When flipping through college brochures, prospective students almost always find pictures of college kids enjoying a lazy day on campus basking in the warm sun.

As a senior in college, however, I’ve noticed that few students take advantage of outside opportunities – especially when it comes to dining. Now that winter is over and spring has sprung, students should take their lunches outdoors to ACU’s many appropriate outdoor dining areas.

If you’re looking for a more traditional outdoor eatery, the Bean and the Fatted Café provide outdoor tables and chairs that allow students to bask in the lunchtime sun or sit in the shade with friends or mobile device.

When bringing a lunch from home or picking something up from the Campus Center, students can enjoy lunch in the great outdoors on the cement picnic tables by the construction site. While it may not seem like a peaceful outdoor lunch arena, the location does give you something interesting to watch while slurping soda or scarfing sandwiches.

For a more relaxed venue, you can enjoy a bagel and a cup of coffee on any of the grassy areas throughout campus. If you are looking for a more private, relaxed setting, try the backside of the Mabee Business Building. The ledge overlooks a serene patch of grass and the modern-looking Williams Performing Arts Center.

If you desire a more public venue, go to the grassy landscape in front of the Brown Library. The spot, popular to Frisbee throwers and guitar players makes the perfect location to see friends enter and exit the library.

Instead of enjoying lunch indoors, move the party outside, take a deep breath of fresh air and relax – just like those models in the brochures.