Winter activities – in other words, getting myself resocialized

After getting out of retail hell (I was working 6 days a week last holiday), I was hit with an unprecedented amount of free time. It was a shock to go from having no life to only working one day a week. Is it possible to have so much free time that you still feel like you have no life? Anyways, it’s given me a chance to really think about what I want to accomplish in 2018 and catch up with friends I haven’t seen in forever. Here’s a glimpse of my activities lately.

Junk food and anime marathon

This was the first thing I did after the new year. My good friend came over and we drove to get KFC takeout. Then, we went back to my house, turned off the lights, and marathoned through all 12 episodes of our favorite anime while we stuffed our faces. It was the perfect way to unwind, especially since I was in an introverted mood.

 

Skating!!

To be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of winter and I hate the cold, but skating is a winter activity I actually enjoy. Usually, I go with friends only a handful of times each year, but we always have lots of fun. The ideal skating hangout is when schedules match up on a day with perfect outdoor weather. As always, going for dinner after a workout is a must.

 

Flaming hot bowls

Am I the only one who craves Korean soup in the winter? For me, a hot tofu stew is one of the best meals to warm up with. Owl of Minerva and Song Cook’s are my favorite Korean places eat and catch up with a friend. The food is very reasonably priced and the atmosphere is quite homey too. I prefer eating at places where you don’t have to raise your voice to be heard. You know how some restaurants turn the music up too loud and cram in too many guests?

 

Or just stay in and cook

My best friend and I can be tooth rottingly domestic. (That’s what happens when you live with someone for four months in a foreign country!) A lot of the time, we have dinner and drinks at one of our houses instead of eating out. It gives us some leeway to indulge our makeup buying habits, and my house always has a steady supply of frozen pizza. When she last came over, I opted to cook udon instead of shoving pizza in the oven. Regrettably, udon is the only thing I know how to cook aside from breakfast food and pasta.

 

See the frozen falls

Another idea is to find a groupon for Niagara Falls marketed as a couples getaway. There are packages for a hotel, spa days, and ice wine tastings. My best friend and I had the idea of booking ourselves a couples trip and posting photos with lovey dovey captions like “I can’t live without her” or “she completes me”. I’m very excited to visit the falls in winter for the first time!

 

 

I feel like at some point last year, I crawled into a cave, stewed in solitude for too long, and have no idea how to function as a human any more. A prime example is when a friend and I were at a nice Italian place, and the server asked us if we’d like sparkling, spring, or tap water. He asked me which one I wanted. Then, I said in the most uncertain, awkward voice possible, “umm..can we have regular water please?”

 

Got any winter activity suggestions or cringe stories?

Let’s chat in the comments below!