The spring semester always seems to fly by. As the weather starts getting nicer in the Midwest, students can only hope that they saw the last snowfall of the winter.
It’s hard to tell if the early warm weather is here to stay due to unpredictable weather trends in Illinois, but ISU students seem to enter into spring mode every mid-March around spring break.
Upon returning back to campus after spring break, most students appear to be checked out in their classes once the weather gets nicer.
The quad becomes filled with activity. From students lying in the grass to students throwing a Frisbee. The quad doesn’t seem to slow down during every minute of daylight in the spring.
As soon as the sun comes out in March, the basketball courts next to Watterson and Hewett-Manchester are filled with students playing pick-up games or shooting around with friends.
An Academic Advisor in the School of Communication, Julie Navickas, said “When the weather starts to get nicer, it’s awesome to see the quad come alive again. Everything from students laying in hammocks and studying under trees to throwing a football around and socializing.”
The students lying in hammocks on the quad may be a part of one of ISU’s variety of RSO’s, Hammin’ Out. The hammock club is dedicated to relaxation, comfort and convenience. Obviously, the members of this RSO only participate in the activity once the weather starts getting nicer.
Open Invites to Capture the Flag are written on buildings and sidewalks in chalk. Essentially, warmer weather and the arrival of spring on campus contributes to the inclusion of all students and the possibility to make new friends/meet new people.
It is also common to see more handouts and recruiters on the quad every spring. RSO’s interested in expanding their organization stand near buildings on the quad with free handouts and giveaways for students. Protestors tend to preach on the quad quite a bit during the spring semester. These speeches include everything from religious values to women’s rights and sexuality.
It’s not hard to tell when spring arrives on ISU’s Campus. Even if the warm weather is a tease, students boycott the cold weather by breaking out their shorts and t-shirts.