After months of cruel winter, spring has indeed arrived and thank goodness for that. If I had to see one more bit of snow, the rest of the article would just be me typing “All Work And No Play Makes Jack A Dull Boy.” But, as the sun shines and the weather gets warmer, it’s important for us to embrace this new condition for the sake of our own well-being. 

Now that spring is here, go outside. The days of claustrophobia are over at NIU. There are so many beautiful places on campus to go. Go to the East Lagoon and play frisbee with friends. Read outside under the shade of a tree. Go to the MLK commons and watch the skate rats, as I so affectionately call them, try out their latest stunts. 

While I hesitate to use the most cliché high school senior quote, it’s the truth. As the great Ferris Bueller once said, “life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Now, am I advocating that you skip school for a day and go to Chicago for a day of fun that you’ll never forget? Of course not. But I don’t not advocate it either. 

I think after two years of a pandemic and several months of snow, black ice, having to wear warm clothes and, worst of all, slush getting into your shoes, we all deserve something. We all should go outside wearing a t-shirt and just enjoy life. 

Every spring is the same for me. I feel incredibly refreshed once the thermometer goes up. I am not a scientist and I have absolutely no evidence to back this up, but I have a theory. When the sun is out more frequently, you get more Vitamin D in your system. At the same time, that sun melts all of the snow and that water goes straight to the plants as they become revived. All of that Vitamin D, evaporated water and oxygen from the plants all combine to give you this feeling of euphoria. It’s like getting high on life. 

This is what I want everyone at NIU to have. To feel good for the first time in a long time. To see a group of people playing frisbee and to join the game. To meet someone reading a book and ask them about it. To talk to people and to remember that we are all students and we should treat each other as one big collection of friends.