Canadian Beer, Extra Ice Please

First of all, I hope you all aren’t working too hard this reading week. It is far too short to spend locked up with homework as your sole companion, so be sure to do like I did and get outside!


Instead of hitting the beach, which costs <em>way</em> too much money, or spending hours on Google Maps pretending to be somewhere else, I&rsquo;ve decided to embrace Canada for what it is: cold and snowy.


My extended family packed up and spent a few days locked up in a cottage in sub zero temperatures. And you know what? It was actually pretty fun!


<em>The Shining</em>-level of cabin fever was fortunately avoided and instead we spent the days snowshoeing, cross-country skiing over the frozen lake, and spending a lot of time staring out the window with tea and listening to Fleet Foxes.


Sure, the shallow fireplace smoked out the entire house and everyone needed heated blankets not to die from the cold, but I think sometimes the best way to spend your time is right in your own backyard.


As I write this I&rsquo;m buried in said heating blankets with my dog, a Smirnoff Ice, and absolutely nowhere to go. Being trapped somewhere without the comforts of home can be great; you can read something other than textbooks and go out and actually <em>enjoy</em> the snow.


It is really the most Canadian way to spend your break: knee deep in snow, trying to tan in it, and drinking Canadian beer with neighbors you barely know who have a penchant for saying &ldquo;eh&rdquo; in every sentence.


So instead of sitting inside doing your homework and hating the fact that &ldquo;spring&rdquo; break is only a term we can use lightly here, try going out in it.


Try some skating at the various places in Waterloo, go sledding, or even just go to a Starbucks with nothing but a book and lock yourself up somewhere new for a few hours.


If you have a car, I&rsquo;d suggest grabbing a thermos and filling it up with your favourite Timmies drink, packing a few sandwiches, and going out on a little winter road trip.


A good place to check out would be Killarney, Algonquin, or Quetico for winter yurt rentals where you can snowshoe and cross country ski. If you aren&rsquo;t a fan of camping then pick a spot on a map that has a scenic trail and just plug in your iPod and bring some warm blankets for the ride.


Regardless of what you do, or did, this reading week, just make sure you take some time to go outside and enjoy winter for what it is. Keep warm and have fun!