With our first 80 degree days upon us in Long Valley, school has become more and more bearable. Just not having to turn the defroster on the car in the mornings is enough to be a little happier than usu.
Exposure to sunlight releases a chemical called serotonin in the brain. This chemical reaction is the reason why one may feel happier when the sun comes out in the springtime. After interviewing WMC students and staff, this list has been compiled as to the best springtime activities to try this year.
Junior Giulaina Rolli says that “I love walking my dog outside when the weather is nice. Also, I love playing softball in the spring.”
The teachers at Central are enjoying this weather too! Ms. Critchley comments that her favorite activity to do in the spring is “Going to a peony farm and picking some flowers.”
Similarly, Mrs. Buchanan also comments that she enjoys the outdoor weather, “I like going to outdoor sporting events when the weather is nice. You just don’t get it in the winter and it’s a nice change in the spring.”
Mr. Rossi’s favorite in the springtime is “mowing the lawn outside.” He says that this is one of his favorites when the weather is warm, especially in the spring after a long winter.
Rainy days do emerge every once in a while, but that does not have to mean reverting back to the hibernation of winter. Sophomore Natalie Strassburg says that she enjoys “Sleeping on a rainy day, or going to flower farms when it’s nice out”.
If you tend to find yourself looking for some things to do, Long Valley is a great place to be with places like the Columbia Trail, Ort or Alstede Farms, and a variety of restaurants and coffee shops to visit.
The Coffee Potter is stationed right next to the Columbia Trail’s entrance, and taking a walk with coffee on a nice day is an easy way to rant to a friend about something stressing you out with nobody around, while being caffeinated.
Ort Farms is about a 5 minute drive from Central, and in the spring they offer seasonal options like picking your own strawberries or flowers! You can find a link to get tickets for these here on Ort Farm’s website.
The other farm option in Long Valley is Alstede Farms. They have similar options including certain times in the spring for kids to visit the farm and similar pick your own fruits/flower situation. Here is the link to those options as well.
If you have time for a bit of a drive, a unique activity to do is visit Holland Ridge Farms. This is a tulip farm located in Cream Ridge, NJ. To pick tulips on a Saturday in the spring, the base price is $17, and additionally one dollar per tulip. On a weekday the flat price is $15, and 50 cents per tulip. Additionally, they have food trucks, photo spots, and live musicians to contribute to a great spring day.
