Many of my fondest memories at Wake Forest happened outside. I remember sunny stretches on the Quad on my favorite picnic blanket, long conversations with friends while swaying in creaky rocking chairs on the Mag Patio, happy sounds of play on Davis Field.
When I asked students last spring about their favorite outdoor spots on campus, it brought back all those memories.
Students relish getting a dose of sunshine and letting off steam after being cooped up in class. And sometimes, these locations become classrooms.
I was delighted to see an article in the Old Gold & Black titled, “Go outside and touch grass: the value of outdoor learning spaces.” Reese Lile, assistant environment editor, wrote that outdoor spaces relieve stress and improve mental health for students — and professors’ moving class outside can increase students’ learning and intrinsic motivation.
Who would argue with the professor who suggests a trip to the Campus Garden for a class project?
Students I spoke with brought up another benefit: how the outdoors brings together passersby on a whim. Hangout spots create those sweet, unplanned memories that we think of when we remember college — the laughter, the connections, the conversations.
Wake Foresters’ favorite outdoor campus locations are varied, to be sure, but here are just a few lauded by today’s students in their own words. — Katherine Laws Waters (’20)
Farrell Hall Patio and Picnic Tables
Britney Aguilar (’25), a psychology major, says that, because of her ADHD, being outside is “really good for me. … it really helps me focus and keep my attention and get my work done. … There’s just more to see, I guess. The trees, like the sun, the clouds, everything. I’m not paying attention as much to the other students or trying to compare myself to other students. It’s more about me and what I’m doing and my place in the campus.”
The swing outside Farrell Hall “allows me to … tap into the inner child and feel a little better if I’m feeling stressed. I know some people, they feel uncomfortable, they don’t want to get made fun of. They might fear being seen as childish for it, but I honestly don’t care. I feel like it’s really good at getting me to move, even though it’s low impact.”
Pickleball and Tennis Courts
Drew Saad (’28) played tennis growing up in Atlanta, so when he came to Wake Forest, he wanted to continue. “It’s been a great space to play with some of my buddies, meet some new people there. It’s always very busy, which is good and bad. Bad, because, you know, sometimes it’s a little difficult to find a court, but at the same time, you’re meeting new people and just having a whole bunch of fun doing something that I love out here in beautiful weather.”
Poteat Courtyard
Gabe Tulli (’27) has created a reputation for being the guy who plays guitar outside his dorm. His freshman year, it was outside Babcock Residence Hall, and his sophomore year, it was in the Poteat Residence Hall courtyard. Leni Dethlefs (’27), who also lived in Babcock and then Poteat, has gotten to hear Tulli’s strumming for two years in a row.
“(My roommate) doesn’t mind if I play in the room, but it’s mostly because I love being out here and seeing people. Also, a lot of people have commented and just said that they enjoy hearing music, either if they pass by, or if they’re studying like this. … It just feels like a reset. Gets my mind clear.” — Gabe Tulli (’27)
“Whenever I come home and I see my suitemates sitting out here, everyone just comes out and talks about their day and what they’re up to. … There’s a guy here who sometimes comes out and plays a guitar. … Lucky for us!”
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“We started doing this tradition (where) everybody cooks dinner on Sunday. We have the communal kitchen. So one night, Ava … made — I still remember, it was so good — it was vodka pasta, chicken cutlets and burrata and salad. And we took it out here at night, and we had a candle, and it just felt like being at home, kind of like a home-cooked meal. And it was one of those first nights where we were all together as a suite, and it was really special.” — Leni Dethlefs (’27)
Spry Stadium
Ugo Okoli (’25) played soccer at Wake Forest from 2011 to 2013 before leaving to play professionally. He returned last year to finish his degree and savored being simply a fan. “It’s always peaceful seeing the grass. … If the game starts at seven, I can show up — 7:05, no problem, just relax, watch some good soccer, and be in a good environment and just be a fan really. … That fresh air is always crucial — and I was able to play around the world. Each environment has, I swear, a different scent or A different feeling with the air.”
Manchester Plaza Fire Pits
Ky Ordanza (’28) says that she, Morgan Rice (’28) and their friends are “always connecting here in the middle” between campus activities to sit and talk for a while. “I love seeing people outside, everyone collecting, everyone saying hi,” Ordanza says. “It’s just really nice. It makes me feel so warm inside.”
“I think my mood definitely improves when I’m out here. If I’m coming from class … sitting in the sun for a second will make me feel better. … There’s no pressure to do anything. You can play music. Sometimes we’ll bring speakers out here, we’ll grab food and then eat out here.” — Morgan Rice (’28)
“I still find myself coming here in big sweatpants when it’s 30 degrees outside when I totally shouldn’t be. I just find it so relaxing to sit out. … And the lights coming on is the best part, too. … The sunset turning down, events are kind of going away. … The day is ending, but really, for us … our night’s beginning because our friends are here.” — Ky Ordanza (’28)
