How To Spend Your Reading Days Right

If you or someone you know has a car, take a day to explore what’s outside Gettysburg, PA. Visit Harrisburg, a mere 38 miles away. Explore Pennsylvania’s capital and the beautiful Fort Hunter Mansion and Park. Want to get out of Pennsylvania? Visit Baltimore, MD, 60 miles away, and see some of their unique museums, like the Baltimore Museum of Industry, National Cryptologic Museum, and American Visionary Art Museum. Washington D.C. is only 90 miles away; you can visit their fantastic Smithsonian museums or explore the many landmarks surrounding the National Mall.

Drive out a bit farther, and hit Philadelphia, 140 miles away. In the city of brotherly love, you can visit Independence Hall or get an authentic Philly cheesesteak. Pittsburgh is 190 miles away, and there you can see the beautiful Phipps Conservatory, Warhol Museum, and the Heinz History Center. Maybe Pennsylvania is old news for you, and you want to get completely away during the long weekend. Richmond, VA, is just 190 miles away as well. Here you can visit the White House of the Confederacy, Virginia Capital Building, and the Maymont mansion. Finally, arguably the best place to visit is New York City (I’m not biased, this wonderful place just so happens to be my hometown)! This is where my friends and I will be spending our long weekend. At just over 200 miles away, NYC has so much to offer. I recommend checking out a bus tour of the city. There’s so much to do that I can’t narrow it down! If you decide to check out any of these cities, you and some friends can get together and chip in for a hotel room or Airbnb. 

Every single year, I tell myself that I’m going to watch a bunch of scary movies leading up to Halloween. Do I? Nope. This long weekend, you have zero excuses. Grab some friends, snacks, and cozy blankets and prepare to lose sleep over Michael Myers. If you don’t enjoy scary movies, you can always watch some childhood classics. 

Readings days are given to us to prepare for Midterms. If you find that you’re behind in homework or you have back-to-back exams, you may want to buckle up and prepare. If you’re anything like me, you like to be ahead. So this may be the perfect time to get a head-start on some assignments. Maybe there’s something that you’ve been putting off— a job application, scholarship form, or even just calling your grandma. Take a day to cross these items off your to-do list. 

Gettysburg may seem like a small town with basic stores and restaurants, but there are so many unique small businesses to support all over town. If there’s a store you have always wanted to check out, this is the perfect time to get out and explore. You may just end up finding a new favorite, and the owners will definitely appreciate the support. This goes for restaurants, cafés, and historic locations too. So treat yourself to some adventure, and you’ll be the town expert come October 12th.

It has been a crazy month, especially since it has been a year and a half since most of us have had a normal semester. Perhaps this is the perfect time to take a deep breath and relax. Sometimes a lazy day is important and can help us recharge. You could have a spa day or sleep in, anything your body needs. When classes start up again, you can come back fully charged and ready for another month.