Hey there! Took some time away from blogging due to finals week, spending Winter break with family, and taking care of some health stuff. That being said, as a new semester begins, always remember to prioritize your mental and physical health! It may not seem efficient now but will help you operate better, faster, and more efficiently in the long run. This can include scheduling times to do things with friends but also scheduling time to relax, read a book, or, my favorite, take some leisurely textbook notes in a little coffee shop.
Speaking of fun things, I have done a few things recently around the area that I wanted to share! There are so many places around Florida that are GREAT for a day trip or even just an evening activity. Here are some places that I have gone the past week or so:
The Ponte Vedra Concert Hall is only about 1.5 hours by car from campus! They have some really cool concerts there for relatively cheap prices. My boyfriend and I recently attended a Bowling for Soup concert there with Lit as an opener, and the tickets were only $35 each! The venue is super small as well, so any seat or standing space you get provides a really good view of the stage. I have also seen some classical music concerts there and a concert by Jake Shimabukuro (the ukulele legend, highly recommend). That area also has many good restaurants within a 10-minute radius to turn it into a fun evening.My friend from LA visited for a few days, so of course I had to take her to Kennedy Space Center! It is only about an hour drive from campus, and you can get VERY discounted tickets through the ICI Center on campus. Plus, if you go during a weekday, there are little to no wait times for any rides and interactive experiences. This is a space nerd’s Disneyland; at least, I know it is for me. And of course you have to dress in all your finest NASA merch…..and subsequently get mistaken for an employee a few times hahahaBefore this, I had never tried an escape room, but now I think it is one of my favorite things to do. It is like a big interactive puzzle! I forgot exactly where this one was but went recently for a friend’s birthday. Great plan for a birthday or special occasion. They can get pricy, but when split among a few friends it usually is not too bad.St. Augustine is my home, so I am a bit biased. However, it is only about an hour away from campus and FULL of fun things to do. I should really write another post on available St. Augustine activities. I have spent my whole life there and am still discovering new things to do. My friends and I walked around the Nights of Lights before they were shut off. During Winter, the entire downtown area is lit up with decorations and light for the holidays; it is breathtaking (and internationally known)! This is a picture of us at a little place downtown. Half of it is a duck-themed soap/spa sort of store. The other half is a bar! They specialized in old-fashioned sodas and drinks with ducks in them that you can take home! The entire place is duck-themed and so adorable. Great for photo ops.
