Well, it is that time of year again. It gets dark between four and five o’clock, the temperature is rarely above 35 degrees, you have to put on five layers of clothing before you step outside and you have to let your car warm up before you drive.

Is there a good side to all this glum and misery? Sure there is, and everybody has their own way of making this time of year a little more enjoyable.

“I like to warm up before a fire and drink some hot cider,” senior sociology major Blythe Konny said. Konny lives in Neptune Hall, the only residence hall with a fireplace.

When she’s not sitting in front of open flame, she likes to watch movies and go swing dancing. Frankie’s Blue Room in Naperville is one of the places she goes to bust her moves.

Some students like to entertain themselves by being productive.

“I cook a lot more in the winter,” senior sociology major CJ Quattrone said. “The holidays make me wanna eat.”

Quattrone has an apartment, so he sees winter as a good time to practice his disc jockey skills.

Erica Ferguson, a freshman business major, is all about board games when the outdoors aren’t as appealing anymore. She’s a big fan of games like Monopoly, Uno and various card games.

Jacqueline McArthur, a freshman English major, had something to add about card games.

“Spades – all day and all night,” she said. McArthur also likes to listen to music, eat and sleep.

Some students turn to less-than-wholesome activities to pass the cold winter nights.

“I drink a lot of alcohol to keep me warm,” said Mike Wagemann, a junior elementary education major.

He and roommate Seth Santi, a junior engineering major, both agree that drinking is a popular activity during the winter.

Despite all the gloominess that winter brings, people still find ways to have fun and entertain themselves. Whether it’s playing cards or swing dancing, there’s a lot to do indoors this time of year.