Welcoming Spring!
By Naomi Gee-Burko, Evelyn Crowley, & Hazel Russo-Hartung
Photo courtesy of Hazel Russo-Hartung ‘30
In the graph below, you can see that around 22% of our Newman community enjoys spring as their favorite season. Here in Back Bay, spring is in full bloom, with many lively plants blooming right outside of our school. Aster Evans ‘26 comments, “I absolutely adore asters (somewhat obviously) and I also love weeping willows. I love seeing flowers bloom, and I absolutely adore the weather. It makes me so happy to sit in the sun or in the warm rain and hear the birds chirping again after the winter.”
In the survey sent out a few weeks ago, it was reported that the majority of the school prefers fall over spring, with over 45% of the community preferring fall. Naya Shalish ‘27 commented, “I love the leaves and the beautiful colors and the perfect weather. [One of my favorite things about fall is to] go hiking in nice weather… [or] walking my dog in the park.”
Next, 42% of Newman students and faculty preferred the warmer weather in summer. Ms. Shoneye commented: “I love to go outside and walk around in nature with my dog. I love hotter weather because I can be at the pool and eat ice cream/popsicles. I like to go anywhere outside the country that is surrounded by a body of water because I love to swim. I chose summer as my favorite season because the best day of the year is during that time. MY BIRTHDAY!
In third place, 30% of participants said they enjoy spring as their favorite season. Evans comments: “Spring overall makes me very happy! Seeing new life in the world makes me feel so excited, and it just feels so perfect.”
Lastly, around 12% of Newman picked winter as their favorite season. Evelyn Crowley ‘30 commented on her favorite activities. She says, “In the winter, I love to go ice skating or just stay inside. It’s so calming to relax indoors and bake or read with the snow falling outside. I love the winter mainly because of the weather. And I also enjoy the break from academics over winter vacation. Overall, it’s such a beautiful season, and that’s why I love it! I usually go to Vermont to enjoy the beautiful weather, or anywhere else to visit family or friends… It’s so nice to experience winter in different places, and it’s a great opportunity to spend time with my family.”
Graph highlighting the results from the Newman survey.
In a survey conducted by Rasmussen Reports, in 2024, 39% of American adults preferred fall as well. They interviewed about 1,300 participants in total. The results reported that 24% of participants enjoy summer, and spring is close behind, with 22% enjoying the season. In last place, again, was winter, with 10% of participants picking it as their favorite season. This is an interesting phenomenon, as in both of these surveys, there was the same order of favorite seasons. Why do you think this occurrence happens?
One of the most enjoyable things to do in Boston in the spring is to visit all the public parks or paths, such as the Boston Common, the Public Garden, or even the Esplanade. Many lively plants are starting to bloom, and the green areas bring joy and a sense of calmness to many residents. One flower that has already bloomed in many gardens is the daffodil. These delicate flowers are known for their bright yellow or white trumpet-shaped flowers. Additionally, they are often symbolic of hope, due to their emergence following the cold winter.
Even though visiting the plants at parks or public gardens is a fun spring activity, there are many other pastimes that pop up around this time of year. For example, one popular spring or summer activity is the Public Garden Swan Boats. These unique boats, consisting of 20 passengers and one driver, atop a huge faux swan, travel around the Public Garden Lagoon and are a popular tourist attraction. They have a fascinating history, starting in the late 1800s, and with heightened anticipation, open on Saturday, April 19th. More information can be found here: https://swanboats.com/.
Additionally, as most of us are aware, the historic Boston Marathon just passed on April 21st. This marathon, dating back to 1897, is an annual race that stretches from Hopkinton to Copley Square, just a few blocks away from our school. This is an incredible and significant event that is widely celebrated and competed in. Participants from all over the world come together to share this intense sporting event every Patriots Day. This year, about 30,000 runners will be participating, and thousands more will spectate, cheering the competitors on. This is a fun experience and inspires others to start running or participating in their spring sports. For more information, please visit this website: https://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon.
Not only in Public Gardens, or in busy streets around Boston, are there lovely spring sights. Right here, on Marlborough Street, plants such as Magnolia flowers or Dogwood trees are blooming. It is important to look around at your surroundings and notice all the wonderful flowers and plants beginning to bloom. Happy spring!
Photo courtesy of Hazel Russo-Hartung ‘30
