After getting a taste of summer weather last week, you may be finding yourself wishing for the sun to come back out. It can be difficult to balance school, especially with finals season approaching, while trying to get outside. Although the temperature may have slightly cooled down, here are my best tips to incorporate outside time into a busy day.
Spending time outside can improve mental and physical health, reduce stress and therefore, improve cognitive ability and promote sleep, according to the American Psychology Association. As the last weeks of the semester wind down at the University of Connecticut and exams and assignments pick up, it is incredibly important to prioritize all of these things. Going outside doesn’t have to mean sacrificing hours of your day, however.
Walk to your destinations
Although it may seem obvious, walking just may be the most practical and easiest way to get your daily dose of vitamin D. Whether that be walking to your classes or going for a light stroll with friends before dinner, you will be improving your health in more ways than one. Skip the bus route for a change (for reasonable distances and if your body permits) and put one foot in front of the other.
Study outside
Reading textbooks or writing essays outside is the perfect way to experience the sun while also making sure your tasks get done. Now, I am not necessarily saying you need to kick off your shoes and lay in the grass to do so (but if you wish, go for it!), there are plenty of tables and benches located around campus and most outdoor public spaces that can provide you with the perfect combination of structure in the outdoors.
Have a picnic
What’s better on a warm spring day than a picnic? These can be as fancy or as casual as you’d like and do not require spending too much money. Whether you and your friends throw on your nicest outfits and take pictures, or simply just enjoy each other’s company over sandwiches, picnics are sure to be a great time. This can also be a solo activity; there is nothing wrong with grabbing some food from the Student Union and eating it on the lawn and enjoying your own version of the traditional event without plaid tablecloths or wicker baskets. There are no rules for a proper picnic except for being outside!
Photo by Sydney Chandler, staff photographer/The Daily Campus
Outdoor workouts
Ditch the Rec Center or your local gym, lay a yoga mat outside your dorm and get to working out! Try following a YouTube at-home workout video or do some simple stretching. Or grab a group of friends and go for a run. There are several clubs on campus that offer outdoor workout opportunities, like UConn Running Club or Outing Club, which goes on many off-campus adventures.
You don’t have to be an all-star athlete to enjoy some exercise outside either. A simple, non-competitive (or all-stakes game if you’d prefer) of volleyball, cornhole, soccer or any sport played with friends can be a good way to get out, be social and avoiding sitting outside doing nothing. But if laying out and tanning is your thing, go for it!