In the passenger’s seat of my friend’s car on a sunny morning toward the end of April last year, I felt a sense of relief mixed with excitement and promise. We were headed to the Mount Holyoke stables so she could introduce me to her horse. Why did I feel so great, I asked myself. And then it occurred to me that other than spring break, I really hadn’t left campus since January. I had forgotten that the real world was still there–a place where there were trees, and buildings, and patches of grass that I didn’t know by heart, and people did things besides study. For your own well-being, don’t let yourself for go for that many months without venturing beyond the town of Amherst. Here are a couple easy ways to interact with the outside world:
Atkins Farm: Located just past the Hampshire Campus, this country market is an easy four mile walk from campus (or a short PVTA ride). With it’s charming interior, apple cider donuts, and delicious fresh fruit, this place embodies what we love about New England. Get ice cream at the window outside while the weather is still nice! I highly recommend the apple cider milkshake.
Flayvors: Flayvors is walk-able from campus if you’re feeling ambitious (it’s about four and a half miles), or you can hitch a ride with one of your friends. This ice cream place has the added attraction of cows out back that you can make faces at. Be nice, or they may try to headbutt or lick you. In terms of ice cream, it’s all about the Cookie Monster. If ice cream with cookie dough AND Oreos wasn’t enough of an attraction, the vanilla ice cream has been dyed BLUE! What person in their right mind could turn down blue ice cream?
Hampshire Mall Movie Theater: The movie theater at Hampshire Mall sells tickets for only $5 on Tuesday nights! Who said going to the movies is just for weekends? Treat yourself!