Being a transfer student at Temple, I have to say the winter months had me dreading even showing up to class. The freezing weather had me deeply doubting if I could make it past the first week of school. Don’t get me wrong- I love winter but trying to traverse the large campus of Temple during the bitter cold was not my favorite. However, my whole mood changed with the tease of spring we recently got.
With this peak into a warmer season, I got to see what spring could be like on campus which had me viewing college life from a different perspective. Seeing so many people laying on the lawns on the campus, and even seeing some hammocks, sparked an odd joy in me. For weeks, everyone seemed to be rushing to and from the campus trying so desperately to get out of the cold. It was nice to see the campus slow down for a minute when the sun came out. But that wasn’t the only thing I enjoyed about the tease of spring.
As someone who is on campus a lot, it was nice to have a change in where I could sit and relax. I would normally pass my time in Charles Library or whatever building my next class was in, but the brief moment of spring that fell upon Temple completely changed that for me. It had me exploring the campus, seeing what spot was good to sit down and read my books, or finding a good place for my favorite pastime of people watching. I very much recommend the lawn chairs on the Mazur terrace as a place to relax because the nice weather, the blossoming of the trees, and a cool breeze will provide a nice moment of peace.
However, I do prefer the South Liacouras Walk for more sit-down relaxation. On the walk there, you’ll see a crescent-shaped area that has plenty of room for lounging with a good book or taking in the cool breeze that comes through. When the weather is nice, I love to stop at Bagel Hut on campus where you can get a good bagel and even better iced coffee. I suggest getting a bagel and sitting down in the area to take in the peacefulness of that part of Temple’s campus. When that tease of spring came, I did that almost every day before my morning and afternoon classes.
But my favorite thing to do was grab some ice cream from Mister Softee before I headed to work. Mister Softee for me, as a Philadelphia native, is a must-have staple of the spring and summertime. Growing up having that sweet soft serve with what I can only describe as a giant scoop of rainbow sprinkles was something I looked forward to as the seasons changed. I love getting a cone from Mister Softee and slowing down to feel that childish joy. If you want one good recommendation, try my favorite classic: vanilla with sprinkles. Or maybe you’ll dabble in my new favorite: strawberry cheesecake crunch!
However, now that we are back to the bitter cold, I am a bit sad. The campus has returned to the rush of people escaping the chill– and I am back inside trying to pass my time in between tedious courses. However, I am grateful for the small glance of Spring because I saw that Temple’s campus is not as drab as I initially thought it was. There is a more relaxed side to Temple, and I feel that my time on campus can be enjoyable and peaceful rather than hectic.
I want to ask my readers, does warmer weather make you feel better about being on campus?