Proximity to the Virginia Beach oceanfront is what sells many students on coming to Virginia Wesleyan, but in reality, there’s only a few months out of the school year that the beach can be enjoyed in the typical ways we expect to enjoy the beach. The ocean cools down a few months after we arrive, and the weather drops to a point where it’s not enjoyable to lay on the sand. Every once in a while there will be warm weather days in the months of January to March that should be taken advantage of, but it is rare. I would personally say that swimming in the ocean may be too cold before April, but in the wise words of Virginia Beach native Jacob Davis, “slap on a wet suit and you’re good to go.”
However, cold water doesn’t mean that it’s ever too early to go to the beach itself. It may be too cold to swim or lay on the beach, but there’s still plenty of things to do outside. If you’re having fun and can bear the breeze from the ocean there’s no time too early to run down the oceanfront, play spikeball, build sandcastles, or have a picnic. My friends and I enjoy driving to the beach all months of the year. We recently drove to Sandbridge, ran down the beach, and then drove until we almost ran out of gas. It’s important to get out of our rooms and off campus sometimes and we should take advantage of being so close to the oceanfront.
Despite the water being very cold in most of the months we’re here at school, you can still enjoy all the amazing perks of living close to the beach. The cold weather shouldn’t stop you from going to the beach while you have the chance.
By Tori Steele
vdsteele@vwu.edu