmosphere I yearn for, especially when I want peace and solitude from the busy city life. But what I love the most is coming to this reservoir right when the sun is setting when the trail is usually empty and the city lights shine against the water and my mind is focused only on my surroundings and equanimity washes in.
My first job, as a painter for Artists For Humanity, allowed me to create landscape paintings inspired by the Boston Harbor Islands. On a weekly basis, we were taken to a different island and, dispersing ourselves throughout the island, we captured our perspective of the island through our art- whether it was sketching, painting, or photography. Having the opportunity to sit down and allow my senses to take over, inevitably, formed a drastic appreciation for the environment and guided me towards my passion for nature.
When I first found out about the SCA, I was really intrigued because I knew I wanted to do something outdoors and hands-on. I knew this was exactly the kind of atmosphere I was looking for- something refreshing and new just like that moment when I walked down the smooth path along the reservoir or when I sat at the top of a hill on the island painting the gentle splashes against the shore, getting the right texture of a birch wood tree in front of me, and not having to think, and just focusing on what’s in front of me. I wanted to experience more of these moments.