Places to go When You’re Having Cabin Fever

By Alejandro Arcos| Published by October 20, 2020

When remote learning was introduced to Kean University amid the COVID 19 pandemic, it seemed simple and inviting enough, stay at home while working and learning from your bed. However, for many students the staleness and stress of doing things at home for weeks at a time has set in and students are expected to do this for several months ahead. What could be the solution to this? A change in scenery and some fresh air for starters. 

New environments or simply sitting outside on a good day can help kick that sickly cabin fever and aid in inspiring some writing for essays or clearing one’s mind for deducing assignments given by school courses. This is a short list of locations worth visiting if sitting around at home eventually gets tiring. 

• Barnes & Noble at Kean University – This is a bookstore and doubles as Kean’s very own merchandise shop on Green Lane. This establishment has a Starbucks built in it if coffee and dessert would help with getting some work done. As of now, sitting indoors is not permitted, but the patio outside has plenty of space and tables to settle down in. 
• The Kean University Campus – Although the interiors are mostly closed due to remote learning, there are still spots at Kean worth settling down in to enjoy the quiet. Whether it’s the gazebos, especially the one with a charging station next to CAS, the Be The Change Memorial Garden’s benches or on the grass itself, there are compelling locations to relax and work in. If the conditions are right, one may even see deer wandering over the grass near them. Just remember to bring a face mask.
• Phil Rizzuto Park: On North Avenue and right next to the large Kean University sign behind the North Ave. Academic building is a small public park with a soccer field, exercise equipment and a children’s playground. Two gazebos sit in this main area where they are separated from each other and aren’t far from either Kean or restaurants to bring lunch from.
• Morris Ave/The Shoppes at Vermella: Directly across from the Green Lane building where Barnes & Noble is located, is a shopping center with some places worth having a seat for the evening in. One can choose to sit in the Panera, Starbucks or Chipotle to grab some lunch and focus on some work. If not, the outdoor space between the Starbucks and the relatively new Hynes Hall is just as good as a place to get some work done

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