USC students trying to cure summer boredom should consider going on a summer outing with USC's Outdoor Recreation.
All summer long students have the opportunity to slackline, tube down the river or mountain bike, all for free.
Outdoor Recreation staff members handle everything. All students need to do is to call ahead to make a reservation and then show up for the activity.
"It's organized so you just show up and you're good to go," said second-year economics student Brett Hardt, an Outdoor Recreation staff member.
Outdoor recreation offers different activities throughout the week, from slackline lessons each Monday tubing down the Broad River for a relaxing float on Tuesdays. On Wednesdays students can bike the trails of Harbison State Forest. Students can tube down the Saluda River, which is a longer trip than the Broad River outing on Thursdays and has more whitewater.
Outdoor Recreation can provides all equipment needed for each activity, but there is a rental fee.
Beth Toland, a second-year public relations student, enjoyed a Tuesday outing down the Broad River.
The outing consists of about a 45-minute inner tube float down the Broad River that goes from the Riverfront Park on Laurel Street down to the Gervais Street bridge.
"I've never been granted such a unique perspective of the city," Toland said. "I would do it again."
Brittany Barefoot, a second-year nursing student, also had a fun time floating the river and enjoyed viewing the river's wildlife.
"It's definitely an experience that I would suggest to all students," she said.
Katie Grahm, a visiting student from Western Michigan University, said that the tubing outing was a "great way to experience Columbia, especially on a college budget."
Crystal Favors, currently a summer intern at the Capstone Conference Center, also participated in the river outing. Favors is also from out-of-state and new to Columbia, coming from the University of Arkansas where she is pursuing her master's degree in higher education.
"I really enjoyed the experience," Favors said, "I recommend that all students take advantage of it because it's free."
"It's gives you the opportunity to see the beauty in Columbia. It's good to get out here and get close to nature."
For more information and the outings schedule, visit Outdoor Recreation's Facebook group. Students can also visit Outdoor Recreation at their Web site campusrec.sc.edu/orec, or call their office at (803) 576-9397.
The Outdoor Recreation office is located in the Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center on the first floor. Reservations should be made 24 hours in advance and the last day for the outings is August 13.
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