Top 5 Covid-Friendly Activities near Campus
Fun and safe activities for all seasons
—By Claire Lee and Michelle Easley
From the start of this pandemic, we have had to continuously adjust, get creative, and re-think a million times. We probably thought by now, we can stop this and get back to our normal lives. However, with all these rotten variants circulating and evolving, we can never be too sure when and where it will be safe. But this doesn’t mean that you have to go on another lockdown and miss out on another year of college life. Not sure where to look for fun but less risky activities? Here are five activities in Ann Arbor that U-M students can enjoy by staying healthy and feeling the same joy they got from pre-Covid life.
A-hunting we will go!
Do you want to explore the sights of Ann Arbor with the possibility of winning cash prizes? Why not consider a scavenger hunt throughout the city? A scavenger hunt is a race whereby participants scour a predetermined area in search of items on a list provided by the hunt’s organizer. Hunters can work in teams or they can participate solo depending on the rules. Along the way, you will meet people willing to help you find the hidden gems on your list. What a great way to explore historic landmarks such as The Bookstore Mural painted by Robert Wolk (shown above), green spaces and public art around campus! Existing scavenger hunt companies like Let’s Roam, Treasure Race, and Zombie Scavengers of Ann Arbor offer a fun escape as well as prizes. Or if you are really industrious, you can organize your own scavenger hunt.
Help out some furry friends
If snuggling with animals without the full-time commitment and expense of being a pet parent appeals to you, consider volunteering at the Humane Society of Huron Valley in Ann Arbor. To become a volunteer, you will need to go through a 2 hour “New Volunteer Orientation,” which gives an opportunity for you to tour the facility and learn the skills necessary to be successful on the first day of volunteering (click here for more information). There is no evidence that suggests that animals play a role in spreading COVID-19, so you can shake off the worries you have when volunteering. In addition to helping animals, you may receive health benefits from interacting with the animals such as decreased loneliness, decreased blood pressure, and increased mood.
Dine al fresco!
Since the early stages of the pandemic, indoor dining has been considered a high-risk activity for COVID exposure. With the cold weather limiting safe indoor dining options, there are several options to enjoy delicious food while being safe and warm outside! York’s ‘Yard’ serves delicious meals outside with heated seating, fire pits, and tents to keep their customers warm and ready to eat. Their menu is not only limited to classic deli sandwiches as there are a wide variety of food trucks that visit the Yard as well. If deli and spontaneous food choices aren’t your thing, try out Bigalora, which offers a variety of Italian meals and over twenty different options in handmade pizza that can be enjoyed safely in an igloo. Igloos seat up to 8 people and are decked out with heaters and lighting so you can enjoy them any time of the day.
Support locals and grab fresh munchies at the farmers market!
Located in Ann Arbor’s historic Kerrytown District, the Ann Arbor Farmers Market is a lovely open-air market. The market is open every Saturday from 8am to 3pm, January-April and 7am to 3pm, May-December. The market offers a wide variety of items such as fresh fruit and vegetables, body care products, and more. There are several safety protocols that will help customers and vendors enjoy their time such as mandatory face masks and convenient hand-washing sinks. In addition, the aisle ways have been marked for a safe flow of traffic within the market, which allows for better social distancing while shopping. If you are at high risk and would like the limit contact, the market also offers curbside pickup from several vendors (click here for vendor directory).
Frisbee Anyone?
Playing frisbee in an outdoor space such as the U-M diag is an inexpensive way to get fresh air and a full body workout while making new friends! Frisbee, a game that builds morale, camaraderie and sportsmanship, has been around for over 100 years and it is still going strong! Frisbee is self refereed and the rules of the game can be established before playing. If you want to step it up from a pickup game of frisbee to a more competitive sport, why not try out for the University of Michigan’s Ultimate Frisbee Team? Recognized by the university as a Club Sport, the U-M’s nationally ranked teams travel across the United States to compete against other Ultimate Frisbee programs (Click Men’s or Women’s for tryout information).
The Covid-19 pandemic has dominated our lives in ways we could have never imagined. And as a result, we have all made drastic changes to our daily routines just to adapt. As we continue to navigate through the pandemic the need for self care, both physical and mental, has become abundantly clear. With careful consideration, you can weather this crisis and still enjoy fun activities while mitigating your risk for exposure. These activities and other thoughtful choices can help you restore a sense of normalcy and joy to your life during these challenging times.
Feature photo credit: The Bookstore Mural by Mitch Hodiono on Unsplash