Spring quarter can be overwhelming, with everything from midterms to finals to end-of-the-year responsibilities. Don’t forget to take care of yourself throughout all of your hard work! Relax in between study sessions or plan a day out with your friends with these fun, springtime activities. 

Many of these fall under the Aggie Traditions challenge, a checklist of 48 UC Davis traditions to complete while learning about university life and what makes our campus special, while others are just fun spring events or underrated gems. Keep reading for a list of 10 things to do on campus to boost your mental health!

1. Check out the Sheepmowers

If you haven’t had a chance to check out this new UC Davis staple, have no fear! The sheep will be back at Wickson Hall on May 15–17 and June 5–7, so stop by before the end of the quarter for activities, photo ops and information on their mission of supporting the Aggie community through sustainability research. This is the perfect spring campus activity, so get your friends together and make a day of it!

2. Visit and cool off at the Rec Pool

Take advantage of your Campus Recreation student membership by taking a swim in the Rec Pool as temperatures start rising! Whether you want to swim laps or just have fun with your friends, check out the hours on the Aquatics Campus Recreation page. A refreshing dip could be just the thing you need to relax and re-energize!

3. Attend the Whole Earth Festival

Another classic, student-run UC Davis event is coming up! This year’s Whole Earth Festival is taking place on Mother’s Day weekend, May 10–12. Drop by this zero-waste event for performances, food, art vendors and more. Enjoy the beautiful spring weekend with your fellow Aggies out on the quad!

4. Stroll through the Arboretum

While it’s a good bet that most Aggies have already got this one down, take this chance to check out all of the events happening in the Arb this quarter! Browse the Clearance Plant Sale, take a Walk with Warren and tour the Arboretum Waterway. If you can’t fit an event in your busy schedule, take this as a sign to walk through the Arb on the way to your next class! 

5. Visit the Manetti Shrem Museum

Make art during Art Studio hours, attend a fun event or just stroll through the current exhibitions! On display right now is Shiva Ahmadi’s “Strands of Resilience,” Deborah Butterfield’s “P.S. These are not horses” and Malaquias Montoya’s “Legacies of a Printed Resistance.” While you’re passing through the lobby, check out the special display showcasing early clay models of Robert Arneson’s Eggheads.

6. Take a tour of the campus animals

Need some animal therapy? Chill with Cheeto the physics cat, coo at the cows on Dairy Road, walk with the ducks in the Arboretum and more. Make it your mission to visit as many of our UC Davis animal friends as possible! (P.S. Visiting the cows is on the Aggie Traditions checklist.)

7. Attend a Cultural Day event

Don’t miss the last Culture Day event of the year, La Gran Tardeada! This celebration of Chicanx/Latinx culture and community is on May 18 from 12–6 PM at the Quad, so drop by to honor the rich traditions of the past and create new ones. Enjoy delicious food, enchanting music and energetic dance. 

8. Spend a sunny day on the Quad

When midterms and finals are piling up, don’t be afraid to take a study break out on the Quad! Rest and Vitamin D are just as important as that daily study session at the library. Take a nap in the hammocks, have a picnic with your friends or just get outside for a walk and enjoy our beautiful campus. 

9. Find all of the Eggheads on campus

There’s no better time to explore all of the Eggheads on campus than in the Year of the Eggheads. Whether or not you were able to attend the fun campus events celebrating these UC Davis staples and their artist, take the opportunity now to visit them all! On your way, stop by some of the remaining popups, at the MU bookstore and the Manetti Shrem Museum, to buy merch.

10. Create your own tradition

When you’ve exhausted all the usual Aggie activities, exercise your creative muscles and create your own self-care tradition! Doing the things you love with your favorite people is the perfect tradition to keep with you as the quarter comes to an end and you move into the future. Whatever you choose to do, make sure to prioritize you and your mental health.

Try some of these out as the quarter rushes by, and let us know if there’s anything else you do to take care of your mental health in spring! Check out the Aggie Mental Health website for self-care tips, how to get involved and this Mental Health Map with campus resources. Follow @ucdavis.life for more student events and opportunities.

About the author

Robin Dewis, a fourth-year English and Medieval Studies double major, is the editorial and content creation assistant at Student Affairs Marketing and Communications.