Whether you hate the snow or you love it, one thing can be said for New England residents- you are going to have to deal with it regardless. So far, the winter season has only seen a few scattered days of snowfall. But it is only December, and with the temperature finally staying at a consistently low level, it is only a matter of time before the real snow hits.

I have heard multiple people say that they hate the winter. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy working on my tan or chilling at the beach, but that doesn’t mean I want to skip over the winter season altogether.  Most people don’t realize it, but there is so much to do this time of year.

Spending time outside and appreciating the wintery landscape is the simplest way anyone can enjoy the season.   In New England, we are very fortunate to be able to experience every variation of weather that nature has to offer.  We get a healthy dosage of the fall, winter, spring, and summer during the course of any given year. Having the opportunity to enjoy what every specific season has to offer is a privilege that many on this planet do not have.

A great activity to try is ice-skating, which can be done at Frog Pond in Boston.  There is nothing like being in the heart of the city and skating around with your friends, with the view of the city skyline as a background. If you haven’t had the chance to ice-skate yet, I would highly suggest doing it- it is an experience you won’t regret.  If Boston seems too far a drive, try indoor ice-skating at the local Civic Center, located down the street from the Fitchburg State campus.

We also have numerous venues in the area that offer skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, tubing, sledding and hiking.  These are all things that you can’t experience during the summer months, unless you are willing to plan a vacation to a cold destination.  For me, nothing beats the exhilarating feeling of tearing up a mountainside by carving a turn in fresh powder.

In short, the purpose of this article was not to convince you that the winter is the best time of the year.  Everyone has the right to form their own opinion on what seasons they like or dislike. My true goal was just to show the readers that there is so much that comes along with the winter besides shoveling and freezing temperatures. You just have to be willing to give winter activities a fair and unbiased chance, like anything else in life that is new or unknown to you.