This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Bates chapter.
Congrats, everyone- we survived finals! It’s been a rough week, but we made it. I’m glad to be done with all of my exams, papers, and presentations, and I’m excited to go home and see my dog, Zoey (pictured below being the absolute cutest).
I’m also super jazzed for Short Term! There’s always a buzz of excitement for Short Term that carries people through finals, and this was no exception for my friends and me this year. It’s one of my absolute favorite times of year for a multitude of reasons.
- People tend to be less stressed during Short Term. The mood on campus is a lot lighter and more relaxed than during the rest of the academic year. The classes people take (with some exceptions- looking at you, Math Camp) tend to be more laidback and less demanding in terms of work, so there’s less stress due to academic pressure. My first Short Term, I took a class on French food and cooking (shout-out to Professor Mary Rice-DeFosse!), and it was one of my favorite courses during my time at Bates.
- The campus is beautiful in the spring. There’s so much color, from the green of new grass to the bright hues of the hammocks that bloom all over campus like flowers. Seriously, during Short Term, there are hammocks everywhere. It’s amazing and somewhat absurd, but I love it.
- Connected to the beauty of the campus is the nice weather. It’s warmer outside so spending time outdoors is a must during Short Term, even if you don’t have a hammock to relax in- grab a towel and lay out on the grass under a tree. Enjoy the sunshine with a book and music, or throw around a Frisbee with some friends. Some of my best memories at Bates involve sitting outside with my friends listening to music on Alumni walk, talking about anything and everything.
- Dairy Joy is at most a 10-minute walk from campus. If you’ve never been to Dairy Joy, in my opinion, you’re missing out on one of the best things Lewiston has to offer. It’s an ice cream stand that has really delicious treats, and their milkshakes are a perfect way to cool off on super warm days. Grab a friend or a crew and make an adventure out of it!
- More in the mood for some non-Commons coffee? Dunkin Donuts is also about 10 minutes from Bates if you’re walking, but if you’re game for a longer walk, head to Forage on Main Street. It’ll take about 20 to 25 minutes, depending on how quickly you walk, and it’s absolutely worth it. Grab a bite to eat while you’re there; their bagels are so good (I highly recommend getting a plain bagel toasted with veggie cream cheese, avocado, and lox. Yum!). I also really like their rose latté, which I get with skim milk.
Enjoy your break, and I’ll see some of you on campus for Short Term!
All pictures taken by Rachel Minkovitz.