When the temperature rises to 70 degrees out of nowhere, it’s impossible to not want to relax outside for the entire day. Class schedules are tough and burnout is real, but there’s nothing a nice relaxing day outside can’t fix. As such, it’s important to have a repertoire of fun ideas for ways to spend your time soaking in the sun and feeling the breeze.
Hammocking near the pond
By far the best way to spend a day out, you can relax and swing in a tree while you listen to all the wonderful noises around the pond. Watch the water and feel serene as you sit back and enjoy the cool breeze. You can also bring a friend or a group and chill together while you're suspended between the trees. This is one of the best ways to e relax.
Disc golf at Ping
This sport is criminally underrated on campus solely because so many haven’t given disc golf any thought. It’s such a fun course to play with friends and getting a big group together to laugh with is optimal. The sport requires almost no knowledge and there are tons of places to buy discs in town if you and your friends get addicted. You’re sure to have lots of fun as you throw around discs on this fun course.
Picnic on a green
A lot of people eat at dining halls, but something people may not have known is that taking a to-go box is free for a limited time. Take advantage of the opportunity and go eat a meal on a picnic blanket with some friends on any of the greens around campus. It’s a fun way to make eating your dinner that much more fun and entertaining and it makes eating a whole lot more enjoyable when you can eat it surrounded by nature’s beauty.
Watch the sunset on top of the Court Street parking garage
This is another criminally underrated experience, but not for lack of knowledge. The Court Street parking garage is one of the more picturesque areas on Court street. The view is amazing and the sky looks incredible from so high. Plan a trip to the top level with your friends and watch the sunset over downtown. It’s sure to be a beautiful sight.
Hike at The Ridges
The Ridges is a very cool spot on campus that not enough people take advantage of. It’s a pristine hiking spot and understated in its cool trails. Often people don’t take advantage of the cool trails that way, but it’s a very trill and relaxing place to walk and hike. The best hiking trails are around radar hill and that’s where you can find the best views of Athens.
Longboard around campus
This would be a great hobby to pick up, especially if you already have a longboard or skateboard that you bought because you thought it would be fun at the beginning of the year. It’s the most opportune time to try to learn how to skate now that the weather will allow for it.
Bike on the bike trail
The bike trail goes along the river, but if you keep going you can come to some fairly cool sights. You can keep going all the way to the plains and on, as the bike trail is virtually endless. It’s a great way to get some exercise if you have a bike on campus. If not, it would still be fun to run on the bike trail. Getting exercise is the best way to relieve stress, which is just what people may need right now.
Study outside a coffee shop
Whether it’s Donkey, Brenen’s, Court Street or Front Room, studying outside a coffee shop is one of the most responsible ways to spend time outside during the nice weather. Studying isn’t a whole lot of fun, but it could be more fun than sitting in Alden Library on a rainy day.
Sunbathe outside your residence hall
This is the most popular of the list of ideas. Sitting outside and taking in the sun is very good for mental health so it’s no wonder why. It’s important to take in the sun so that you can take care of yourself in this often stressful time in the school year while getting some Vitamin D. You can bring a book or computer to get some work done -- any way you can be in the sun is optimal for your well-being.
Play volleyball on South Beach
This is arguably one of the most fun options on this list because it’s a great way to spend time with friends on South Beach while having fun. You don’t even necessarily have to know someone to join a game, people are usually fairly open to letting people play with and hop into games. Playing volleyball isn’t the only thing to do on South Beach though. You can play spike ball, toss around frisbees, footballs, baseballs and a whole lot more. You can even play basketball on the outdoor hoops. This is one of the best ways to get out and enjoy the nice weather while also having a good time with some friends.
