Milwaukee has a way of surprising us in ways we would never expect. This year, it decided to slam us with all of the winter weather in about two weeks. Wisconsin winters aren’t all bad though, because if we’re lucky, we walk away with a snow day.

Snow days at Marquette come along once in a great while, so when they do, we have to make a day of it. There are some great ways to spend your day off, both at Marquette and a short distance off campus.

After you’ve deservingly turned off the alarm for your 8 a.m. lecture and slept in like a king or queen, treat yourself to some breakfast with friends! Bro Yo is a campus favorite, with nearly an entire menu under ten dollars. If you are looking to explore beyond the Marquette bubble, however, take a short walk down Wisconsin Avenue to Build-A-Breakfast for some classic breakfast staples.

There's no better way to embrace the cold weather than to find a cozy cafe to spend the morning or afternoon ... or the whole day for that matter. There are several local coffee shops that are just a short bus ride away. Stone Creek is a great spot to cozy up by the fireplace, or you can venture west to Valentine Coffee to watch the snow softly fall outside the window while you curl up with a book.

As Marquette is rooted in service, a snow day is a great opportunity to engage with the greater Milwaukee community. Noon Run is a meal service site for local community members held at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Sunday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is these bitterly cold and snowy days that remind us how fortunate we are to have a place to call home this winter. Noon Run is a great way to engage with the Milwaukee we love, and they are always open to volunteers.

While we don’t have too many sledding hills on campus, the hill by Helfaer Theatre works perfectly for a snowy day on campus. Get your friends together to locate a sled, or at least something close that will suffice (i.e. a dining hall tray, but you didn’t hear that from me). And, of course, a Marquette winter is not complete without at least one snowball fight in Central Mall.

We all know that Milwaukee winters are a unique experience, and there is no reason that we can’t take advantage of it. These snowy months will be over before we know it, and they are sure to make the spring so much sweeter. In the meantime, embrace our snow days for what they are. Stay warm and have fun!