Although the calendar marked last Saturday as the official start of spring, many at the University have their own ideas of when spring actually begins.
"Sundresses. No doubt. The emergence of sundresses is the emergence of spring at U. Va.," third-year College student G.P. Manson said.
Sociology graduate student Michael Hightower agreed that the start of spring has nothing to do with the calendar.
"I associate the start of spring with when things start to bloom," Hightower said. "Tulips bloom early, and I start to watch for things like that. When it's all flip-flops and gym shorts is a good sign too."
However one defines the start of spring, once it begins, students get a chance to enjoy some of their favorite warm weather activities.
"I like studying outside when it's not so hot, but you still can take off your shoes and lay out on a blanket," second-year College student Greg Saari said. "My favorite place to go is probably the Lawn -- especially under a tree when it gets too bright.
"I definitely like all the little garden areas too. They are the perfect place to study, but nobody seems to know about them," he said.
First-year College student Rachel Creagan admitted, however, that there are downsides to studying outdoors.
"I'll study outside, but I'm definitely more distracted than usual," she said. "I'd rather just lie out [in the quad], get a tan and go to sleep."
For Creagan, who's not quite convinced spring is here, tanning and napping will have to wait.
"The weather here is so random," she said. "I need consistency to think of it as spring."
Saari, who hails from Florida, said current Charlottesville weather is definitely not indicative of spring.
"I love that everybody is so ready to go out and get warm," Saari said. "People just start pouring out into the Lawn, and some people think that it's too crowded, but I like seeing everybody coming out and being social. But I'm from Florida, and this is definitely not spring yet."
With temperatures expected to rise throughout the week, reaching the 70s by Saturday, it might just be time to finally pack away those sweaters and break out the shorts, flip-flops and, of course, sundresses.
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