The Nature of College

A day in the life of a college student in America, a lifetime of lessons for a restorative future.

Stately oaks, ivy-covered walls, the opposite sex—these are the things that likely come to mind for most Americans when they think about the “nature” of college. But the real nature of college is hidden in plain sight: it’s fl owing out of the keg, it’s woven into the mascots on our t-shirts—it is the mascot, in fact, it’s being made into hamburgers in the cafeteria, formed into new nature in our intestines, and eventually it’s going down the drain. In short, nature is forming and being formed by the habits of our hearts and minds.

Engaging in a deep and richly entertaining study of “campus ecology,” The Nature of College explores one day in the life of the average student, questioning what “natural” is and what “common sense” is really good for, and weighing the collective impacts of the everyday. In the end, this fascinating, highly original book rediscovers and repurposes the great and timeless opportunity presented by college: to study the American way of life, and to develop a more sustainable, better way to live.