It’s that happy time of year again: Leaves are turning colors, the air is growing crisp, everything is pumpkin spice flavored and you’re stuck in the library until well after dark. The calendar is filled with midterms, papers and presentations. And if you’re a senior, there’s a whole new level of stress brought on by job interviews and applications.
But fret not. It only seems like you can’t have any fun. There’s definitely hidden time in your schedule to break out of Brody and adventure off campus. Rest assured that your choice to close the textbook for a few hours is not the end of the world: Taking a break from studying is a science-backed way to make the time you are working more productive.
To help you make the most of the limited time for shenanigans this weekend, The News-Letter has built some midterm-approved itineraries for maximizing fun and minimizing stress.
If your midterms end Friday: Congrats! You’re done. Take Friday evening to relax and actually catch some Zs. Or if you’re feeling ready to get your fun on, hit up Kona Grill (1 E. Pratt St.) for reverse happy hour. Cheap appetizers and drinks will make for a budget-friendly start to your weekend. Late night happy hour is 10 p.m. to midnight on Fridays.
Wake up at a fairly reasonable time on Saturday morning and head over to the Farmer’s Market for some in-season apples and maybe a pumpkin or two to decorate your room. In the evening, hear some quality jazz at a cheap price. An Die Musik Live! (409 N. Charles St.) offers great live music for just $10 for students. Show starts at 8 p.m., leaving lots of time to keep the party going or get in another healthy night of sleep.
If your midterms start early next week: Work for a while on Friday afternoon, then take the evening off. You should spend Saturday and Sunday prepping for the coming onslaught of terror — um, examinations — but enjoy some time off campus Friday night.
If you’re over 21, hit up the end of Baltimore Beer Week. There are plenty of events all around the city. Head to Birroteca (1520 Clipper Road) between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. to check out their “Homegrown on the Shore” evening. Featuring casks on tap from Evolution, 3rd Wave and Burley Oak, enjoy a night of light drinking and head home before it gets too late. (Studying hungover does not a happy Saturday make.)
If your paper is due at the end of the week: Study a little in the morning, but spend Saturday afternoon at the American Visionary Art Museum (800 Key Highway). Admission is $10 for students. Check out their Yumm! exhibit on the “History, Fantasy and Future of Food,” but move somewhere with a more novel atmosphere for Sunday’s work.
Pretending to write a paper in the Brody Atrium while really just looking at all the things you can’t afford on Amazon is neither fun nor productive. Head to Mt. Vernon and enjoy a nice brunch at Jack and Zach Food (333 N. Charles St). FYI for the ambitious: They don’t open until 10 a.m. Once finished, visit one of the many cafes nearby and stay off campus until you have a few pages banged out. (Or at least until dinner time.)
If every week is midterm week: Change majors. In the meantime, get your sweat on to shake the stress off by bandit running the Baltimore Marathon on Saturday morning. First wave leaves Camden Yards at 8 a.m. Who knows how far you’ll make it before deciding that Brody is actually beautiful in the early morning light?
