<p>What kind of outdoor activities are popular at Stanford? My friends who go there complain that the campus is like a secluded country club with nothing to do, but the last time I visited, I saw beautiful open natural space that could be used to enjoy tons of outdoor activities, perhaps like hiking or biking or whatever. Is the campus friendly to the outdoorsy-type who like to run around outside? What kinds of activities are possible at Stanford or in the surrounding area?</p>
<p>sledfish, Stanford is paradise for outdoorsy types. Huge numbers of people bike (not just to classes, but everywhere), lots of hiking on and off campus, Ultimate is very popular, tons of people go running at all different times of day, etc. I guess you could view Stanford in some ways as a “secluded country club” because of the gorgeous, well-maintained giant campus (though I don’t know of many country clubs that are so socially inclusive ; ) ), but “nothing to do”?? Lots to do, whether you’re outdoorsy or indoorsy.</p>
<p>i agree with zenkoan. there are soo many outdoorsy things to do (i dont personally take advantage of them because im not outdoorsy). in addition to the above post, people who want to can take trips to tahoe, yosemite, santa cruz, redwood, and other places quite frequently.</p>
<p>^I’m in Tahoe now! SO MUCH SNOW!! </p>
<p>The key word in your first post is “could.” There is a lot of space that could be used (golf course, tennis courts, the dish, open fields, open b-ball courts, running tracks, etc.). It’s really up to you to use it. A lot of students won’t, and sometimes you have to force yourself to go outside and stuff, but there is a large percentage who do utilize the amenities Stanford has to offer. Especially if your friends are doing outdoorsy stuff too. </p>
<p>I think there are a couple things that might hold Stanford back with regards to outdoor activities:
-lack of a grassy, centralized main quad. Even if the current Main Quad were grassy it’s not that centrally located (central location = White Plaza in my opinion, which isn’t big enough to serve as a sufficient main quad).<br>
-year round good weather + quarter system. In colder places, a relatively warm winter/early spring day and you WILL be outdoors. Semester schools end pretty early, so there’s not enough consistent good weather to have an excuse to stay indoors. Also when semester schools start, it’s still summer for all intensive purposes. So people will act like it. When Stanford starts, it’s like 3 weeks and then Halloween!</p>
<p>thanks, it sounds like stanford could be a lot of fun for the outdoors-minded. but why does it sound like people there have a hard time getting outside and enjoying the weather/nature?</p>
<p>^ Let’s think Stanford is the best university in the country, they attract the creme de la creme group of students, and THEY HAVE TO STUDY!!!</p>
<p>LOL sorry for being a dick :)</p>
<p>Head up to Mount Tam (Tamalpais) just a few miles past the Golden Gate. It will absolutely blow you away. Stanford and Cal students have access to a sinful (or blessed) assortment of outdoor and urban activities. Students at other colleges learn to live with the envy…</p>
<p>Anyone who thinks there isn’t anything to do on campus needs to look inward and see what’s wrong. There’s never enough time to do what’s on campus. I remember when I was choosing colleges, I was afraid that Stanford’s “bubble” would mean there isn’t enough to do. How very wrong I was. I’ve already maxed out what I can possibly do and there’s still tons more than I wish I had the time to do. Outdoor stuff is only one tiny part.</p>
<p>how about surfing/water activities?</p>
<p>or is that more of a socal thing?</p>
<p>Some people go sailing on the Bay (there’s a class for it too), or rowing on the Bay, etc. but for surfing you’d need to go to the Pacific (most like to go to Santa Cruz or Capitola, I think).</p>
<p>^^Careful with the NorCal surfing Sled, waters on the northern part of coast are cold and offer the occasional encounter with pesky sharks. Most surfing on the northern coast is for the more experienced. But if you’re at Stanford, take a 1hr Southwest flight down to San Diego for $150 bucks, spend the weekend, and give surfing a try.</p>
<p>According to the people in the hallway, finding some shrooms or acid…maybe do a line or two…Somehow I can’t find even find the time to do that. Cheers!</p>
<p>@SunDiego–yeah it’s cold, but I’m no surfer and even I have surfed a few times. It was fine–and really fun. Never ran into a shark, either, but the rip tides were something to watch sometimes.</p>
<p>Having sex with Sean Parker.</p>
<p>Sounds like paradise (the opportunities available, I mean, not the sex with Sean Parker, no offense to him). I live and work in NYC where people consider drinking at outdoor bars as outdoors recreation. </p>
<p>How warm is it usually during the winter, I wonder? Does it stay warm enough so that you don’t have to retreat indoors to continue your favorite activities?</p>
<p>^^ [Palo</a> Alto, California - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“Palo Alto, California - Wikipedia”>Palo Alto, California - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>
No indoor track. No indoor pool. No indoor tennis courts. Should give you an idea of winter weather. </p>
<p>The real problem is rain. Generally, there are 2-3 day stretches of rain followed by 1-2 weeks of sun for winter (starts a week or two before winter break, extends probably to a week before spring break). Periodic rain to start spring quarter. Then sunny skies every day.</p>