Written by Ellie Shaw. Media by Thomas Hajny.[divide]
The semester is half way over and it finally looks like spring weather is here to stay. So what is there to do in Greenville in the springtime? As a native of Greenville, I have spent more than a few springs in town and have picked up on some things along the way. So, for those of you who asked me freshman year, “What is there to do in Greenville?” here is my long-time-coming reply:
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[dropcap color=”#000″ font=”arial” fontsize=”20″]1.[/dropcap]You probably already know Patriot’s Park is a great place to hike, soak up the sun, take a picnic, and do homework. Did you know you can rent out a pavilion for your own barbecue? While you are out there, check out the little league soccer games on the west entrance. There are bound to be plenty of spectacles with soccer moms and dads, and kids who don’t know the difference between offense and defense.
[dropcap color=”#000″ font=”arial” fontsize=”20″]2.[/dropcap]If you are walking around campus, you should be on the lookout for stray tennis balls or Frisbees. The sun brings out the urban golfers, ultimate Frisbee players, and Frisbee golfers in droves. There are several informal courses on campus and a formal Frisbee golf course in the Gullies. If you can’t get out of the way quickly enough, you might as well join them and have your own fun shouting “fore!”
[dropcap color=”#000″ font=”arial” fontsize=”20″]3.[/dropcap]Elephants, tigers, and acrobats… oh my! If you are tired of staring at the campus cats, squirrels, and football players for entertainment or if you ever wanted to run away and join the circus, here is your chance! The Kelly-Miller Circus will be at the Bond County Fairgrounds on Thursday, April 16th. Tickets are $12 with two show times 4:30 and 7:30. So quit clowning around and take a break from juggling your classes to go see the circus!
[dropcap color=”#000″ font=”arial” fontsize=”20″]4.[/dropcap]Spring is the time to begin gardening, and there are many opportunities around town to get your hands dirty. There is a gardening club on campus that was begun by a COR 401 group several years ago. The Simple Room has a vegetable garden that provides fresh produce to the kids and families throughout the summer and fall. You can volunteer to help plant the garden with the kids on Tuesdays and Fridays from 4:30 to 5:30 pm starting April 14th. The Simple Room welcomes anyone who wants to cultivate both the earth and friendships with kids. After all, April showers bring May flowers, but not if no one plants the seeds.
[dropcap color=”#000″ font=”arial” fontsize=”20″]5.[/dropcap]With the baseball, softball, tennis, and track & field seasons well underway, there are plenty of opportunities to watch Panther athletics. If you are not on one of the teams, chances are you have a friend that is. So roll out of bed on aSaturday and cheer on the Panthers! The high school baseball, softball, track & field, women’s soccer, and men’s tennis have also started their seasons. You could head over to the high school, root for the Comets, and relive your high school glory days.
[dropcap color=”#000″ font=”arial” fontsize=”20″]6.[/dropcap]Mario Mannino, the owner and founder of Mario’s Pizza, is back in town! He lives in Sicily for half the year, so when he is in town, Mario’s is open on Monday nights for a limited time. Mario’s recently underwent an interior makeover, so if you have not been there in a while, stop by and “ciao” down on a calzone and my personal favorite, a slice of Super Mario cheesecake.
[dropcap color=”#000″ font=”arial” fontsize=”20″]7.[/dropcap]Twice a year the Thrift Store on Harris Ave. does a total clean out sale. Last month was the big sale to get rid of all the winter items, and now the shelves are restocked with completely new (to you) spring and summer items. The last time I went, I found a pair of pants embroidered with martinis. Can someone say “party pants?” Don’t forget that with your Greenville ID card you can get 10% off your purchase, so stop by the thrift store to see what you can find.
[dropcap color=”#000″ font=”arial” fontsize=”20″]8.[/dropcap]One of my favorite weeks of the year is coming up—Entrepreneurship Sales Week! As if college students were not poor enough already, the Entrepreneurship class will soon be out on campus trying to sell you their final marketing products and services. Luckily, the products are always really neat, and the sales week makes walking to class a little more exciting. So make sure to carry a little extra cash in your wallet, and see what new ideas the groups have come up with this year!
[dropcap color=”#000″ font=”arial” fontsize=”20″]9.[/dropcap]When you are hungry on the weekend, swing by IGA to see if there is a local organization hosting a fundraiser. The IGA grill is the best place to get a pork burger, hamburger, or pork tenderloin sandwich on a Saturday.
[dropcap color=”#000″ font=”arial” fontsize=”20″]10.[/dropcap]Greenville College’s Factory Theater is putting on a performance of the musical Charlotte’s Web. With such rave reviews from the fall performance of Almost, Maine this musical is sure to be a similar success. Performances are April 23, 24, and 25th in the evening. While you wait for the performance dates, tune into 89.5 WGRN on Thursdays at 6 p.m. for the Factory Theater Hour.
[dropcap color=”#000″ font=”arial” fontsize=”20″]11.[/dropcap]For the coffee lovers, Jo’s Java has a new spring drink called the Peter Cottontail. If the Easter Bunny didn’t stop by your mail box, you can go to Jo’s and get a little taste of Easter in your coffee cup. With the special white chocolate, vanilla latte, you’ll be hopping down the bunny trail with a little extra spring in your step in no time.
[dropcap color=”#000″ font=”arial” fontsize=”20″]12.[/dropcap]The end of the year is a good cause for a party! The Junior Senior Banquet will be held at Windows on Washington in St. Louis this year. On the same day, freshmen and sophomores have Bumquet on campus. Greenville College has a rich tradition of celebrating the end of the year. These two celebrations have been around since the early 1900s!
[dropcap color=”#000″ font=”arial” fontsize=”20″]13.[/dropcap]As we near graduation, seniors in the music and art departments are preparing for their senior art exhibitions and recitals. Almost every weekend left this semester is booked for senior recitals. The showcases are well worth your time to help celebrate the seniors’ four years of hard work and dedication.
[dropcap color=”#000″ font=”arial” fontsize=”20″]14.[/dropcap]While the end of the semester means registering for next semester’s classes for many of us, for seniors the end of the semester means college graduation. While some spring time activities for you seniors should probably include job hunting and studying to make sure you actually graduate, you should also take time to relax, enjoy coffee with your favorite professor, visit your favorite spot on campus, pull a final prank, and reminisce with friends on the years past.
There is so much to do in the spring, so grab your friends, sunglasses, and sunscreen and go learn something new about Greenville!
