UB Frolics Under the Sun

We've been making the switch from hot to iced coffee, putting our sweaters in storage bins to make way for tank tops and dresses, and our space heaters are quickly being replaced by high-speed fans. For the past week, UB students have been seeing the world in a different perspective - through their latest pair of tinted shades.

Students are elated to be graced with the presence of the sun, especially because it's arrived earlier than expected this year. The average temperature in the Queen City in March is approximately 44 degrees, according to www.weather.com. This week, a record has been broken and the average temperature has been 75 degrees. With the tundra that usually lurks outside our windows disappearing, students are taking advantage of the glimpse of summer they're receiving and participating in a variety of outdoor activities.

A glimpse of sunshine isn't the only thing students on campus have been welcomed with. According to a UB student who wishes to remain anonymous, when the sun starts to rise, so do most girls' shorts. Butt cheeks seem to be the coolest trend, and there seem to be no complains from the boys' end.

"It's like the girls wake up in the morning and think: 'it's hot out, maybe I won't wear underwear today,'" the student said. "Then they find the smallest pair of shorts they can find and let their butts hang out."

In short shorts and small tank tops, students are hoping their skin becomes golden brown so tanning salons are no longer a necessity. The grassy area right outside the Student Union has been flooded with students laying out and bathing in the sun. They bring their guitars to serenade a friend, laptops to search the Internet, and iPods when they're in the mood to drown out the rest of the world. Students hope to make the most of the day in the sun.

In the large green area between Clemens Hall and The Commons, students like Bari Felix, a sophomore architecture major, can be found playing Frisbee. Felix promotes the importance of setting a time each day to study and a time to be outside. This way, playing sports in the sun all day doesn't result in a lack of studying and poor grades.

Zack Baker, a sophomore exercise science major, has found a spot on campus where he feels he can get the best of the weather while continuing to study so his grades don't suffer.

"I do my work on Baird Point; it's those two pillars near the CFA," Baker said. "My grades aren't going to slack, but most peoples' do because they'd rather be outdoors than focus on their studies."

In addition to studying by the lake, Baker has added jogging outside to his workout routine. He is also a member of club baseball and as the weather continues to brighten, the team has been leaving its indoor facilities behind to compete outside on dirt fields.

Buffalo's waterfront downtown comes alive when the temperature begins to rise and Jackie Carmina, a junior psychology major, recommends others visit the area.

"There are naval ships everywhere, and ice cream parlors, and restaurants," Carmina said. "It's a really cute area when it's nice out."

Carmina also enjoys running through the trails in the woods at Losson Park near her house. She is from the Buffalo area and has been enjoying the luxuries of the trail for quite some time. She encourages students that aren't as familiar with the city to explore the park.

Students that don't have access to Buffalo's off-campus amenities aren't left to mope within the walls of their dorms. There are on-campus activities available as well.

"If you take the bike path near the dorms all the way to the end and cross the boulevard, you end up at Ellicott Creek Park," said Rachel Broardt, a sophomore computer science major. "Then get on the other path that's connected and walk a little. You'll end up by Niagara River and at Niawanda Park."

Niawanda Park offers events and attractions to all, like free outdoor concerts, parades, and movies. For those interested in the history of Buffalo, there are chapels, bridges, and cemeteries that tell park visitors stories from the past.

For students more interested in partying in the outdoors instead of leaky and dark basements, patios on South Campus, or the outside of the Villas, are the places to be.

Lauren Haarazi, a sophomore biochemistry major, has gone swimming in the pool and relaxed in the hot tubs that Villas and Sweet Home have to offer.

Haarazi also said her favorite part of this weather is the BeerBQs, the outdoor beer pong tournaments, and taking advantage of the grassy lawns at the Villas where she does yoga with friends.

Students that live right off South Campus can be found at day parties in backyards and tanning on patios. Students have begun to save their work for the nighttime so they don't miss a minute soaking up the rays of sun.

The underground tunnels connecting all of the lecture halls are slowly emptying out as students are beginning to walk outside from class to class while working on their tan lines, enjoying the clear skies, and sporting their newest summer wardrobes and even more so their smiles.

Email: features@ubspectrum.com