As we move further into February, and the Erie weather finally decides what temperature range it should stay in, I can’t help but feel bored and annoyed at being stuck inside during gross weather.

Yes, I know that the snow and the cold come every year to Erie. I mean, I’ve lived here almost all my life, but it still makes me miss the sunshine.

I love the warm weather, and anything above 70 degrees is the perfect temperature for me.

I am also always cold.

If you have ever been around me while walking outside, you’re aware of this, as I complain about it constantly.

I’ve always found it harder to hang out with friends and make plans during the winter months solely because of the weather.

During the fall semester, it is so easy to just walk to a friend’s apartment and hang out on the lawn outside the building or sit in Trinity Green and eat lunch and throw a Frisbee around.

I find that I make many more spur-of-the-moment plans and adventures when it’s warmer out.

I am very much a creature of habit, and for me it is much easier to be spontaneous when I know it’s going to be warm out and I don’t have to spend 10 minutes bundling up just to brave the weather outside.

Often in the winter, plans either get canceled because no one wants to leave the warmth of their apartments or the weather is too uncooperative for us to go out.

A lot of the time, my plans with friends will consist of going to Ryan Hall for food simply because it is close to my apartment and I won’t have to be outside long.

I wish there were more winter activities close to and on campus to enjoy, because while I hate the cold I am more than willing to go outside if I know I’m going to be having fun with friends.

Often times, the winter activities around Erie can be cost prohibitive to college students on a budget.

I know skiing and snowboarding are big things in the Erie area and can be a great group activity for friends, but for college students who have never skied before, the cost of a ski pass and equipment rental can be prohibitive.

My favorite winter thing that we don’t have on campus is a nice hill to sled on.

In high school, I would often go sledding with friends and teammates for hours and then to someone’s house for a nice group dinner.

I wish that we had a place on campus to do this, as this is an easy and low-cost activity that I know so many people enjoy.

It’s nice to be able to go outside all bundled up and just sled down a hill like little kids, joking and poking fun at friends when someone inevitably flips over halfway down the hill.

While I wish we had a suitable hill to sled on, since we do not, my friends and I have made new snowy day traditions of movie nights and board game nights that have become a regular staple in our friend group.

This has the added bonus of being inside, so we can all stay warm without having to be all bundled up.

Even though I may hate the cold, being able to go outside and play in the snow with friends is still something that brings a smile to my face and makes me appreciate Erie a little more.