This week marked the beginning of spring, my FAVORITE season. Did it snow on the first day of spring? Yes…sadly. HOWEVER, just the fact that it is spring has got me in a much better mood than I was in all of winter.
The trees are starting to bud and flowers are pushing their way to the surface. Sooner rather than later the world will be filled with color once more, and this grey slush that we’ve been wading through this past winter will be a thing of the past.
Not to brag, but I can confidently say that spring is the best season because I don’t suffer from those pesky seasonal allergies that make some people dread this time of year. I love being about to wake up to the birds chirping and the sun coming through the blinds and put on a fun T-shirt and my trusty denim shorts. As much as I love my MANY sweaters, I am through with wearing them.
The promise of a sweet spring breeze blowing through my hair and days spent sprawled outside in the grass are just on the horizon, and so are my favorite springtime activities. So, here are some things I’m looking forward to doing this spring.
Exploring New Trails
I am fortunate to go to a school that has a nice walking trail along the Allegheny River behind the campus that I take every opportunity to walk on when the temperature gets above 60 degrees. But the main path isn’t my favorite part to take. There are a bunch of little trails that are offshoots of the main trail that are so much fun to explore with friends, and there are so many to cover! St. Bonaventure is also near Allegheny State Park and Rock City, two great parks for a nice hike through the forests of Western New York.
Reading Outside
As much as I love getting cozy in my bed or curling up on a sofa in the winter with my books, nothing beats laying out in the sunlight while you become fully emerged in a story. I find that I get the most reading done when I’m outside. Whether it be on a small lake beach or in my small backyard at home, I can be out for hours reading in the mild spring sun without even realizing that half the day had passed. And, boy, do I need this. My ever-growing TBR list is begging to be addressed.
Long Bike Rides
Watching the people with bikes on campus is making me slightly jealous that mine is back home. I can’t wait to hop on my bike and ride down to the riverside park near my house with my sisters, or take a short trip to my nearest 7-Eleven to pick up a blue raspberry slurpee. I’m sick of having to have a car to go anywhere.
Seeing The World Bloom
Here in Western New York there are many parks that come alive in the spring. I love visiting the Japanese Garden in Delaware Park in Buffalo when the Cherry Blossoms bloom at the beginning of April, or drive out to Rochester for the Lilac Festival in May. Spring is the perfect time of year when I realize that I actually love being outside. It’s not too hot, the flowers are in their prime, and everyone slowly comes out of their hibernation to enjoy what Mother Nature has to offer.
Outdoor Concerts
I LOVE going to concerts, but I especially love outdoor concerts. I don’t feel suffocated in an indoor stadium, everyone is vibing out on the grass, you can watch the sun go down as one of your favorite artists starts their set. Everything about it is just perfect. I have many concerts lined up this year, and a good amount are outdoors, like Hozier and Niall Horan who I am seeing towards the end of this spring.
PICNICS
In the past couple years, I have become particularly fond of picnicking with my friends. If it’s nice outside, there’s no way we’re eating inside a restaurant. No, we get take-out or pack our own snacks and spread out on a blanket while we watch the sun set and catch up on life. Even when I’m alone I’m always going to prefer taking my meal outside on a clear spring day, it somehow makes everything taste so much better.
If there’s one thing to take away from this, it’s that this spring I will NOT be spending my time indoors, and I encourage you to get outside as much as possible as well. Spring is the perfect time to reconnect with our nature-loving selves before the summer heat keeps us constantly yearning for an air-conditioned building, so get outside and enjoy the sunshine!