Sometimes as students we don’t realize what lies outside of our campus. School seems so chaotic at the time but it really isn’t when it’s in perspective. There’s so much opportunity on campus that it’s not always necessary for us to make a trek to the outside world. But we lose the essence of the town surrounding our campus, which sometimes is the best part of being in college. There’s so much opportunity in terms of restaurants, community service, and festivals. DeLand is definitely an example of this. There are so many town favorites that have been here for so many years. Many students, being that it’s their first time in DeLand, don’t realize how great some of these places are. Since most of the businesses are family-owned, they are welcoming to the continuous business that students provide them. Such favorites are Tony's, Sweet Spot, and Rodeo Whip. You will always find a Stetson student at any of these spots.
My Business Ethics First Year Seminar happened to take me to one of the greatest places in DeLand, the Sugar Mill at De Leon Springs, which is about 15 minutes from Stetson’s campus and is something that people don’t see all of the time. This hidden gem really does take you back in time. The Sugar Mill is an older building with tables with built in griddles. You have the option to order what you want, but the pancakes are the specialty. The smell of these homemade pancakes lure you in, however long the wait is. With such a homey feel, it’s a great spot for students to bring groups and to bring the whole family. Not only are the pancakes delicious, the springs have so much to offer. The scenic trails are beautiful. The springs themselves are refreshing. The kayaks and boat ride is great for family fun. This was by far one of my greatest memories at Stetson because it made me realize how great not only Stetson is, but the area around Stetson, which is so historic and such a great community.
When going to college we have to remember what the world has to offer. There are so many places right at our fingertips. There are beaches only thirty minutes away, so many restaurants just minutes from campus, and Orlando is only an hour drive. Since this is the one time in our lives that we have free time, we need to take advantage of these places.
We can drive where we want and always have a group to go with. My trips to the beaches have been some of my greatest college experiences. As much as campus is a big part of the college experience, the town you’re in is also a large part of the experience because you’ll be there for at least four years. Sometimes we lose sight when we only focus on the college lifestyle but there is so much to see and we can’t forget that.
