A majority of music therapy students have to leave their home areas for internship. This was also the case for me. I am from a small town in Iowa, so Springfield, IL was a big change for me. I love traveling and exploring new places, so I have enjoyed getting to explore Springfield during my time in internship. These are some of my favorite things about the Springfield area.
The Stores
As stated, I am from a very small town. Something that excited me when I got to Springfield was that there was a large mall and a Target in town! Where I am from the closest mall and Target are a half an hour away. I have had so much fun on weekends window shopping at the mall and going to Target. I’ve enjoyed exploring local boutiques, music, and record stores. I have enjoyed going to the Springfield Old Capitol Farmers Market on Saturdays! Additionally, I have found the Scheels store here in Springfield to be incredibly exciting, there is a full size Ferris wheel!
The History
I am a bit of a history and architecture nerd. I was thrilled to discover all of the history and old houses that are in Springfield. I have enjoyed going to places like the Dana Thomas House. Additionally, I have explored many of the Lincoln sites like the museum, house, and tomb. I have enjoyed going on drives around Oak Lawn Cemetery and past the beautiful houses near Washington Park.
Washington Park
Washington Park is one of my favorite places in Springfield. Washington Park is less than five minutes from MTC, so on many occasions I have spent my weekly self care time there. I love the botanical gardens and listening to the bell tower. Additionally, there is a lagoon full of ducks and geese. I love going there and watching the ducks and geese swim around.
Surrounding Towns
I love going on drives and exploring the surrounding area. Because of this, I have gotten to discover and explore many of the wonderful towns near Springfield. I have discovered many wonderful antique shops in some of the surrounding towns. One of my favorite towns is Petersburg. Petersburg has some beautiful houses, wonderful downtown area, and has some very wonderful historical sites. Additionally, I enjoyed exploring Elkhart when my family visited a few months ago. In Elkhart there was an adorable restaurant that had some of the best pie I have ever eaten.
Horseshoes
For those who are not familiar with the beauty that is a horseshoe, horseshoes are a dish that consists of a piece of bread, some sort of meat (particularly a type of burger), french fries, and cheese sauce. Prior to arriving in Springfield, I had never had a horseshoe before. During my first visit to Springfield, I read about how the horseshoe is a Springfield staple. Naturally, I felt like I needed to try these famous Horseshoes. After trying a horseshoe, I fell in love. Horseshoes are now one of my favorite meals and I have enjoyed trying different horseshoes around Springfield. I have discovered that I particularly like horseshoes with bean burgers and white cheese sauce.
Music Therapy Connections
Of course I couldn’t leave MTC off of a list of my favorite things in the Springfield area. :)
Lillian
