When you’re lucky enough to live somewhere that sees snow during the winter, you need to take advantage. Besides, attending college is the perfect time to discover a new winter sport, since there are all sorts of opportunities to join a club or team. No matter what sport you choose, it will be a great way to stay active and ensure your fitness levels don’t diminish over the coldest months of the year.
1. Cross-Country Skiing
The ideal sport if you’re looking for a weekend activity is cross-country skiing. You may even forget how hard you’re exercising due to the beautiful scenery. Your best option is to rent equipment — this can make skiing affordable and give you the chance to figure out if it’s the sport for you.
2. Snowboarding
Any activity that involves racing down a snowy mountainside is sure to give you a burst of adrenaline. Instead of downhill skiing, you may prefer to try snowboarding, which is becoming increasingly popular. Make sure you stay safe by taking lessons first and sticking to the beginner slopes until you’ve built up enough experience.
3. Snow Boating
For something more extreme still, try snow boating. Also called snow kayaking, it involves taking a playboat or creek-boat down the slopes. This could be a good option if you like whitewater kayaking, since you’ll already know how to handle flips. Although this is a relatively new sport, there are already international competitions — perhaps you could be the next champion.
4. Ice Skating
Whether you’ve been ice skating since you were a kid or you only have limited experience, there’s always more to learn. Set a goal this winter: it could be to stay upright and skate for a certain amount of time or learn a basic figure.
5. Hockey
If you’re already competent at ice skating, why not take up hockey? Find out if your local ice rink has any teams that have space for a rookie.
6. Racquetball
Winter sports aren’t just limited to the snow. If you dislike the cold, try an indoor sport instead. Racquetball is a great option for the winter, as you’ll warm up in minutes: you need to be constantly moving to keep up with the ball as it ricochets off the wall and heads in different directions. Tennis players, in particular, should try this sport — it will prevent your racquet skills becoming rusty before the summer. Try to pair with someone who has about the same level of experience as you to avoid injuries.
7. Bowling
A sport that involves more skill than stamina is bowling. Whereas bowling is often just recreational, it can become a competitive sport if you learn the proper technique. To practice on a regular basis, find out if your college has a team — or perhaps even start one yourself.
It’s important to have a welcoming home base to return to after all that exercise. You can find Durham College off-campus housing at Foundry Simcoe. The apartments are located right next to campus and there’s plenty of parking on site, meaning you’ll always have somewhere to leave your car when you’re back from practicing sports. Apply now and you may be able to secure a unit with a balcony.