Every college needs a beach.

And where can you find a beach full of students basking in the sun right in the middle of a busy and bustling city campus? Only at Temple University in North Philly, of course.

Well, okay, it’s not a real beach—but it’s the best we got.

Beury Beach, located on Temple’s main campus right between Beury Hall and the Bell Tower, is actually a grassy hill area full of trees, flowers, and colorful lawn chairs. No sand, no water, just a small sanctuary of nature where students can relax, chill with their friends, bask in the sun, and take a break from the craziness of college.

Along the side of Beury Hall, the Geology and Chemistry building, the “beach” faces the Bell Tower right in the heart of campus. During an average school day there is loads of foot traffic passing through. It's a popular area for holding fundraisers, activities, and events, so it’s a great placefor people-watching.

This little gem is cherished within Temple’s urban community, and that’s why it’s been coined as the school’s own private beach.

Here’s a few common things you might see at Beury Beach:

1. People studying/reading.

Beury Beach is a perfect area on campus to cram for a test or do a reading for an assignment while getting some outside R&R.

2. Powwow circles.

This place is clearly a great social setting. When it's nice out, flocks of students can be seen lounging and mingling on the beach.

3. Artists selling their work.

This actually occurs around the Bell Tower, more so across from Beury Beach, so it's a common view for those hanging out there. It's like having little pop-up stands to browse, shop, and support amazingly talented art students while chilling on the beach. It's pretty cool.

4. Napping.

It's the perfect spot for taking a quick power nap between classes. There's been many days I've seen someone cuddled up comfortably in sunglasses, sleeping with their head on their bookbag. The big colorful lawn chairs are pretty comfy too. Just don't oversleep and miss an exam or something.

5. Sunbathing.

When it's hot out, there are literally shirtless guys, and girls laying out in bikinis. This is the closest thing to a city beach you could get.

6. Cuddling.

Who doesn't love to cuddle-up with their boo on a cute little lawn area? It's the perfect escape.

7. Tapestries, rugs, and hippie activities.

Beury Beach can be very zen at times. Considering Temple is a very diverse school, there are all different types of people that make up the student body. If you look around the beach, you might see various things like meditation, yoga, exercising, stretching etc. You might see loners, groups of friends, and people randomly meeting new people. That's the beauty of it.

8. Music.

If it's a nice day out, there is most likely a guy sitting outside playing guitar somewhere around campus. More than likely, it will be on Beury Beach. Either that or a someone will have a speaker.

9. Adorable dogs.

People bringing their pups to school is the best thing ever. They should be allowed in class. The beach is the perfect spot to play with your dog or just chill and let everyone see how cute they are. It's a great conversation starter, and your pup probably loves it there.

10. "Bible Bob" preaching.

Anyone who goes to Temple knows exactly who this guy is. Nicknamed among Temple students, Bible Bob is a man in a trench coat who stands around the Bell Tower preaching his religious views into a portable microphone. The view from the beach is a common place to see activists, protesters, and people who dedicate many hours preaching their views to random people on the street.

11. Circles of freshmen passing around one bowl.

I asked my friends what some of the funniest things they've ever seen on Beury Beach was, and this is what they responded with. And it's true. It's a great spot to chill and wind-down, but freshmen just make everything awkward sometimes.

12. Savage squirrels.

For some reason, Temple's squirrels are the most psycho, hyper, savage, ruthless, nuttiest (no pun intended) squirrels EVER. Similar to people, I think city squirrels are different than country squirrels because they are more adjusted to the chaotic and fast city life. But North Philly squirrels are on another level.

I swear, one day I saw a squirrel man-handling an entire sandwich from McDonald's, eating it with two hands. It had the bag and all. It probably jumped some kid and took their lunch. These squirrels are insane, and laughing at them while laying on the beach is even better than people-watching.

Overall, you should definitely take a vacation from class and hit the beach!

Photo credit: arnond35