Graphic by Hannah Andeson
The weather is finally heating up, and students are celebrating by spending afternoons on the quad reading and enjoying one another’s company. Spring is my absolute favorite season to be here for this reason. When the weather gets above 60 degrees and the sun comes out, I love spending my days outside, getting sunburned, and enjoying the temporarily mild climate that we see all too rarely in Minnesota. Another beautiful part about spring at St. Olaf is the noticeable change in everyone’s mood. Everyone yells to one another. The laughter echoing through the quad becomes my favorite sound.
My favorite spot to sit is on one of the stone benches outside of Buntrock. I have developed a little routine for myself each evening. When I have time, I go to dinner at 5:00 p.m. and then come outside and sit on the bench with a book until the sunset. The evening sun shines just right on the benches and I often get to talk to my friends. This spot is one of my favorite spots to people-watch. With people coming and going from Buntrock, there is always something to listen to and watch.
When the sun starts to set, I usually head to the Natural Lands to watch the sunset. I put on my headphones and enjoy the final glow from the sun before the next day. By the end of the day, I am always tired from being in the sun all day but have to go do my homework in the library. Even though it’s not good for my homework habits, I wouldn’t rather spend my evenings any other way.
Spring on campus is the best time to be outside, enjoying time with friends or time alone. It is beautiful to watch people play frisbee with each other and eating meals together. I encourage everyone to grab a book or some homework and spend time enjoying the fleeting moments of nice weather while on campus.
Lauren Hanna is from Montevideo, Minn.
Her majors are English and music.
