Hello all, and welcome to another year here in the great city of Winona. If you are a first year student here at WSU or if you have never heard of a window before (they’re a new invention, I would highly recommend that you check them out), you may not have noticed how UTTERLY GORGEOUS is is here in Winona. We live in a beautiful part of the Midwest; from the cascading bluffs to the vast Mississippi river, Winona has endless opportunities to get out and explore nature.

“But Caleb, I’m a busy college student.  Why should I even bother making time to go outside?” Great question guys, thanks for asking. For those of you first year students sitting in your residence hall rooms reading this, you are probably sitting in a 12′ x 10′ box, which frankly, is just about twice the size of the average jail cell (they usually run about 6’X8, just so you know). Now, I am being a bit melodramatic, but remaining in a small space for extended periods of your life, in my opinion, isn’t beneficial in any way.

It is commonly known that getting up and being active is one of the fundamental ways to improve yourself while you are here in school as it helps with cognitive function, benefits your physical health, improves positive self-image and your outlook on the world, and countless others benefits. (I know we have been preached this message of the benefits of physical activity several times on this blog. However, if you are anything like me, it is easy to come up with an excuse to put it on the back burner.)

That being said, taking advantage of Winona’s natural beauty is a fun, engaging and easy way to incorporate activity into your daily routine. Even 5 minutes of outdoor activity a day, according to the Journal of Environmental Sciences &Technology, is enough to gain some physical and mental benefits. AND, to not give you any excuses, fun outdoor activities here in Winona can be FREE! (I’ll give you a moment to hug your wallet and cry in joy for a little bit…………….)
These free activities include
  • Taking a hike in the bluffs surrounding the city
  • Spending the day at the LaCanne beach down Hwy 61
  • Taking a walk through one of Winona’s many parks
  • Starting a pick-up game of of football, soccer, tennis or baseball at Lake Park
  • Renting canoes, kayaks, and other water crafts on East and West Lake
  • Playing the frisbee golf course around the lakes.

If you are more adventurous and willing to spend a little money, Winona State’s Outdoor Education & Recreation Center offers many trips and gear rental for a very modest price.

So go drag some friends out of the house and go see what Winona has to offer!