sNOw Worries – CL’s Fun-Filled Ideas for a Snow Day

I think that it’s safe to say that my last first day of undergrad got off to quite a different start than previous semesters, considering that it didn’t start at all.  Ok, it DID eventually start, but it was delayed two days due to inclement weather.  Thanks to snow, ice, and low temperatures my Christmas break was extended two extra days, and oh how nice those two days were!

While I have no complaints about postponing class for a few days, I will admit to having had a slight case of cabin-fever.  After unpacking and preparing for class the pending question was “what to do next?”  Thankfully my wonderful roommates and I found plenty to do to occupy our time and we can all say that we thoroughly enjoyed our “snow days.”  Take our ideas, combine them with some of your own, and you’ll be plenty prepared for unexpected holidays this winter.

Curl up with a blanket and hot chocolate (made the CL way!) and watch a good movie.  I have grown to love the DVR (digital video recorder) feature and our snow days provided the perfect opportunity to catch up on some good flicks, both favorites and ones I’d never seen before.  Oftentimes the terms “TV” and “couch potato” coincide, but a little dose here and there does no harm.

My roommate Sarah got a 500 piece puzzle for Christmas and we decided to attempt putting it together during our snow days.  Between the two of us (mostly Sarah), we finished the puzzle within a day.  Now we plan to hang our completed work of art in our bathroom to go along with our red and black theme.  The puzzle was a great way to get our brains back into “thinking mode.”

Play in the snow!  Sadly, our “snow” this most recent time around was mostly ice, therefore preventing fun snow play, but if you are fortunate enough to get good snow, take advantage of it.  Layer on lots of snow-proof clothes so that you are sure to stay warm and venture outside with your friends.  Build a snowman (or snowlady!), create snow angels, have a snowball fight, and take plenty of pictures!

Bake!  Because we had just returned from a month long break, our pantry was a bit sparse.  Betty Crocker® “simply add water” muffins made for a great treat.  They were quick, easy, and convenient, and might I mention quite tasty!

Getting antsy?  Pop in a work-out DVD and get your heart rate up!  Don’t have a work-out DVD?  YouTube offers plenty of short videos.  Type in the type of workout you’re interested in and you’re good to go!

Clean out your closet… and dresser, desk drawers, etc.  I was so grateful for two days of “nothing” so that I could clean out my room.  Cleaning out my closet was a continuous process for me throughout the course of 2010, and I am happy to say that I got rid of a grand total of 118 items – clothing, shoes, purses, etc. (now whether that’s a good thing that I got rid of so much, or a bad thing because I had so much to get rid of remains a question in my mind).  I turned over part of these items to a local consignment store and the rest I donated to my friend Amanda for a yard sale she is holding this spring to raise funds for her upcoming mission trip to Uganda (Interested in donating unwanted items towards a good cause?  Check out Amanda’s blog and contact her (marie_0130@hotmail.com) to find out how to send your items her way!).

Pull out that book you’ve been meaning to start!  I dove into a good few chapters of my current read during our snow days and can say that I thoroughly enjoyed my reading knowing that I was not procrastinating on school work by doing it.  Get into your comfiest clothes, relax, and take some time to read.

Let it snow – and when it does, you’ll know where to go!

Abby Bryant is an intern with College Lifestyles™.  She is a senior marketing major at Georgia College & State University® and is the president of her sorority, Sigma Alpha Omega®.  She enjoys finding creative ways to spend her time no matter what the weather and secretly hopes that this winter brings along a few more “snow days!”