The sun is bright and beaming through your dorm room windows. It’s just too bright during the day to nap, so get out of your room and enjoy some overdue outdoor freedom by doing one of these seven springtime activities.
1. Head to the city
Photo credit: nsbeboston.com
The first thing to do in Quincy when the snow melts is to leave. Boston remains one of the most historic and culturally rich cities in the nation; you can follow the Freedom Trail and find rare works of art in the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum in the span of hours. Spend some extra time getting lost in small shops you’ve walked by countless times, or restaurants that invite you in with delicious smells. When the sun is out and warming the ground, there is no better place to be than the city.
2. Go to the beach
Photo credit: nancysantry.com
There may be one place that rivals going into the city on a beautiful spring day, and that is hitting the beach. ENC is only a quarter of a mile away from Wollaston beach that stretches over three miles, so why not do some exercise and run that length—or walk because you’re a college student. If your legs are too tired to walk, go to the Clam Box for some fried food and the Ice Box for a scoop of mint chip. Both are lovable landmarks at Wollaston beach that attract all the locals for their tasty treats.
3. Play Frisbee on Wolly Lawn
Photo credit: salon.com
ENC has a beautiful campus in the spring, so utilize it. The green lawn in front of Wollaston Church is the perfect playground for Frisbee, water guns, or playing catch. If you’re studious, bust out your homework. There is plenty of sun, space, and shade to either distract yourself from the end of the semester work or actually work, all while basking in the spring’s beautiful rays.
4. Go to Harvard
Photo credit: margiz.wordpress.com
Yes, another encouragement to go into the city, but this time, Cambridge! If you have not been to Harvard Square yet, drop everything and head over. There is Bartley’s Burger Cottage, Harvard Bookstore, coffee shops, and the sprawling Harvard University campus. It’s one of the most beautiful campuses in the nation, so sit on the Harvard lawn to study or soak up the sun, and maybe absorb some brain waves from some of the smartest college students in the nation.
5. Watch (or play) sports
Photo credit: Timmy Greene
The shining sun makes for a happy, cheering crowd and a perfect game. There is nothing like the crack of a bat to signify the beginning of spring and foreshadow the imminence of summer. Spend some time with local leagues, or ENC baseball; sports teams can always use more support, and with the wonderful combination of warm weather, could it get any better? (There’s two more baseball home games, too: April 30 at 2:30 and 5:00 against Lesley College).
6. Go to the YMCA
Photo credit: ssymca.org
You get a free membership at the Y just from being a student at ENC, so go utilize it by getting in shape for the summer. Bring a few friends to make the workout a little more enjoyable. If conventional working out isn’t your flavor, there’s a pool, basketball courts, a track and an entire list of free classes from Zumba to kick-boxing.
7. Go to a Red Sox game
Photo credit: massvacation.com
You might be thinking, “I’m a poor college student, how can I afford to go to a Red Sox game?” Don’t get discouraged; there are great deals or cheap tickets to be found online for sports games in Boston. Check out Groupon, Craigslist, or try for a Student Rush ticket. Also, for the 2015 season, students can get Standing Room Only tickets for just $9 for any home game. If attending a game is not working out, Fenway is still a great place to visit and spend your day.