The one thought that is going through every OU student’s mind right now is, “When will we finally have nice weather in Athens?”. One of the great things about going to school in southern Ohio is that usually we have better weather than the schools in the northern part of the state. Being from Cleveland, I was used to it snowing in April, but now that I’ve been in Athens for the past 3 years, I’ve become accustomed to having an earlier start to summer! That is definitely not the case right now with the weather currently being in the 30’s with snow, but I am still hopeful that soon we’ll be able to partake in all the spring activities Athens has to offer. When that day finally does come, this list will give you some fun things to do to enjoy these last few weeks of school!
1. Take a trip to Strouds Run
Grab your friends and hop in the car for a trip to Strouds! On a nice day you can lay out on the beach with friends or even rent a boat, kayak, or paddle board. You’ll find many students there on the weekend enjoying nature and Athens own personal beach.
2. Go for a hike at Hocking Hills
Hocking Hills has a lot to offer, whether it be going for a hike on the miles of trails or even taking a trip to Old Man’s Cave and exploring the various caverns. I personally have gone to the park many times and it never disappoints! This is also a great way to get in some exercise to get that summer bod ready.
3. Treat yourself to Whit’s Frozen Custard
Whit’s is great any time of the year, but especially when it’s warm out! Grab a sundae and sit outside the shop or go on college green for a way to cool down and enjoy a sweet treat.
4. Have a picnic on College Green
During the warm weather you’ll find plenty of people on College Green doing various activities. I’ve seen people practicing their tight rope skills between the trees, larping wars, and even just people playing with their pets. If you love to people watch, head to the green and put down a picnic blanket to eat some lunch and people watch with your friends!
5. Do some homework in Emeriti Park
This is one of the most underrated locations at OU. This park located right by Clippinger and Ping has plenty of park benches overlooking a lake where you can take a second to relax and take in the scenery. This would be a great place to take a break between classes and do some homework or even read that book you’ve been meaning to start!
6. Take part in the festivities on South Green
As an underclassmen, I used to love all of the activities that happen on South Green. There’s been carnivals with circus performers, petting zoos, and even concerts. Definitely take advantage of these festivities during the nice weather. Even if there isn’t any planned event going on, it’s always nice to play some volleyball or even lay on the grass and get some sun!
7. Go for a walk on the bike path
The bike path here goes on for miles and gives a great view of the entire campus. Even if you aren’t a runner, you can take a leisurely walk and just take it all in. It’s the little things like this that make OU so great and is something we all take for granted.
8. Grab a slice and sit on the patio at Courtside Pizza
Everyone loves a good slice of pizza, especially when you get to enjoy it on a patio! You’ll find OU students heading to Courtside on a Wednesday night, Slice Night or even on Sunday Funday. Take some time off and relax with a big, greasy piece of pizza.
9. Lay out on your front lawn
This is a simple one that we sometimes forget about, but why go anywhere when you have a perfectly good lawn to chill on right in front of your house or dorm! Once the weather gets warm you’ll find me laying on the lawn, getting some sun.
10. Check out one of Athens’ wineries
Now you may not be able to drink quite yet, but the wineries have some great scenery that looks even better on a warm, sunny day! A lot of the wineries serve food as well, so grab a snack and enjoy the views. If you are 21 though, I definitely recommend heading to Pleasant Hill for some riesling.
I hope you enjoyed all these fun, spring Athens activities! Hopefully we’ll be able to enjoy them soon. Until then, you’ll find me counting down the days until that weather app says sunny and 75!