Walking around campus I am finally met with the long awaited first signs of spring. Even though this winter did not turn out to be as grueling as I had expected, I’ve been manifesting spring since about winter break. I think it is finally safe to say that we have beat the fake springs and the warm weather is here to say. I have attempted to come up with my best tips for celebrating spring on campus. Though I haven’t come up with anything quite like the Midsommar festival to reel in summer, here is my guide to soaking up the sun on the hill:
take a hot girl walk around campus
Hot girl walks are a staple for when the weather is nice. During the fall my friend and I allotted an hour each day to take a break from our work and catch up on a walk. It was the perfect activity because I was able to get my daily workout in but also spend quality time with one of my best friends.
Through trial and error, we were able to come up with the best walking route around campus.
the best walking route around campus
My friend and I both live in Crawford, so we would meet in the back parking lot of the building and begin down the stairs to Mitchell. Next we would follow the road to Lamson and cross through the Lamson field towards Ebaugh pond. We always tried to stop for a few minutes at Ebaugh pond and admire the beauty, and sometimes we were lucky enough to see a few ducks. After our quick break, we would continue on the road around the IM fields. It’s always fun to see which teams are practicing and if we recognize any of the players. After passing the IMs we would walk back up the road to the senior apartments. We found that the best route is to walk through the apartments and then through the Silverstein parking lot. A favorite activity of ours was to see how many different license plates we could find and rate each state’s plate (my favorite is Utah.) We would then follow the route back down to the IMs and loop around Deeds, then finally up to the parking garage and through the road back to Crawford.
Though this was our favorite path, it does not matter what route you take to walk around campus as long as you are enjoying the sunshine. Although I have walked alone, I find it most enjoyable to walk with a companion. Even if we are wearing earbuds and just listening to the same music as we walk, all that matters is that I am spending quality time with my friend.
visit the bioreserve
The bioreserve is an incredibly underrated resource that Denison has to offer. I will admit that I am guilty of not using it as much as I should, but I am making a commitment to try and go to the bioreserve at least once a week for the rest of the year.
Sometimes I choose to go on a walk in the bio instead of my infamous route, but I also think it can be the perfect place to relax with friends. You can have a picnic, go hammocking, or just sit in the grass and listen to music from a portable speaker. There also are a ton of really climbable trees in there (though I am not sure if I should promote tree climbing so please stay safe.)
Yoga
Even though this does not specifically have to do with spring, I have been going to the yoga classes run by the wellness center recently and they make my body feel absolutely amazing. They run the sessions almost every day, and they have tons of different levels so you can go to a class where you can feel comfortable. Even if you find the class to be too difficult, almost all of the instructors will offer modifications so that everybody can move at their own pace.
Lounge on a quad
The best way to celebrate the good weather is to simply relax in the sun. I have attempted multiple times to try and get work done outside, but it never seems to work so I have opted to do my homework inside and reward myself by reading a book or laying out on a blanket on one of the quads.
There are many options for places to lay out in the sun. My personal favorite is east quad because you can fully relax and be far enough away from a-quad to have all academics out of mind. However, a-quad is the prime spot to be if you are in the mood for people watching. There are constantly people coming in and out of slayter or a group stationed outside tabling for one of their events.
listen to happy music
The coming of spring begs for everyone to go outside, but sometimes it is just not possible. While I do believe that if the weather is nice you should spend as much time as you can outside, I also know that it is important to prioritize other things too.
I think that the best way to feel the good vibes of spring without going outside is to listen to upbeat spring type music. My winter playlist consists of mellow, sad songs like Phoebe Bridgers or Beach House, but when I listen to these songs in the spring it just does not feel right. Recently I have been listening to old Cage The Elephant, Daft Punk, and Mac Miller and I think that they can put me in the good mood that I need to have it feel like spring.