Reading-break fun and adventures
Sooke Potholes
Reading break—a tried, tested, and true way to destroy your liver and kill some brain cells.
It can be hit-or-miss for most students whether they legitimately use the break to catch up on assignments and textbook reading, or just spend Feb. 18–21 in various states of inebriation.
For those crossing their fingers and toes in hopes of making rent this month, the Victoria area has a plethora of free activities.
Victoria has more scenic beauty to offer than most people can hope to see in a lifetime, so get off the couch and take a stroll.
The Breakwater at Dallas Road, which is always beautiful, can be especially fun this time of year when the winds pick up.
Watch the swells and wait for unsuspecting joggers to get soaked from behind.
Get in touch with your wild side and go for a hike up around Sooke Potholes, or test your endurance with a run around Elk or Thetis Lakes.
Grab a friend, bed-buddy, or kind-eyed stranger off the street, pack a lunch, and go find your favourite undiscovered trail.
And always remember that BC Transit is your friend.
Take your student ID (which doubles as a bus pass), add an unknown bus route, a couple of snacks, and friends, and you have yourself an adventure!
Hopping on a random bus can not only be a fun way to kill some time, but a great way to discover Victoria if you’re new to town.
For those who have the time and aren’t totally cash-strapped, Vancouver Island has lots of cheap and easy things to do, some of which are very close by. Chemainus, just 45 minutes north of Victoria, is home to the infamous murals, as well as the Chemainus Theatre.
From Chemainus, you can hop on a ferry and take a mini adventure to Thetis and Kuper Islands, both of which are beautiful examples of west coast nature. And a walk-on return ticket will only run you $8.60.
BC Ferries also runs from Swartz Bay to Galiano, Mayne, Pender, and Saturna Islands, with walk-on return tickets for just $9.80 a person.
Wander the islands, hike some trails, and get your minds off of school and lectures. Take a moment to appreciate the trees that your textbooks came from.
If you want the same experience, but don’t want to leave the island, head north of Sooke to China, Sombrio, or Botanical Beaches.
With a couple-dozen trails between them, you’ll be hard-pressed to run out of things to do at these beaches.
Grab the crew and your aqua-socks and start praying for summer.
So, during the reading break, study if you must, but don’t forget to also explore the outdoors if you can, and kick back and relax whenever possible.
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