Once spring rolls around, college students often find themselves looking longingly out the windows day dreaming about pool parties, barbeques, camping or late night star gazing. The wait for summer can be almost torturous, and with spring semester finals coming up, students rarely have much time for enjoying the sun. However, there are simple ways students can get outside, even if just for a short time.

One way to do this is by making your outdoor activities into dates. Most college students find time to fit their significant other into their busy schedules, so why not use that time to get some fresh air too? So here are some new date ideas that may come in handy.

1. Go on a walk. Outdoor dates don’t have to be
   extravagant or long. Despite how much fun it can be, students don’t always have
   the time to go rock climbing or go on a scenic four hour hike. A modest walk
   while watching the sunset can offer hand holding opportunities and is a great
   way to get off the couch.

2. Have a picnic. Besides being perfectly romantic,
   picnics give you a chance to enjoy the great outdoors and food at the same
   time. The food doesn’t have to be gourmet. Perhaps one of the best things
   about picnics is that the picnic foods are simple finger foods that are easily
   prepared from home.

3. Go biking. Tandem biking may be a little too
   intense for a simple date night, but nothing is wrong with grabbing some bikes
   and going on a fun leisure ride. The Ogden area has many scenic biking trails, and
   anyone can go to mapmyride.com to find a biking route that’s a good fit.

Another fun and easy way to spend time outdoors is by embracing your inner child. As ridiculously cheesy as that sounds, it’s true. There are many outdoor activities that are associated with children but no one ever said that adults can’t enjoy them as well.

1. Visit the park. Few adults can tell you the last
   time they swung on a swing or slid down a slide. If someone were to let go of their
   pride for just a few moments, they can remember just how fun it is.

2. Draw with sidewalk chalk. Being creative is fun
   no matter how old you get. Decorating the sidewalk is always fun, but it can be
   especially fun when used to make someone’s day. Why not chalk attack a friend’s
   driveway with inside jokes and silly drawings?

3. Play a game of tag. Tag is a classic, so grab a
   bunch of friends, get outside and let the games begin.

Sometimes hectic schedules can get too busy for even these simple suggestions. In these cases, it can help to take things on your to-do list and move them outside to soak up a little sun and get some fresh air. Make sure to wear sunscreen though—no one wants skin cancer.

1. Read and study. College students have plenty of
   studying to do, but studying can easily be moved from a couch to a sunny porch.

2. Nap. Everyone needs sleep. It’s a fact of life,
   so why not get take your power nap in a shady spot underneath a tree?

In the end, it doesn’t really matter what students do to get outside as long as they get there.