I think we can all agree that onboarding quarantine was a pretty boring time here at Conn. I know that most of mine was spent rewatching the entire Twilight Saga back-to-back and organizing and reorganizing my room. It turned out that during onboarding quarantine and beyond, the Arbo has become one of my favorite places to spend time on campus. Here are some ways the Arbo can help you during this crazy semester.
1. A Change of Scenery!
Because of social distancing regulations, we are all spending a lot more time in our dorm rooms. The arbo can be a great place to go if you just need a little change of scenery. You can bring your lunch and a blanket and have a picnic on the hill. You can even bring a book or your laptop and work on your homework while enjoying the scenery. While the wifi doesn’t stretch out there, you can still do all your offline work outdoors.
2. Fitness!
One of my favorite things to do in the Arbo is to go hiking. Believe it or not, there are some pretty steep trails out there! You can walk for hours up and down hills, especially if you cross Gallows Lane. If you prefer to jog instead of walk, there are even ways to enjoy the Arbo trails while running. While jogging is not allowed in the area of the arbo across Williams street, there are jogging trails on the other side of Mohegan. Check out this map for a new route for your daily run.
3. Have an Adventure!
If you’re looking for some entertainment, why not just go exploring? A few weeks ago, a friend and I spent over two hours just following the trails and fences. You can find some pretty cool things out there, including the gorge and a bunch of old stone walls. Bring a few friends for a socially-distant fun adventure together. While I find it fun to just see where the trails take you, you can also pull up the trail map on your phone so you know exactly where you are going. One of my favorite trails is the forest loop that pretty much starts and ends right near the Arbo entrance.
If you find yourself getting bored of staying on campus, head over to the Arbo and take in all the beautiful scenery!