Winter break always comes at the perfect time, right after finals when you’re exhausted and ready to spend a full day (or three) in bed, see friends from home you haven’t talked to since summer vacation, and read that book that’s been sitting on your shelf all semester, calling to you while you wrote essays and studied for exams.
But, even after a full fall semester of hard work sitting inside in classrooms, studying at a coffee shop or the library, winter break isn’t conducive to getting outside. We want to sleep, bake, read, watch movies, sleep some more, drink hot chocolate, hang out with old friends, bake again, eat, and sleep more. Whether you plan on coming back to Missoula for Winter Session or stay home, it’s easy to get outside and do things in the winter—and who knows, with some time outside, maybe you’ll decide winter’s your new favorite season! Here are ten ways to get outside in the cold this winter:
- My personal favorite—go skiing! Whether you’re a rookie or a seasoned shredder, there’s nothing than getting your edges into a mountain and riding the curvature of your ski down the mountain. Or, you know, falling a lot. Student ticket prices, especially in Montana as a college student, are usually pretty discounted, and it’s not too hard to find a good package deal with a lesson if you need one. And, if you need more incentive, skier dudes are attractive, so no excuses!
- Go ice skating. This one’s classic, too. Don’t forget to wear plenty of padding!
- Just take a walk. Bundle on all those cute layers you’ve been splurging on every week and use them for something besides walking to class! A walk in downtown Missoula is beautiful at night the lights and the river, especially with a latte from The Break or Liquid Planet in your hand. And, a cupcake from Bernice’s at the end? That’s what I call a walk!
- Sledding is another classic, but one that tends to get forgotten in favor of the warm living room next to the crackling fire. You’ll stay warm hiking the hill, and have tons of fun on the way down too! Not to mention, plastic sleds are cheap.
- Build snowmen, if you have enough snow for it!
- Ditto with the snow angels, and try and perfect it—no visible boot prints allowed.
- Go out in the snow and check out the snowflakes. Sometimes they’re dull little pellets of condensed snow, but other times they’re beautiful, miniscule doilies that will rest on your jacket sleeve long enough to take a picture. And somehow, not one of them is the same.
- Snowball fight, another classic!
- Check out a hockey game—while the rink might not technically be outside, it’s cold enough! The Mauler’s always have good games. Check out their schedule here: http://www.missoulamaulers.com/schedule/
- Go snow biking. It’s a real thing! Bikes with huge tires are made for plowing through deep snow—like skiing, only on a bike. Check out more info on it here: http://www.grandtarghee.com/winter/activities/snow-mountain-biking.php
Happy holidays, and happy outside winter!