By: Matthew Balsinger

It’s the end of February and it’s hard to believe the wonderful weather that we’ve been having.  By this time last year we had record snow falls and a handful of snow days that were more than enough to make the laziest of students happy.  Springtime appears to be coming soon, and students should be considering ways to get involved.

It’s hard to believe, but in a few short weeks it will be Spring Break.  There is plenty for students to get involved in here on campus as well as the Akron area to keep us happy.

First, it must be said that our men’s basketball team is doing quite well this year and stand a good chance of making it to the March Madness tournament if they continue the trend of success.  We need to get out and support our Zips for the remaining games.  The weather is no longer a reason to stay reclusively in our homes when our basketball team is actually worth watching.

These next couple of weeks good weather presents the perfect opportunity to get out and exercise.  Even if students aren’t heading to a fun place for Spring Break, which is likely the case for most of us, it is still quite beneficial.  It’s cold enough to prevent from overheating and it’s warm enough that you’re not completely freezing yourself to death just to get those skinny pants on.

Most importantly, however, the spring activity students might often miss doing is community service.  Though there are many opportunities to help others throughout the year, the best time is conveniently the spring.  Winter opportunities are usually limited to indoor activities and hauling snow for those who may not be able to.  Springtime opens the doors for yard and grounds work, weekend day camps and many other opportunities.

This point of the spring semester certainly has the potential of being the doldrums of the school year, but it doesn’t have to be.  If you’re able to find a balance between the opportunities that you have and the work you still need to do for class,  you can not only make it through this spring, but it can be the best spring semester you’ve had in years.