By: Ashley Rose
Staff-Writer
For most college students, December is often about meeting deadlines, writing papers, long hours in the library and staying caffeinated. So once the semester ends, how are you supposed to spend your time? Outside of catching up on sleep and recovering from the previous semester, it can be hard to find fun ways to fill the remainder of December. This article will highlight various fun, festive ways to fill the limited free time college students have in December. And the best part? Most of them are $15 or less to enjoy!
Located near downtown South Bend, Howard Park offers ice skating, a fun activity for all ages to enjoy! For ages 18 and up, skate rental and admission is only $10. If you enjoy yourself so much the first time, seasonal passes are available for purchase starting at $60, with family packages available at a higher price.
If you get too cold while skating, fire warming stations are scattered around Howard Park to quickly warm up. With fires to warm up your hands, the South Bend Chocolate Cafe also has a to-go stand located next to skate rentals, offering drinks to warm your insides.
Potato Creek State Park, located just outside of South Bend, offers multiple different winter festive opportunities fitted for all age groups. With in-state vehicle admission starting at $7 and out-of-state vehicle admission starting at $9, the state park has December booked and busy with fun opportunities.
Winter StoryWalk takes place more than 10 times during the month of December and includes a hike with a story that unveils itself throughout the outdoor adventure. This entertaining activity is also educational, as attendees learn about animals in hibernation at this time of year. The best part of this event? Once you finish the hike and story, a prize is available for groups at the Nature Center during hours of operation.
Another park worth visiting is St. Patrick’s County Park, where you can find beautiful hikes and inner tubing, the ultimate adrenaline rush winter activity good for all ages! Participation in the tubing event is $5 per person, not counting the admission gate fee, with tubes provided and supervision available. This event runs from Dec. 26 – Jan. 7 daily.
For those looking to just enjoy the winter scene, snowshoeing is another available service provided by St. Patrick’s! Coming in at the same price of $5 for shoe rental, this activity gives those looking to enjoy a winter wonderland scene the opportunity at their own leisure.
