Invest time into the places around you

If you've been on campus this week, you have seen some of Marshall University's staff planting new spring flowers. It's been so beautiful out, and it's great to see people being able to work outside and enjoy it.

The flowers make a good addition to Marshall's campus, which is already visually pleasing. We should count ourselves lucky to go to a school with a center lawn where we can sprawl out and enjoy the sun or look out our windows and see budding trees. Squirrels are always out in full force, but the birds have joined their numbers as well.

During school we learn how to build up our knowledge and feed our minds. We learn about our bodies, how to eat right and the importance of exercise. School is, a lot of the time, focusing on ourselves. We find out who we are, tackle various challenges, learn what we're really good at and decide where and what we want to do for the rest of our lives.

It's good that we get the time to work this stuff out about ourselves so we know what we want to pursue for the rest of our lives.

At the same time, maybe we should invest a little more into the areas that don't directly concern us. The effects of doing something other than for ourselves are extremely rewarding. It may take a while for the joy to set in, but once you realize the difference you've made to someone else's life, you'll find it was definitely worth it.

Spring is the perfect time to buy some cheap seed and litter the landscape with it. Often we forget about giving back to the beautiful scenery around us or changing places that are a little overgrown to make it better. All kinds of events will be coming up in the next couple of weeks because April 22 is Earth Day.

Don't feel like gardening? Then take a bike ride and enjoy the scenery. Have a picnic, go to one of the many parks in West Virginia. You'll find an extensive list on wvstateparks.com. Walk to Pullman instead of drive. You get the gist.

It's about helping the environment. There are so many little ways to make a difference and to be able to stop complaining about the problem and be a part of the solution.