Some students coming back from spring break are accustomed to spending time on a beach. But colder temperatures during the remaining weeks of Spring Semester might keep sunbathers and Frisbee games off the Oval.
Classes will end this semester on April 22, compared to last academic year’s end date of a warmer June 1.
Llewellyn Holder, a third-year in film studies, identified himself as a “frequent Ovaler” in his two previous years at OSU. Holder said he might no longer hold that title with lower temperatures as the semester comes to a close.
“The weather is unpredictable here in Ohio, especially in April,” Holder said. “I think there will be people willing to go even if it’s not nice as it used to be, but traffic will probably still be down. People will go to the Oval, it may just not be known as a beach any longer.”
Rita Finy, a third-year in civil engineering, said her attendance to the Oval will depend on the temperature.
“The ideal Oval Beach day would probably be 75 degrees and sunny. Not too hot, but I definitely need it to be warm,” Finy said.
According to weather.com, average temperatures in the last week of regular classes scheduled at OSU are in the mid- to upper-60s. Previously that has been closer to 80 degrees.
Holder said his ideal Oval Beach day would be 80 degrees and sunny.
Garrett Goodling, a third-year in biology, said he probably won’t be going to the Oval to spend time with friends this spring after two years of doing so.
“The timing of when we get out of school is draining Oval Beach time out. The time where I think the temperatures will just start increasing is when we will be taking finals and I will be studying so I won’t have much time,” Goodling said.
Goodling will be taking a class during OSU’s May Session, and he said he will take advantage of the warm weather then, but it won’t be the same with fewer students on campus.
While Goodling will wait on the warm temperatures, Holder said he will brave the temperatures to hold the tradition of Oval Beach.
“Regardless of the weather, I will be there, rain or shine I plan on making it to the Oval a couple times,” Holder said. “It’s a part of the tradition so I plan on continuing that.”