By Ashley Yenick, Student at Merrimack College

Spring is here, which means it's one more month until SUMMER!

Now that it's beautiful outside every day, there are so many things to do outside, including hiking, ziplining and paddleboarding. U Chic is here to help you with your outfits for the outdoors!

Outdoor Activity #1: Hiking

I picked hiking as the first outdoor activity because it’s a great way to exercise and take in nature. I suggest going hiking mid-afternoon, that way you’re digested after lunch and still have daylight. I also suggest going on a short trail and following the maps and trails that they provide. The last thing you want to do is get lost.

For our first outdoor outfit, I picked a purple monogrammed anorak jacket. When you’re hiking, especially during this weather, it can get chilly or windy, so I added this jacket. I loved that it was a bright purple color and that it was monogrammed (because let’s face it, everything is better with monograms). For your hike, I advise bringing a backpack to put all of your necessities in (water, sunscreen, phone and ChapStick) like this amazing Vera Bradley backpack. Having a backpack gives you a place to hold all of your essentials and enables you to be hands free.

Yoga pants are super comfortable to walk in when you’re on your hike, and given the warm spring weather, I picked yoga capris to make it easier on your hike. The goal is to be as comfortable as possible while you’re hiking. Bringing your phone is also a great idea because you can look on your phone for maps of where you are and will have it in case of an emergency situation. Sunscreen, sunglasses and water are needed when hiking as well because you constantly have the sun from every angle, and chances are, you’ll wind up with a bad sunburn.

I use SPF 70, but you can get a higher SPF to be more protected. Also, sunglasses help your eyes from being in the sun and ChapStick keeps your lips hydrated. Please be aware that hiking is an activity that is supposed to be done in groups, so grab your girlfriends and go hiking on a nice spring day!

Outdoor Activity #2: Ziplining

The next outdoor activity I picked was ziplining. Ziplining is an amazing activity where you go from one stop to another on a wire and hold your hands on a handlebar. It’s usually done in a forest or reservation-type area. Ziplining is an activity that’s fun to do with your friends on the weekend on a sunny spring day! When you’re ziplining, you can zip from 30 feet above the ground, and you also can go up to 50 miles per hour (depending on the zip). When you’re zipping, you want to be comfortable and have loose clothing on.

I picked yoga shorts and a flowy top to keep you cool as you zipline from stop to stop. If you go on a zipline tour with tour guides (which companies usually have), you’ll be able to take a digital camera with you to document your zipline trip with your friends! I highly recommend sneakers because you’ll be walking on trails and you’re not going to wear sandals of any kind. Going on ziplines with closed shoes are your best bet. There are also sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun and water to keep you hydrated!

Outdoor Activity #3: Paddleboarding

The third and final outdoor activity I picked was paddleboarding. Paddleboarding is a trendy activity that’s loved by so many celebs (R-Patz is featured in this Polyvore set paddleboarding). It consists of a smaller surfboard and a paddle. Think of paddleboarding as surfing with a paddle. It is a SERIOUS workout and works out your abs and your arms!

In this set, I included a cute bathing suit to wear while you paddleboard. To stay protected from the sun’s harmful rays, I have sunscreen and sunglasses included in the set. Also, staying hydrated is important because being out in the sun for a certain amount of time can dehydrate you. Finally, a towel is needed to dry off after a fun outdoor activity. Paddleboarding is fun to do, whether it’s in the spring or summer because it’s another great way to work out and get some fresh air.