Winters in Ithaca are… interesting. Some days you’ll wake up to a frigid, yet aesthetic winter wonderland. Other days, it’s rainy and muddy, with gray and brown slush soaking into the ground and your shoes. These unforeseen weather conditions can make it difficult to find enjoyable activities to do this time of year, but no spontaneous weather can ruin a fun winter day! Here are a few ideas to get you started, that’ll keep you entertained for any sort of spontaneous Ithacan winter weather.
- Make Maple Taffy
Hopefully, there’s at least a little bit of freshly fallen snow for you to do this. All it takes is some maple syrup (that you’ll have to boil) poured over a layer of densely-packed snow. Going outside to gather the snow, boiling the warm, gooey maple syrup, and finally getting to enjoy your chewy and sweet taffy makes this the perfect, simple winter activity you could do. - Build a Snowman
When you’re stressed about all the holiday gifts you have to buy, finals that are packed into the days before break, or the feet of snow on the road blocking you from commuting to school, I guarantee that seeing a smiling snowman on your neighbor’s front lawn will erase any sort of stress you feel and rejuvenate your holiday spirit. So, be that sense of joy and make a snowman for the greater good and sanity of the community.
- Sled
Whether the hill is covered in snow, ice, or mud, all you need is a platform that supports you and your will for adventure. Just make sure you’re wearing appropriate attire for this activity, and possibly a helmet…
- Cut out Snowflakes
Instead of blankly staring at the pages and pages of lab manuals or problem sets you have to do, make snowflakes out of them! Bring your brain cells back to life and cut out snowflakes of all kinds. When your teacher asks you for your homework, simply present them with the snowflake, and I’m sure they will be much more impressed to see a beautifully curated snowflake than your understanding of the topic.
- Snowball Fight
Typically, this is thought of as an outdoor activity, but if there’s no snow or the snow isn’t compact enough for snowballs, you can do this indoors instead. Make pom-poms, or use items that will not leave anyone with a serious injury upon being hit with them, and have fun through the chaos and excitement that is sure to follow with this activity.