If you are anything like me, your mood instantly lifts once the sun is out. Lately, there have been more sunny days, and I started realising I missed this. Of course, I instantly spiraled into a whirlwind of ideas for fun activities I could do now that life is no longer gloomy and miserable, but instead all sunshines and rainbows. As I’m sure I’m not the only human plant amongst us, I’ve decided to share some of these ideas in this article.
Let’s start with a classic: a picnic. Nothing really beats the feeling of preparing delicious food and getting surprised by what all of your friends brought to a picnic. Picnics are great for catching up on each other’s lives while enjoying the weather and delicious food. What’s more, they can be a great excuse to daydrink; bringing a bottle of wine always cranks up the good vibes by a few notches. If you need some food inspiration, some delicious foods to bring to a picnic are apple pie, pancakes, grapes, donuts, and cubed cheese. As for locations, anywhere grassy works, but grassy places near water like Kralingse Plas are the best, so you can occasionally enjoy a swim as well.
Another simple, but enjoyable activity is simply going out for ice cream. No matter where you live, there must be an ice cream parlour nearby. And let’s be real, when the weather is nice, they’re practically begging you to stop by. So go support your local ice cream parlour and satisfy your urges by stopping for some ice cream.
Next, let’s talk about studying. It can be delightfully fun or mind numbingly boring. When studying with friends, whether it’s on a study date, or just on campus when you have a few hours to kill, most of us generally have a better time than when studying alone. The same goes for studying outside. Now, productivity may drop a bit (or a lot), but that does not mean it is a waste of time (it is ‘gezellig’ after all). On the contrary, sometimes productivity may rise: a breath of fresh air might be all you need to solve that one problem you’ve been stuck on for hours. Research has actually shown that time spent outside increases mental clarity, problem solving skills (by 60%!), and even teamwork. So especially for those of you tackling group projects, I say, when the weather’s nice, try working on it outside.
Another great way to enjoy warmer weather is stargazing. In the colder months it is often freezing by the time the stars come out, making it difficult to enjoy the beauty of the night sky for long. However, when the temperature is a comfortable ~15 ℃ outside, looking up at the stars, spotting constellations, and having late night conversations with people dear to you becomes possible once more.
Last but not least: explore nature. May it be walking, cycling, or some other way of getting around, being active and enjoying nature is a blast. Though we may often sleep on how exhilarating taking a walk through the park, a forest, or a meadow is, it can be one of the most beautiful and relaxing experiences with birds chirping, leaves rustling, and an aromatic nature-y scent in the air.
To sum up, there’s a plethora of ways to enjoy the warmer weather that has lately been peeking out occasionally. I hope at least one of these ideas sounds appealing to you, and if none of them do, I hope at least you’re excited for the sunny days that are sure (fingers crossed) to come up in the weeks and months to come.