MSU community remains cool, refreshed during summer days

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As summer temperatures begin to creep toward 80 degrees and higher, MSU students have been finding ways to keep cool and beat the heat around East Lansing.

“I just stay outside and have some fun,” said Ania Bieciuk, a comparative cultures and politics senior, who said she finds ways to keep cool both inside and outside, be it through swimming at her apartment complex’s pool or shopping at the mall.

“I go out for bike rides a lot, which can get a little, you know, not cool, but it’s just refreshing because there’s a lot of cool places to see in East Lansing,” she said.

Indoor refreshment
The plethora of stores, restaurants and parks in both Lansing and East Lansing give people plenty of choices to beat the heat but still have fun, Bieciuk said.

“I think that during the school year all of us are so busy we don’t get to explore outside of our little niche,” Bieciuk said. “It’s worth it to get out there and take an evening or a day and just head out and see what’s there.”

Bieciuk was studying in the shade Monday on the patio of Grand River Coffee Café, 515 W. Grand River Ave., which is another good option to cool down because it offers air conditioning and Wi-Fi for its customers, store owner Ellen Sawvel said.

“It’s a nice atmosphere,” Sawvel said. “We have lots of good things to eat and snack on and all the coffee drinks can be blended.”

On days when the sun is out and temperatures are high, customers start showing up at Grand River during the afternoon and evening, and the store is open until midnight, she said.

“It’s a good place to sit around and study or just hang out,” she said.

MSU chemistry senior Steve Miller admitted he is not one to let the heat affect him too much.

Regardless, Miller and former MSU student Kathryn Turner were spending some time inside Bubble Island, 515 E. Grand River Ave., on Monday. The two walked from Miller’s apartment on Burcham Drive. The two planned on sitting outside, but after the walk decided to enjoy Bubble Island’s air conditioning.

Miller said the two take advantage of Michigan’s warmer days, and can find things both indoors and outdoors to have fun and keep cool.

“We like (restaurants) that we can sit outside at and enjoy the weather, because we only get summer for three months in Michigan,” he said. “When I start to feel like I’m getting too much sun, I’ll just throw a shirt on. Sometimes I’ll put on a little sunblock.”

Turner, who said she tends to sunburn easily, applies sunscreen every morning and goes swimming or shopping to keep cool on warmer days.

To Bieciuk, it’s both equally important to be able to enjoy the outdoors and avoid health risks.
“Sometimes when there’s (a) huge heat wave you just need to stay out of the sun,” she said.

Cool exercise
Those seeking an unconventional way to cool down may want to consider stopping by Suburban Ice, 2810 Hannah Blvd., an ice rink that offers ice skating and hockey classes in the summer, as well as public ice skating every day of the week, program director Jessica Redmond said.

“It’s something different to do rather than your normal summer (activities),” she said. “Our summer numbers have been pretty good. You wouldn’t think that people would be looking to skate in the summer, but they actually do.”

Suburban Ice rents skates to patrons who do not own a pair. The rink also maintains a busy calendar of events, with public skating offered at variable times, she said.

“You have options and we understand that there’s lot of different programs going on, (but) we’re very flexible with people and that helps,” she said.

Ice skating classes are offered to those of all ages, and are designed to teach participants the fundamentals of ice skating.

“We have very good and highly qualified instructors,” she said. “It’s something anyone can do.”
Jason Algra, a manager at the East Lansing Family Aquatic Center, 6400 Abbot Road, said traffic at the center has been up this summer, with attendants flocking from East Lansing and the surrounding areas to cool off.

“I think it’s convenient,” Algra said of the center. “It’s in a central area for a lot of (outer) locations (and) we usually accommodate a large number of people during the day.”

The center features a pool and several slides, he said, as well as areas for kids to swim and a concessions area. The center also offers a $1 admission discount for patrons after 5 p.m.

Keeping it chilled
John Engstrom, operations manager for the MSU Dairy Store, said traffic has increased 10 percent this summer for a combination of factors.

“It’s an inexpensive way to treat yourself,” he said. “We’ve been pushing hard to make people aware that we’re here on campus.”

The Dairy Store has two locations, one in Anthony Hall and another in the Union. The store makes its own ice cream in a dairy complex in Anthony Hall, then uses the money it makes to keep churning out more ice cream.

“Overall, it’s been a very good summer so far,” he said.

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