What comes to mind when I think about a picnic is rosy gingham blankets, wicker baskets and sweet family gatherings. As nice as that is, picnics as a college student are something that can be far more utilitarian. In my experience, I find that whenever I am able to sit outside and study, I’m able to be more focused. Additionally, according to the McLean Hospital website, time in the outdoors has been shown to improve memory, attention, impulse control and creativity.
With how many hours people spend inside, switching things up and spending time outside is an attractive option, especially when the weather is nice. However, a reason people may shy away from picnics is the unpleasant implications of the outdoors: it may be too cold or hot, too sunny or maybe there are a lot of bugs. But there are solutions to all of these natural inconveniences.
First, it’s always a good idea to bring layers, a blanket or two, or try to find some shade when picnicking, depending on the day. Sunscreen on sunny days is also important to make a picnic as healthy as possible. Whenever I sit outside for long periods of time, I find myself getting up to move the blanket a few times, chasing the shade with the passing of the day.
Another picnic misfortune is rain, especially the way it leaves the grass wet and muddy. This can make it very unpleasant to sit down. In order to be able to sit in the grass during the aftermath of wet weather, it’s handy to have a tarp-lined picnic blanket, often called a waterproof blanket. Water and mud will seep through other types of blankets, but I’ve found that the tarp-lined ones keep a picnicker nice and dry. I ordered one online and it’s been a great investment.
When basking in a warm day, bugs can quickly become an issue. Earlier this semester, my friends and I tried to sit under the large trees outside of the Village Market; it’s a beautiful spot to set up a picnic. However, my friends and I became slowly covered in these small, fly-like insects that were so tiny they were getting stuck to the fibers of our clothes.
To keep uninvited guests away, bug spray always helps. Another factor that can limit bugs is picking the right spot. It helps to look around to make sure there aren’t lots of bugs and that you are not, hopefully, sitting right next to any colonies. Lastly, bugs stay away more when food is covered up as much as possible. However, I always let nicer-looking insects crawl around my picnic blanket, like ladybugs and the type of medium-sized black ants that are notorious for loving picnics.
When I was in boarding academy, the campus was beautiful, and I spent countless hours sitting outside overlooking the mountains. I often called home to my parents during that time, eventually causing them to complain that I was spending much too much time outside rather than on my studies. I explained how there were, in fact, much worse things than too many picnics and how good it was for my mental health. I was able to be more inspired and productive because of my habit of doing things outside.
I want to encourage people to do what they can to get outside more and try to find creative solutions to whatever may be stopping them. A picnic setting is great to do school work, talk with friends or just have some leisure time. It may be cold now, but I’m looking forward to the time again when it just makes more sense to be outside.
