5 Things to Do Before School Gets Too Stressful

The docks are one of the best parts of campus, but you only have so long to utilize them. I was lucky enough to be doing research on campus over the summer, and one thing that I began to do is go for a run and end by the docks to jump in and cool off! Even if the weather isn’t warm enough to swim, the docks are still a nice place to calm down after a stressful day and meditate by the water. They have become one of my favorite parts of campus, and definitely something you should check out when it’s still warm and before classes get too crazy. My best tip is to bring a book for class and read it for productivity and peace.

Spotted Duck Creamery is a quaint ice cream shop in Penn Yann just 15 minutes down the road. The owners are very kind and they have unique ice cream flavors like Strawberry Rhubarb, Chai Tea, and Mistletoe. They are located on a farm, and if you ask, they’ll give you chicken feed to feed their animals. The owners have chickens, ducks, and if you’re lucky, you might even see their peacock! Pizza Posto, an HWS-alum owned food truck, also comes on Tuesdays and the weekend, so it is the perfect combination of savory pizza and sweet dessert. My best tip is to bring a friend or two, get some pizza, and end the night with one of their “flights” of ice cream to split!

Monaco’s is only a 10-minute walk from campus and definitely a great way to start a weekend morning. A more recent addition to Geneva, they have definitely taken the town by storm, which is no surprise considering how delicious their food and coffee are. The food is all well within a college student’s budget and they have some unique offerings like a charcoal latte. My best tip is to bring some homework, buy some breakfast, and chip away your work while you sip your drink. The change in scenery will definitely help the work go by quicker!

This is one of my favorite things to do when it’s still nice outside. You can take a picture next to the I ♥️ Geneva sign, visit the new Welcome Center, take a walk along the lake front, and even get some great photos on the docks. Walking by the lake is so beautiful and something you can’t really do on campus, so I definitely suggest taking the time to head over here. My best tip is to walk over on a nice day and stop for food somewhere in Geneva Commons (like FryBird or Char Burrito Bar) on your way back. Plus, if you go on the weekend, they host a little farmer’s market!

Okay, so this is admittedly the most boring activity on the list, but I still feel like it’s important. Each year, the CTL calendars that display the entire semester. I like to pick one up in the beginning and write in all my coursework, my test dates, events on campus, etc. I hang it in my room by my desk so I’m always up to date when a test is coming near or an assignment is due. It is definitely helpful to have it all laid out in front of you, and the sooner you do it, the better! They have pre-printed ones outside the CTL (second floor of the library), but if you would rather print your own, I have attached the link below. My best tip is to take a picture of it on your phone after you hang it, so even when you’re at the library or talking to a professor, you can always pull it up to refer back to it!

https://www.hws.edu/academics/ctl/pdf/big_picture.pdf