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A U of I student basks in the sun on the main quad and gets lost in a book. Could there be a better way to enjoy the beautiful weather? Photo by Jordan Shevell

It’s depressing realizing how little I’ve been outside to breathe fresh air in the past six or so months. As November rolls around, the temperature drops and the workload skyrockets, resulting in the prospect of enjoying the outdoors to be seen as both a nuisance and a distraction.

Of course, my excuses hold throughout winter until now, when the weather finally allows life to exist without the help of indoor heating. And now, I’m catching myself oblivious of the fresh air and surprisingly perfect temperatures. I realize halfway to work in my car that it would have made a lot more sense to save my gas and enjoy a nice walk. Then, when I finally get to work, I wonder why I didn’t open up my car windows to at least catch a breath of fresh air. And when I finally get into the buzz office, I notice that I didn’t even stop on my way from my car to the Illini Media building to appreciate the excellent weather. So I spend all winter complaining about the snow and the cold, and now that it’s gone, I don’t even notice.

It doesn’t help coming back from spring break and hearing all of my friends’ stories about their vacation time on the beach in Hawaii or New Orleans or California. I had a great break, too, but it was spent in a windowless recording studio with Santa where I completely lost track of time and forgot about the outside world.

So my New Year’s resolution (which, in my opinion, makes much more sense to put off until spring) is to start taking advantage of the nice weather and change my lifestyle accordingly. Imagine how much better of a mood we can all be in without a roof over our heads all the time.

And if you’re just as ready to enjoy the great outdoors as I am, you’re in luck because buzz will be at your assistance with our special Outdoor/Recreation issue on the racks next Thursday. In it, we’ll be assessing CU’s best parks, helping you find the best restaurant for a great outdoor meal and keeping you up-to-date on the town’s upcoming spring events. Until then, enjoy the first week of April.