The Greek Senate sponsored an open trip to the Bronx Zoo on Saturday, October 8.
Over 20 students set off on an adventure to the hidden treasure set in the heart of the Bronx. Yet, when we arrived at our destination, the two hour state-to-state commute felt like an escape into another world.
With sunny skies and the notion of a brisk October day, we were ready to explore.
The zoo boasted exotic creatures from Asia to Africa, all encompassed in one place. There were houses for mice and sanctuaries for birds. Crocodiles swam with fish while monkeys swung from tree to tree.
Although not in their natural habitats, all of the animals looked right at home in the artificial indoor environments that were created.
Outdoors, sea lions put on a show in a pool as a crowd of viewers marveled, and peacocks roamed freely, showing off their brilliantly colored feathers.
A lion and lioness lounged in a field closer than expected to a group of gazelles, and the lioness made her presence known with thunderous roars.
Zebras showed their stripes as giraffes showed their spots to various onlookers. A polar bear took a midday nap and a few grizzlies grazed in the grass.
However, the tigers proved to be shy creatures instead of ferocious beasts, as they were nowhere to be found at their exhibit.
The hyenas were also timid as silence replaced their infamous chuckle. Surprisingly, turtles and tortoises came out of their shell, and some even swam around in tanks. From a tiny frog to a monstrous mammal, there was no shortage of wildlife residing at the zoo.
Yet, the most interesting creatures were not the zoo animals themselves. Playing along with the holiday spirit, the zoo offered “Boo at the Zoo,” complete with hayrides and haunted safaris.
Children of all ages engaged in the Halloween festivities by dressing up as their favorite characters. Princesses and ladybugs were in abundance, and one child even came as a bottle of Elmer’s glue.
The entire zoo was decorated with hay stacks and pumpkins to keep with the ghoulish theme, and candy apples were offered as a sweet treat.
Bats hung from the ceiling in a dark room and various animals feasted on pumpkins. Everywhere you turned there was something interesting to look at, whether it be man or beast.
“Going to the Bronx Zoo made me forget all of the stresses of college and it allowed me to go back to my childhood for a few hours,” said Taylor Kennedy, sophomore and English Education major.
“It was cool that the school offered a trip there because I’ve never been to the Bronx Zoo before and I had a really good time,” agreed Madison Pinto, sophomore and Math Education major.
The Greek Senate trip to the Bronx Zoo proved to be an immediate success. A first for some and a blast from the past for others, it was a unique experience that was close to campus yet a world apart.
The seasonal activities made the occasion even better, and it seemed as if the entire crowd completely enjoyed themselves. With lions and bears, and even a lack of tigers, the Bronx Zoo trip was enough to make everyone say “Oh my!”
PHOTO COURTESY of Taylor Kelly
