By Amelia Alexander

When I was younger, I struggled with living in a town the size of Ada. I wanted more opportunities. I wanted more things to do. Recently, I’ve taken appreciation of Ada. I like our community. I like that when I’m walking my dog and there are so many people to greet. I like that I can walk or ride my bike everywhere. I like that I have a personal relationship with all of my teachers and I know all of my classmates. I understand that Ada is small and sometimes it feels like there isn’t much going on, so I wanted to inspire people to enjoy some of my favorite things to do in Ada.

Picnics at the park- I enjoy riding my bike to the park to sit on the grass and read or write. Sometimes I’ll listen to music or eat something. This is also fun to do at ONU.

The dog park- I spend a lot of my time at the dog park. Sometimes with my dog, sometimes with the dog that I am employed to take care of (best job ever).

The Ada Pool- As a lifeguard, I spend a lot of time at the pool. My favorite thing about the pool is aqua zumba Wednesdays. It’s probably one of the most fun ways to exercise.

Getting food/drinks- I know that options are limited in Ada, but what we have is very good. Some of my favorites include: Buckeye East coffee, El Campo, and No Limit Nutrition. I don’t eat out often in an attempt to save money, but I love going out to eat, and I always have a good time when I do go out for food.

Playing Tennis- For a town the size of Ada, it is absolutely incredible that we have three different tennis courts! I love playing tennis with my friends and family.

Going for walks/runs/ bike rides One of my favorite things about where I live is that I can easily go for a walk/run/bike ride straight from my house. If you live in town, you can probably relate. I feel safe in Ada, and I love that I can comfortably go for walks/runs/bike rides alone.

Seeing a movie- I haven’t been in a while, but I love going to the Ada theatre. Watching a movie in a movie theatre is a very different experience than watching one from home. It’s nice to stay in too, but I like to switch it up and go to the movies on occasion.

The record store- Albeit I’ve only gone once, the record store is a hidden gem in Ada, in my opinion. I like collecting records because the crackle that record players produce is comforting. I also like listening to the full album in the order that the artist/band decided was best. I find myself handpicking songs to put on my Spotify playlists, which is nice, but it’s a wonderful, different experience to listen to the album the way that the artist/band intended. The record store has a good, large selection of music to enjoy.

The Library- The library has plenty of fun activities during the summer. I have been too busy to go this summer, but I have many fond memories of the summer reading program. The librarians are very nice, and they’re always planning fun activities, such as yoga!

The Green Monster- The green track at ONU is very fun to walk, bike, rollerskate, or run through! I especially love the part by the forest. It’s nice to have somewhere scenic to run.

I hope I have inspired you to seek the adventure that consists in little Ada, Ohio. If you’d like, feel free to comment about your favorite things to do in town!