Spring Term Guide to Fun
The sun is out and so are the spikeball nets, which means that spring term is here! Seniors are starting to become more relaxed, and the overall mood of campus is much happier than it was during winter term. This is the time to thrive, and I have some tips for you to get the most out of the best term at Exeter.
The most important thing you can do is to go outdoors. Not only are you getting extra sunlight, but getting outside can also be a way for you to be more social and meet new people. It doesn’t matter if you are going for a run or doing homework on a blanket in the quad—just spending some time in the fresh air will surely have a positive impact on your mood.
As you have likely seen already, people have begun to play spikeball and frisbee with their friends. If playing games isn’t exactly your thing, try playing music instead! Playing music in the quad is much better than blasting it in your dorm room late at night, but make sure to play the "clean" version of the song!
Student Council’s Recreation Committee has a lot in store for the coming weeks, so make sure to participate in those planned activities. Beach Ball is an event that started just last year but was an incredible hit with students. It’s returning on April 6 and is sure to live up to the hype of last year. I’ve also heard that there is a possibility for another outdoor movie event similar to the “Black Panther” screening from last spring, so look out for that!
Spring also happens to have the greatest number of sports teams available. Although using this term as a time to relax sounds enticing, working out can be extremely rewarding in the end. Pushing yourself to reach new goals by doing some form of physical activity will help you feel healthy this term—both mentally and physically. If you’re not doing a sport this term, you can still go for a run on the cross country trails or on Swasey Parkway.
If you’re looking to go off campus, there is a lot to do in Portsmouth and Boston, and both are accessible by car or train. Portsmouth has a myriad of cool shops and restaurants, so it’s a great way to spend a chill Saturday. If you’re looking for some new dining options, seafood restaurants such as Row 34 in Portsmouth are absolutely amazing! It is a bit pricey, though, and entrees there are typically around $30. A lot of the shops near there are smaller businesses and offer some really interesting items for a one-of-a-kind outfit.
Boston is much farther; however, as a big city, it has more to offer than anything closer to Exeter does. The Boston Calling Music Festival will happen from May 24-26, and it’s already shaping up to be one of the best music festivals this year. Headliners include Twenty One Pilots, Travis Scott and Tame Impala, so there’s a wide variety of music for all to enjoy. A personal favorite artist of mine, Mitski, will also be at the festival that Saturday.
In addition to music events, Boston has several renowned theaters that you can visit if you enjoy performing arts. Shows range from Shakespeare plays to those of modern writers, so you can watch performances from all different time periods.
I hope these tips will help you have a relaxing, fun and memorable spring term. If you’re a senior, make sure to enjoy these last few weeks at Exeter with the people who made it worthwhile. For younger students, take some time to forget about whatever is stressing you out and live in the moment. As the prologue of one of my favorite books, My Antonia by Willa Cather, reads, “The best days are the first to flee.”