After the holidays, life can be a little boring. Winter term is generally grayer and colder, and the days of whimsical summer dates seem far away. And they are. @@Downer, much?@@Sometimes it takes more creativity to enjoy these frosty months with your special someone, but it is possible to enjoy them. Give yourself something to look forward to and share it with someone you love. Oregon tends to be relatively cold year-round, anyway.
Bundle up and go outside. With the right cold-weather gear (including a couple hand warmers), the possibilities are endless. Well, almost endless. Take a weekend trip to the Oregon Coast — complete with clam chowder and fireplace s’mores. Get some cider and go on the boardwalk or head into town and check out the coastal shops or farmers’ markets. Play board games afterwards, or head to the nearest Barnes and Nobles; most people can spend hours in there if they find their perfect section. Check out the Tillamook Cheese factory or if you’re able, go wine tasting. Leaving campus can oftentimes mean leaving a stress-ridden atmosphere. Find refuge somewhere relatively nearby — but somewhere that seems like a million miles from school.
If you’re seeking an adrenaline rush, try taking your boyfriend or girlfriend snowboarding or skiing and impress each other with how many times you can wipe out or how much air you can get off the steepest jump. If all that fancy stuff isn’t your thing, just go sledding. Take pleasure in the winter, because it’s going to be here whether you do or don’t. Find an outdoor ice skating rink, dress up, bring your camera, and pretend like you’re living a timeless winter romance, even if you aren’t. Hike Spencer Butte. Just by keeping your heart rate up, the weather will go from freezing to refreshing. Breathe in all the trees and wildlife; listen to the silence and meditate.@@I think a female needs to edit this post. I’m getting nauseous@@
If you’re pressed for time or resources, head to the dollar theater and check out that one movie that you didn’t want to spend full price on. Or if you’re feeling particularly extravagant, check out two — or three. For those real go-getters, tap into your inner Dancing with the Stars. The Oregon Ballroom Dance Club hosts open ballroom dancing nights in Gerlinger Hall. They even have lessons available for inexperienced couples. Local “paint your own pottery” studios can also be a different, quirkier option. Generally you can go in, choose some obscure figurine to paint, and then buy it. No lessons or recurring fee necessary.
If you think outside the warm-weather-only box, winter weather date possibilities can be endless. Letting the creative juices flow every once in a while can strengthen relationships and make more unique memories. However, if all you and your special someone are able to do outside of life’s many obligations is cook, watch movies, and cuddle on the couch all winter, that can be just as wonderful too. Remember to enjoy it and remember to remember that it doesn’t have to be boring.
