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There are the obvious signs winter is over — snow melts, sunset after 6 p.m., and baseball season starts.

But here is what makes me think of the warmer seasons:
Open toed sandals,
Late night talks on the balcony,
Nature walks,
Sidewalk-chalkin’,
And switching from warm beverages, to cold ones.

My roommate is a big fan of sun tea, and since it’s her first year on her own, we were initially skeptical of her brewing abilities.

Turns out, it’s really easy. And yes, I’m sure most of you reading are this going, of course, it’s sun tea, its ridiculously easy to make! But please, remember, we are college undergraduates that survive largely on ramen and scraps we find around the house.

What you’ll need.
4 cups of cold water
5 teabags or 5 teaspoons of tea leaves
Large, very sterile glass container.

Instructions.
1. First, wash your container thoroughly, as the tea steeping occurs at the same temperature for bacterial growth.
2. Fill the container with 4 cups of cold water.
3. Add 5 teabags or 5 teaspoons of tea leaves, and secure lid tightly.
4. Put the container in direct sunlight for two hours.
5. Remove the tea bags/ strain tea leaves out.
6. Serve over ice and mix with sugar if desired.
7. Drink all tea within a few hours and discard whatever is left over.

Tips & warnings.
Wikihow.com recommends that you use caffeinated tea rather than herbal tea.
There is some controversy over the safety of sun tea, below is an excerpt from the website:

“What the CDC has said is that there is a theoretical risk of an increase of the bacteria commonly found in fresh water (Alcaligenes viscolactis) that has not shown itself clearly in real life, and it appears that this concern has been somewhat blown out of proportion due to internet information drift and the never-ending need for sensationalism about the potential for food poisoning.[2] What matters most is clean handling of the tea, as with anything you consume.” (wikihow.com/Make-Sun_tea)

So please, go sit on your balcony — lawn, nook, or whatever — sip on your favorite springtime beverage and enjoy the warmer temperatures. I know that's what I’ll be doing!

[Picture- my roommate and friend talking on our balcony last summer, good times!]

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