“It’s quiet but it’s beautiful,” said kinesiology senior Matt Marbach, who has stayed three summers at MSU and said he prefers summer semesters to the regular school year.

Marbach found a shady spot next to the Red Cedar River to picnic with a friend yesterday afternoon, where he could truly enjoy the absence of classes.

“Home is boring,” Marbach said. “Here I have things to do and people to hang out with.”

Families could be found cooking in their backyards and students could be found doing anything from bike riding to going for walks, or visiting the beach. Some students even attempted to swim in the Red Cedar River, according to several students who claimed to see a group attempting this earlier in the day.

For Ellie Kenny, the beautiful day was a final chance to truly enjoy MSU, as the recently graduated MSU alumna will be leaving at the end of the week. But the lack of other students in East Lansing didn’t bring down her spirits in saying her final goodbye to MSU.

Kenny said she expected the area would be fairly scarce of students this weekend, as it’s typically that way over the summer, but she stayed here to be with friends because she’ll be getting plenty of family time when she moves home.

“You kind of just hang out with whoever’s here,” Kenny said. “Any chance you get to get away, people do.”

With MSU closed for the federal holiday, many students and residents appreciated the day primarily for its effect, a day off of work and class.

Lansing Community College junior and East Lansing resident Greg Brewer said it might be the lack of events surrounding Memorial Day that causes students to treat the day as a vacation instead of a tribute to fallen soldiers. Brewer observed Memorial Day by visiting Pittsford, Mich., for a basketball tournament and Memorial Day Parade.

“I don’t think we can ever do enough to say thank you,” Brewer said. “We have to recognize that the people before (us) gave their lives so that we can live the lives we live (with) the freedoms we have.”