By: Monica Racicot
As some of you may know, my favorite hobby is photography. I look forward to spring term at OSU because my passion is photographing flowers. While we haven’t had too many sunny days so far this spring, we have had a few. When these rare occurrences happen, I drop everything to be outdoors. As a southern California native, I need me some sun.
There are tons of exciting events and activities during spring term that students should take advantage of. One of my favorite activities to participate in, when the weather is nice, is the Saturday Market down by the riverfront. This farmer’s market is open from 9am to 1pm every Saturday from now until November. Every weekend includes a live band or two, various local growers and a whole lot of food. If you are also a fan of flowers, they have tons of booths that sell bunches from local gardens. The walk from the OSU campus to the Saturday market takes about 20 minutes. I always stop for lunch at Great Harvest Bread Company because, in my opinion, they make the best sandwiches in Corvallis.
If the sun is shining, and the birds are chirping, another fun activity that costs nothing is hiking! As most of you probably know, or at least have heard, there are numerous hiking trails around the Corvallis area that are easily accessible. My favorite spot is Mary’s Peak. Bald Hill is a popular spot, as well as Dimple Hill. Trail information and directions can be found online or by asking around! An important side note, always go with a partner and bring water and sunscreen.
Looking for a weekend getaway? Or maybe just an afternoon? Take a short scenic drive out to the coast. Newport is only an hour away from OSU, which is funny coming from a girl who grew up 15 minutes from the beach, but hey. The sun sets are spectacular, the clam chowder is to die for, and the local art scene is awesome.
My next suggestion may come as a surprise to those of you who are from Oregon, but just remember…I am from
California. The Enchanted Forest! Located just north of us in Salem, the Enchanted Forest is this fairy tale themed adventure park that has rides, shows and attractions. What’s not to like?! I haven’t been yet, but I’ve made it a goal of mine to check it out before I graduate this June. I know it’s no Disneyland, but it looks like it has some great backdrops for pictures. Zapping evil dragons? Yes please! Starting May the park is open Monday through Friday but for the remainder of April it’s only open on the weekends. General admission is $10.25 and it doesn’t include the rides. But you can buy a bracelet that gives you unlimited access to rides and attractions for one fee.
My last suggestion doesn’t have anything to do with being outdoors; in fact it is played in a pool. But I just discovered this 
strange activity recently and I couldn’t help but share it! Who has heard of Underwater Hockey?? There is an underwater hockey club here in Corvallis that plays/swims at the Osborn Aquatic Center here in town. According to their meetup site, they play Wednesday nights from 7-8:45 pm. All they ask you to bring is a swimsuit and any gear you may have-mask, snorkel and/or fins. Obviously it doesn’t need to be nice out for you to take part in this activity, but it sure sounds like a fun sport to try out during spring term!
There are plenty of other opportunities to take advantage of in the spring so it’s important to stay on top of it if you really want to make the most out of your spring term. Check event calendars around the area and keep up with Facebook pages of your favorite clubs and organizations. There is always something to do; you just need to be proactive! Don’t be afraid to try something new and step out of your comfort zone because most of the time it can lead you to some really great people and memorable experiences.
