Spring has sprung! Or at least it’s trying…
The weather is finally starting to warm up which means it is time to stop hiding in your dorm room and GET OUTSIDE. I am about to give you a list of ten fun things to do around Elon that will leave you with no other choice than to put your winter hermit ways behind you and go explore the great outdoors. Let’s begin…
1. Day drinks
Day drinking: a college students favorite Saturday pastime.
A daydrink or “darty” is the type of event that tour guides do not tell you about on the official Elon campus tour. A day drink is the perfect place to showcase your favorite springtime outfits, dance around on a crowded lawn, and spend time with friends.
2. Homework on “the boobs”
“The boobs”, or the large lawn in front of Moseley, is the perfect place to lay out a blanket and get some work done (slash tan). On a sunny Spring day, you can expect the boobs to be covered in students doing work, tanning, playing frisbee or listening to music.
Disclaimer: There is also an obscene amount of dogs running around this area in the afternoon so if that doesn’t motivate you to go outside you might as well stop reading now.
3. Tanning by Lake Verona
A second favorite place for students to tan is Elon’s very own Lake Verona. Thanks to the endless supply of perfectly spaced trees on Elon’s campus, portable Eno hammocks have become a hit among students. So grab a book, set up your eno, and enjoy the day!
4. Run (or mom walk) outside
Need I remind you that summer is right around the corner? If you are looking to get active, going for a run (or walk) around campus is the perfect way to do it. Not a runner? No problem. Grab a friend and go for a power walk (or as I like it call it, a “mom walk”). In the end exercise is exercise right?
5. Baseball games
A very underrated activity here on campus are the Elon men’s baseball games. They play fun music, there are cute boys in tights, it is free admission, you can catch rays while watching, it’s FREE, you will be supporting the school, IT’S FREE, you could possibly find a perfect formal date AND DID I SAY THAT IT’S FREE? Need I say more?
6. Pelicans Snow Cone Stand
Moving onto activities outside of campus – Go about 2 miles off campus and you will find a cute blue and pink shack surrounded by picnic tables. Pelican’s has a seemingly endless list of snow cone flavors perfect for cooling down on even the hottest Spring day. If you are feeling the need to get off campus and cool off, this is the place.
7. Hanging Rock State Park
Ever wonder where those pictures of students hanging off a pointy rock are from? Well I am about to tell you. These pictures that bombard your social media feeds on any warm day are from the one and only Hanging Rock State Park. Hanging Rock is about an hour and a half off campus but well worth the drive. It is a great place to snap an Instagram, all the while getting a good workout in.
8. Pilot Mountain
A slightly closer hiking option is Pilot mountain, an equally beautiful hiking spot reaching almost 2,000 feet tall. The trail is about three miles but the gradual incline makes for an easy and enjoyable hike.
9. Saxapahaw General Store and walk along the river
Saxapahaw is somewhere I am dying to try. If you Google the name, it looks like nothing more than an old general store (which it is) but the sandwiches and salad are known for being amazing. There is also a nice nature trail that runs along the river if you want to take a short stroll after your delicious lunch.
10. Cedarock Park
Lastly, if you hate driving as much as I do, Cedarock Park is only a quick 25 minute drive from campus. This destination is unknown by many Elon students, but a gem all the same. Cedarock Park is a 4.3 mile long, flat hiking trail that leads to a natural waterfall. The water from the falls is clean and cools you down in an instant, perfect for a hot Carolina Spring day.