Part of managing stress is making sure that you have time for yourself. Looking for fun activities locally and online are great resources to give yourself a break.

Book Club http://www.ilovelibraries.org/booklovers/bookclub

This last August, I joined a book club. At first I thought I wouldn’t have time, but with the aid of audio books, we have already gone through six different books. Being in a graduate program it can be nice to talk about a book that isn’t connected to the program but still helps broaden the mind and to top it off have fun with some friends in the process. The link above provides some tips on how to start a book club.

Local Music Groups – Walla Walla Symphony, http://www.wwsymphony.org/

Music has been a large part of my self-care remedy and it is always fun to go out and listen to local artists. I have particularly grown fond of the Walla Walla Symphony. To find local artists or music groups such as an Orchestra, try searching on Google for locations and times.

Local Theater – https://www.ltww.org/ & https://phtww.com/

Seeing a local play can be a fun experience. Live productions have a special feature where the same play is never done the same way twice. They can provide laughter or a good cry and often times has a valuable lesson to share. In Walla Walla we have two theatres where live performances are done. To search for local theatres, try searching on Google for “theatre near me”. (Do note the spelling difference between theatre and theater as the latter typically applies to movie theaters).

 Wine tasting              http://www.wallawallawine.com/wineries

I have grown to love wine tasting in the Walla Walla Valley and it isn’t just about the wine. It can be fun to go out with some friends and have a day just to ourselves drinking and eating good food. It has also provided a fun way to learn about something I didn’t know a lot about.

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife– https://myodfw.com/

Recreation.gov– https://www.recreation.gov/

Your state fish and wildlife website can offer information on a wide variety of outdoor hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing opportunities. It can be a great source for articles, workshops and events for hunters/fishers and nature  enthusiasts, as well as information on free fishing days.

Recreation.gov has information on various destinations and activities to explore. It is where you can go to make reservations for facilities all over Oregon and the US. You can also find information on permit and passes to parks and federal recreation sites.

Oregon Mycology Association– https://www.wildmushrooms.org

The Oregon Mycology Association offers classes, events and forays to identify and educate the public about fungi. So, If you’re interested in mushrooms, nature, and building community, please have a look at this site.

All Trails-  https://www.alltrails.com/

For any one that likes to get out into nature and explore the wilderness around you this is a great site for trails all over the world.

Soak Oregon– https://soakoregon.com/

This is a great source for hot springs in Oregon, of which we have a great many. The site includes a description of the hot spring, access, history, reviews, pictures, stats and  information about the pools, accommodations and fees.

*while these resources may be local to the author, your local area may have similar opportunities.