Baby, its cold outside…really freakin’ cold outside.

As cold as it is outside, our beds are warm and inviting, pleading with us to sleep for just those few more minutes, making it a close call for classes. We become even more uninterested with class because all we worry about is warming up. I’ve noticed class attendance drops with the temperature, including mine. It’s almost a scientific fact.

I’m pretty sure we aren’t skipping class to watch the clouds because we never look up past our shoes. The monosyllabic gestures of acknowledgement to and from class go unanswered because no one ganders sky ward. Looking up gives the harsh frigid air a chance to whisk into our clothes and find the uncovered warm skin.

The frigid air is remarkably good at piercing the skin you thought you covered multiple times. You have so many layers on you look like Violet Beauregarde in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” after eating the gum. Some of you actually don’t wear layers, and I seriously question your sanity.

No matter the layers-or sanity- I think we all can agree Jack Frost is an asshole and should pack up and leave…now!

But before we run frigid Frost out of town, he has striking qualities. If you choose to look up around campus you will find that the ice and snow can be aesthetically pleasing at times. The snow gives perfect, immaculate white snowcaps to our already beautiful buildings. The ice on trees makes spectacular icicles, before becoming power bombs from the sky. I had a friend suffer a black eye from an icicle impaling him. Nonetheless, icicles can be pretty.

Along with the picturesque landscape, snow and ice can bring enjoyment in other exiting ways. We can revert to our earlier years and erect snow people or snow families, depending on your time commitment. This construction of life can bring togetherness with roommates, mortal enemies or your imaginary friends. You can also assemble perverted looking snow people because we are mature enough to do so, and you have to admit it makes for a good laugh.

Along with building snow people, you can have some stupendous snowball fights. Nothing says good morning quite like a tightly packed snow ball to the back of the head, trust me. Get together and release pent up frustration and hurl spheres of snow at each other as hard as you possibly can.

I must caution you, don’t mix ice and snow. I know there are some dirty hurlers out there, but no good can come from the illegal mixing, so stop it. The snow-ice combination can really ruin a good time, and no one wants to do that.

The winter season brings another wonderful delight, hot chocolate. I know you can buy hot chocolate all year round, but hot cocoa doesn’t taste nearly as delectable in 90 degree weather. Don’t forget to add marshmallows to your hot cocoa; they go together like peanut butter and jelly.

Talking about snow wouldn’t be complete without sledding. There is no thrill better than sitting on a tiny piece of plastic or wood and sledding down a hill with little control of speed and direction. Sometimes sledding can be a blast, and sometimes it can be a bust-literally. Bones and pride can bust with a wrong turn at Albuquerque.

Everything has a fun side and a dark mean side that turns out to be no fun at all.

Ice can hurt very badly but can still make for great entertainment. The first ice of the winter makes people look like they are walking for the first time. People fall on the new ice surface, only to arise and see if they had an audience, then walk as if nothing happened… with a limp and a hurt pride.

Snow can be as lethal as ice. For instance, yellow snow.

Need I say more?

Snow has other problems, like falling through your coat or clothes and staying until it transforms to water. I think the transformation actually slows time, making your body freezing temperature for a longer duration.

Another dark side to the present solstice is the quantity of influenza scurrying around our air. You have to take special care of your body during this time so the flu won’t infiltrate your body. I believe there was an amazing scribe who wrote an article last semester about how to avoid getting sick… you should check it out!

So as you are walking to and from class, take a chance and look around. There is beauty everywhere on campus. If you think you despise the winter solstice, reconsider immediately! This season can actually be the most wonderful time of the year, if you take advantage of what Jack Frost leaves. I know that task can be daunting at times, but if you give winter a chance, you never know what you might get out of it!