Olga Steblyk / Sputnik Photography
Harmony Square before the snow.
As our dreaded exam season draws ever closer, so too does its conclusion. Many of us will go home to our families over the break back in our hometowns for some weeks of restful bliss; or seasonal work. Our days may become occupied with hot chocolate and family movie nights, but what of those of us who are staying in Brantford over the break?
Brantford can be a hard city to digest, even with the best of friends being present. However, this does not mean you should resign yourself to quiet nights of lonely wine and chocolate when your roommates and friends leave over the coming weeks. While not many events may be occurring over the break, this is merely a more perfect opportunity to get creative in how we’ll fill the hours of our days. To help jump-start your creative process, here are some fun ideas on how you can enjoy your winter break in Brantford.
As our more senior students are likely familiar with, every year in Harmony Square, a small ice rink is put together by the city for public use. Trust me when I say that no one will care if you fall down a lot, if you don’t know how to skate or aren’t particularly great at it. It will be a fun way to break up the monotony of the day and to connect with other people who are giving skating a try. For those who don’t have ice skates, as I imagine many of us don’t, you can pick up a pair at the Canadian Tire in the north part of town. To get there for free, just use your student OneCard at the bus terminal on either the 2 or 4a buses once you board them.
Now if skating isn’t for you, which is totally understandable, picking up a warm drink at Friday Café and Eatery or Tim Hortons and taking a stroll through the snowy streets to gaze at the various lights and decorations is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. Additionally, since you can use the bus for free with your OneCard, you could hop on any bus passing through the suburbia of the north side of town to gaze at the various decorations from the comfort of a heated vehicle.
Alternatively, if you know someone who has access to a car, you could take a trip out to Paris every now and then to enjoy the various bakeries just off the Grand River within the city. Trust me when I say that the cheesecake is to die for.
If we’re so lucky as to have snow over this holiday break, I would also humbly suggest the creation of snowmen within the parks and empty parking lots across our dear campus. For instance, as many of those who stay in Brantford on weekends will know, the parking lot attached to One Market is empty, save for a few cars here and there. Given that this space will only be used sparingly once exams have been concluded, it may be a fun endeavour to establish a humble village of snowmen within the lot’s proximity.
Naturally, this is only a small list of the possible opportunities you could do over the break, so don’t forget to enjoy a movie night every now and then as well. To conclude, all I will suggest is that you do what you love and that you do them to great excess. This time is for you to enjoy, so don’t listen to anyone who tells you otherwise. Happy holidays everyone!
This article was originally published in print Volume 23, Issue 4 on Thursday, Dec. 7.
