Winter is upon us.
In Eugene, this means fewer daylight hours and lots of rain. During this time of year, it’s easy to feel cooped up inside and resentful of the weather that can be limiting to weekend plans. But we are resilient. We don’t let a little downpour force us to carry around an umbrella all day, and we certainly won’t allow it to ruin our weekend fun.
Here are a few creative ways to have fun on the weekends in spite of the dreadful winter weather:
1. Revive the boardgames
Hit up St. Vincents or Goodwill and peruse the game section for some childhood favorites or pick up something you’ve never played before. Non-board games like charades or Catch Phrase always get people talking and interacting, too. You can also steal ideas for games from shows like The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon or Hollywood Game Night.
2. Baking
Grab a friend and one of those recipes you’ve been drooling over on Pinterest and bake something delicious. Your place will smell like heaven. Eat the baked goods yourself or turn the activity into a good deed by bringing a plate of goodies into work or class for your peers to share.
3. Host a themed dinner party
Pick a theme, like a time period, TV show or movie, and have all of your guests dress up in that manner. Cook the appropriate cuisine for your guests or turn it into a potluck where everyone brings a dish. You could even pull up some music to go along with the night or create your own signature drink (alcoholic or not) for the event.
4. Have a karaoke night
This can be done a number of ways. You could dig up your old ’90s karaoke machine, buy a cheap microphone and DIY it, or use one of the games available for Wii or Xbox. If you do choose to put it together yourself, simply pull up a karaoke version of the chosen songs on YouTube. Display it full-screen on your laptop or connect it to your television so that your superstar friends can read it clearly.
5. Get your craft on
Make greeting cards for an upcoming birthday or holiday. Bring it back to the summer camp days and make some hemp anklets or beaded necklaces. You could even challenge yourself to learn something new like knitting or crocheting.
6. Plan a self-care spa day
Invite some friends over for a day of pampering. Have each person bring something that relaxes them and makes them feel good. It could be a foot soak, doing your nails, giving each other facials or anything else that you and your friends enjoy. It can be totally personalized depending on what makes you feel relaxed.
7. Make a fort and have a sleepover in it
Recall your childhood by gathering all of the chairs and blankets you can find in your house or apartment and designing the coolest fort known to mankind. Whether it ends up a true masterpiece or a total fail, you’re sure to get a good laugh out of the process. Fill it with tons of blankets and pillows to make it as comfy-cozy as possible. Watch some scary movies and have a sleepover in it for the ultimate indoor camping experience.
8. Workout to a video
Rent a workout video at the library, through iTunes, or find a free one on YouTube. Whether you’re in the mood for some relaxing yoga or some intense P90X, getting your endorphins pumping is always a good way to blow off some school stress. Get your roommates to join in too.
9. Re-organize your bedroom
Sometimes the best mental refresher is as simple as changing your environment. Find places for the things that have been laying around your room without a designated home. Rearrange your bedroom furniture for an easy change of scenery.
10. Embrace the cold
Throw all caution to the wind and go puddle jumping or engage in a mud fight. Embrace the winter and roll around in the weather that it brings.
Follow Lindsay McWilliams on Twitter @lindsaymacwill