By Caroline Buck

Spring is finally here, and campus is starting to get warm! Yes, there are still some chilly days, but for the most part we can start putting our winter coats away. With this shift in the weather, there can now be a shift in study spots and new possibilities for outdoor activities both on and around campus. 

On campus you could have a picnic or watch the sunset on O-Hill. Get a group of friends together and play volleyball on the sand courts. The lawn at the center of campus has multiple Adirondack chairs/tables that could make for relaxing study spots. You could explore the Tropical Greenhouse on campus, where you can soak in the natural sunlight while checking out the koi fish swimming the 4,000 gallon pond. You could spread out a blanket or sit on one of the benches surrounding the campus pond. The campus pond is in between the Integrative Learning Center (ILC) and Fine Arts Center. You could shoot some hoops at the basketball court in Southwest or throw around a frisbee/ball on the field below those courts. The rooftop courtyard in the John W. Olver Design Building has tables and chairs that could make for an awesome study spot. Behind the McGuirk Alumni Stadium there is a walking trail that wraps around almost to the Sortino Softball Field Complex. 

If you are looking for places to go a little way off campus, there are some beautiful hiking trails surrounding campus. You could check out Puffers Pond for a short stroll. For something slightly more challenging you could hike up Skinner Mountain and enjoy the breathtaking views from the Mt. Holyoke Summit House. Sugarloaf Mountain is another good hiking spot about a ten-minute car ride from campus. 

There are a few farms near campus where you can visit the cows and grab some homemade ice cream (Maple Farm & Cook Farm). If you are looking for something more active there is a driving range that also has batting cages a little over ten minutes from campus (Western Mass Family Golf Center). 

Whether you have free time for an outdoor activity or need a place to study, there are so many options to be explored on UMass’s campus! So with the weather starting to taking a turn you should