When I first began truly considering where I would spend my four years of college, I always imagined it would be somewhere that was warm year round, where an inch of snow necessitated a state of emergency. After a lifetime of living in New England, I was downright sick of the cold. But when decision time came, I instead chose to overlook those dreaded months known as winter and make my home at Emerson, located in the heart of Boston (and on the corner of the windiest intersection I’ve ever experienced). But as much as I hate the cold and the snow, living in the city has truly been an eye opening experience when it comes to the frigid season. Instead of making a list of all the things I hate about winter in the city, I chose to name a few of the reasons to love it.
1. Ice Skating in the Common
What creates a more picturesque scene of a winter wonderland than skating on a pond in the middle of a park? Every movie that takes place in the winter has a romanticized scene of a couple gliding across a pond, hand-in-hand, while concluding the night with a kiss under the stars. While the star viewing is limited in Boston, skating around the Frog Pond in the Common comes awfully close to this ideal evening. You almost seem to forget the cold as you skate around the pond, surrounded by twinkling lights.
2. Boston Winter Sports
For all you sport fans out there, the winter season comes with a whole onslaught of sport to watch, both in the stadium and on your TV. Between football, basketball and hockey, it seems that a game is on every night. And if you have a little cash to spare, head down to TD Garden to support the Celtics and the Bruins. Go Boston!
3. Hot Chocolate
Around every corner in Boston, is yet another coffee shop (and no, they aren’t all Dunkin Donuts). Each of these coffee shops seems to boast their own “award winning” hot chocolate. And when the weather is below freezing, I think it is completely valid to try a cup from every place—even if it does make us go broke. So go ahead! Try that 3 oz “French” hot cocoa at The Thinking Cup. It’s worth it.
4. The Views
Year round, Boston boasts some of the most stunning views of a city that I have every seen. But during the winter, the imagery gets that much more beautiful. Whether it be the twinkling lights that line Newbury Street or the panoramic, snow encrusted city seen from the Top of the Hub, the winter scenery in Boston is unlike any other.