Brooke Jacobe - Treks and Texts

Yesterday afternoon, my friends and I took our senior photos on campus, and it felt like such a full-circle moment. In class we discussed how TCU incorporates nature into campus and whether it feels authentic even though everything is so manicured. Walking around with that in mind, I noticed how intentional everything looks. The grass perfectly kept, the walkways lined with trees, and the beautiful purple and pink tulips they planted for spring. Every tree and flower bed is placed with purpose on campus. Even so, it still feels like an authentic experience with nature in its own way. The landscaping may be curated, but every time I walk through campus, I feel grounded and more present. I have spent so much town outside here, studying in the commons, walking between classes, or sitting under trees with friends. Campus made a beautiful backdrop for photos with my friends, not just because of not just because of its carefully maintained scenery, but because it still feels genuinely connec...

Two weeks ago, our class took a trip to the Amon G. Carter Museum, and I am just now sitting down to reflect on it. Walking through the gallery, I was struck by how landscape paintings can capture a single, fleeting moment in nature and hold it still. Even though we were indoors, the artwork created a sense of space and quiet that felt surprisingly similar to being outside. There was something grounding about standing in front of a scene that had been carefully observed and preserved. As the class moved from painting to painting, I noticed that I naturally slowed down and took in each piece. The paintings felt lie reminders that moments in nature are easy to miss if we are always moving or distracted. Today, like most people, every time I come across a beautiful landscape my first instinct is to pull out my phone and snap a quick picture. Back when these pieces were created, capturing a landscape require time, patience, talent, and dedication. You really had to sit with it. This differ...

This past weekend, I spent time with my friends at Lake Travis in Austin, Texas. Even though it was February, Friday greeted us with beautiful sunshine that made it feel like summer had arrived early. The sky was clear, the air was warm, and somehow a few of us even ended up with sunburns. It felt amazing to have that kind of weather in the middle of winter. Saturday told a completely different story. We woke up to dark clouds and steady rain that lasted through most of the day. The lake looked gray and dramatic, and everything felt slower and quieter. Around 4 PM, the heavy rain rolled in, yet the sun began shining through at the same time. Rain continued to fall while golden light broke through the clouds. The sky felt alive. The clouds moved quickly across the horizon, and by 6 PM the storm began to clear just enough for the sun to fully emerge. What followed was one of the most beautiful sunsets I have seen in a long time. We all walked down to the boat dock to watch it together. T...

As I made my way out of Sadler Hall and onto TCU’s campus, I took in the nature around me. It was a windy day with clouds moving quickly across the sky, and students swarmed the sidewalks on their way to their next classes. I noticed the oak trees lining the walkways, accompanied by neatly groomed purple tulips that had been carefully planted along my path. I heard a bird squawk and looked up to see a group of crows flying from tree to tree and hopping along the grass below. At the same time, I couldn’t ignore the sounds of nearby traffic and the ticking of the crosswalk signals—sounds that often make it easy for me to drown out the quieter noises of nature. I love spending time outside, whether that’s here in Fort Worth along the Trinity Trail, in my childhood backyard in Houston, in the mountains of Colorado, or in other places I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to. One of my favorite pastimes is going on long walks, and I always try to reach 10,000 steps a day. I’m especially exc...