As the ugly mixtures of snow and rain continue in Greenwich Village, students prepare for the second week of classes of the semester. Between soaked Ugg boots and frizzy hair, winter is not proving to be an enjoyable season for NYU’s collegiettes so far. With the holidays officially behind us, the excitement that comes with the winter season has faded. Unfortunately, winter in New York City can possibly last all the way through March. Rather than hibernate in dorms or apartments for the remainder of the season, NYU girls should check out these fun ways to make this dreary season just a little more cheery.
Every Monday night, starting February 4th and ending February 25th, Bryant Park will be hosting the Citi Pond Winter Film Festival. Each Monday starting at 7:00 pm, NYU students can skate along to a whimsical movie musical or bundle up in a sleeping bag and watch from the designated viewing area. The four movies being featured this season are Peter Pan, Singin’ in the Rain, Chicago, and Grease. The best part of this event is that admission is free. The most you will probably spend is a few dollars on some hot chocolate from the ‘wichcraft kiosk or $14 to rent some skates. For more information about this event, Collegiettes can check out CitiPondatBryantPark.com. Stuck with a class on Monday night? Then be sure to visit other local ice rinks such as the Wollman Rink and the Lasker Rink in Central park, as well as the Ice Skating Rink in Stuyvesant Town for those who either live there or have friends there. There is always Rockefeller Plaza, but the wait probably wouldn’t be worth it.
If lacing up a pair of skates isn’t quite your thing, then maybe a delectable cup of hot chocolate is more your style. For the entire month of February, City Bakery is celebrating their 21st Annual Hot Chocolate Festival. Each day of the month there will be a different flavor of hot chocolate available with a Festival Finale on the 28th. From more standard flavors such as Milk Chocolate and Caramel to eccentric ones such as Moulin Rouge and Ode to the Polar Bear, City Bakery is abundant in hot cocoa. The bakery is located at 3 West 18th Street, perfect for NYU Collegiettes living in the West Village. For more information check out www.TheCityBakery.com where you can see all of the flavors they will be featuring this month.
With a cup of City Bakery’s Ginger Hot Chocolate in hand, many students will settle in for a very important televised event: The Oscars. On February 26th, the 84th Annual Academy Awards will be aired at 7 pm eastern time. While the 26th seems far away, why not use the first twenty-five days of the month to get together with some friends and head to the theaters to see the nine pictures nominated for Best Picture. Since movies in New York can be quite expensive, Collegiettes should make sure to stop by the Ticket Central Office at Skirball to get some Discount Movie Passes and take advantage of the discounts.
The most important thing to remember about the winter season is that it will end eventually. So rather than sit around watching hulu and packing on some winter pounds, why not take advantage of all of the great ways to enjoy this cold season in the city and kick the seasonal winter depression to the snowy curb.