As returning students realize and new Spiders are discovering, Richmond stays pretty toasty well into August and September (sometimes even October). Although the heat can be grueling at times, there are lots of ways to cool off and actually enjoy the strong heat and humidity that you'll find in Richmond.
1. Visit a new cold treat place. Richmond is known for being a foodie haven, and sweet treats aren't excluded from that category. When the temperature is more than you can bear, grab a few friends and pay a visit to one of the may cold and sweet treat places Richmond has to offer. You don't even have to think immediately of ever adored Bev's Homemade Ice Cream (my favorite) or Boyer's. Try a yummy acai bowl from Pit and Peel, a cold and refreshing smoothie-like treat.
2. Buy a reusable water bottle. Although this may not seem like the first obvious option, in the Richmond heat, it's not impossible to get dehydrated. S'well bottles are perfect as they guarantee to keep cold drinks cold for 24 hours. This is an easy way to cool down quickly when you're making a long trek from the apartments to the international center. Make sure to load them up with plenty of ice! Trust me, it'll stay cold. And as a plus, they come in lots of fun colors and patterns (I have the black and white marble one!)
3. Enjoy a nighttime walk/run. Since its blistering hot during the day, no one will be judging you for waiting to workout at night. Invite a friend or two to run around campus and even around the lake at night. Summer nights here are much cooler during the day and the campus is well-lit in the evening and nighttime hours. This is a great compromise for those who tend to enjoy working out in the outdoors.
4. Spend the day inside. This may seem like the most obvious way to avoid the Richmond heat, but there are tons of different places to explore around Richmond where you can spend your Saturday afternoons inside with some lovely AC. Take a group of friends with you to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts or the VMFA. You can also explore other art galleries and small businesses around Richmond. Whatever it may be, go somewhere new and exciting, and inside.
5. Find a fun way to cool down outside. We are amidst day party season where the slip n slide is ever-so-popular, which is a perfect way to deter the heat on these few last blistering summer days. Another perfect philanthropic way to beat the heat this coming Friday the 9th is to come by Lambda Chi Alpha's Watermelon Bash, where proceeds go to Feeding America. What better way to cool down than by enjoying some refreshing watermelon while helping out charity?
