Hillsdale winter weather is best described as a malfunctioning icebox with temperatures fluctuating between -40 with windchill and 50 degrees and raining. Staying inside during the long months of winter is easy: it’s warm, the temperature is stable, and you won’t become part of the liberty walk by accidentally staying outside for longer than five minutes. But for the more adventurous people, there are plenty of things to do during winter around Hillsdale. Here are a few choices:
Sled
Sledding is one of the most underrated things to do as a young adult. Luckily for you, Hillsdale isn’t called Hillsdale for no reason and there are plenty of hills in the area to sled down. One of the best sledding areas is by the Biermann Center, where the steepest hill on campus can be found. Sleds are pretty cheap if you don’t have one, and it can make for a fun few hours on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.
Cross-Country Ski
The nearest ski hills are about an hour and a half away, and, unless you own a pair of downhill skis, the cost for doing moguls on a potentially artificially covered slope loses its luster quickly. Luckily, for those who crave the classic winter experience of snow skiing, there is an activity for you: cross country skiing. Hayden Park is perfect for this, and the trails are quite beautiful this time of year.
Bowl
Winter, with its biting cold, is a good time to watch Netflix, which now has The Big Lebowski available for streaming. But if you desire to partake in the activity which the movie is based around, Hillsdale has a bowling alley located at 400 W. Carleton Rd. Hillsdale Lanes is pretty cheap as well, costing $2.75 per person making this winter establishment a go-to on the weekend.
Listen to new music
Listening to music is sincerely underrated, and out of all the options on this list, it is the only one that does not require any form of traveling. There are plenty of winter themed albums that are perfect for looking at the snow accumulate outside your dorm or house too, and it can truly be a relaxing experience away from the world of reading for class, being cold, and spending money.
This author highly suggests checking out the Icelandic Post-Rock album Ágætis byrjun by Sigur Ros, Sufjan Stevens’ album Michigan, and Biosphere’s Substrata. All of these albums are, of course, available on all major streaming platforms and Youtube.
