College is supposed to be one of the best times of your life and we are supposed to be making memories to reminisce about for the rest of our lives, but most of the time it feels like there is just so much work to do and plans to make that you don’t get to experience all of the good times with good friends. Coursework gets overwhelming and it can feel like Elle Woods studying for the LSATS missing out on all the fun of her senior spring. In comes romanticizing your spring.
While it is important to study and focus your attention on your classes, college is also about building communities and you can’t do that without getting out of your study cocoon and spreading your wings.
Hammock in the Oak Grove : On a nice spring day I love to see hammocks hanging in the Oak Grove. Taking the time to set yourself up with a nice lounge area where you can still be close to class (and WiFi) feels like a small moment for yourself in the middle of the busiest area of campus.
Picnic at Yellow Creek State Park : take some time to make some memories, a quick trip to the park on a nice day is something to look back on fondly once college is over.
Visit Buttermilk Falls: Buttermilk Falls is one of my favorite places in the Indiana area. This waterfall has a short hike to the falls and a bridge that lets you go behind the falls themselves. It is a great place to just relax (or have a mid-semester mental breakdown like I’ve done several times now).
Borrow a not-for-class book from the library and spend the afternoon reading outside : Sitting in your room studying all spring can make life feel way more mundane than it truly is. Take some inspo from Rory Gilmore and take the reading outside, whether it’s for class or not. Maybe you’ll find a study tree on campus (hopefully you don’t have to pay $20 to someone who ‘stole’ your tree).
Dance in the Rain : It sure can feel like it rains nonstop in Indiana in the spring, but finding a way to make that rain a good thing begins with changing your outlook. Take some time to dance in the rain, it’s a great way to refresh (or be symbolic of rebirth if I remember AP Lit well enough).