A few inches of snow is a world of opportunity - even for those who don't ski, snowboard or own a sled. When the white stuff falls, thank your lucky stars, run outside and try these three made-for-snow activities: flirting, sledding without a sled and competing in freezathons.
Nothing enhances flirting so well as falling snow - especially when it's the first snowfall of the year. The atmosphere becomes festive. People run around with their tongues hanging out, and perfect strangers smile at each other. Sometimes they say friendly things like, 'Be careful! It's slippery out here.'
It's the perfect setting for approaching an attractive boy or girl, or for taking a classroom relationship to a personal level.
Furthermore, the only time two single BYU students of the opposite sex can push each other to the ground and put their faces excitingly close to each other - that is without getting bruises or violating the Honor Code - is during a snowball fight. Wrestling with the opposite sex - normally an awkward, if not altogether taboo activity - is good, clean fun when it culminates with snow down someone's back or up someone's nose.
A former BYU student from Woodinville, Wash., took snow flirting to a new level. During the first snowfall, he roamed the grounds of Helaman Halls with a buddy, pretending he was a native of Provo. He asked the freshman girls if they were from a warm state and needed tips on staying warm in the cold weather. Girls who giggled and said yes were sucked into his arms.
'The first thing to do is stay close to other people,' he told them.
Another way to enjoy snow is sledding without a sled - yes, it's possible. If you're on the road and pass a sledding hill, pull over. No need to run to the store for a piece of plastic. Just take out your floor mat, and set it on the snow (slippery side down). Then sit down and hold on the best you can.
Few sleds are faster than a car mat. However, if the snow layer is thin, it provides little cushioning. Keep this in mind should you try out car-mat sledding.
A more cushy way down the hill is on a couch. Go to Deseret Industries and purchase one of those pea-green, pee-yellow floral sofas. Then purchase four virtually antique skis. Take it all home to the family garage and fasten the skis to the bottom of the couch with screws.
Next, change into some warm, grubby clothes, round up as many friends as you can, and ride that sofa down a snow-covered hill. Joe Salisbury, 24, a junior from Salt Lake City, majoring in business, calls this scouching.
Salisbury said two years ago he and his brother notified Sluid, a news-of-the-bizarre TV show based in Utah, that they would be scouching down the slopes of Solitude Ski Resort. Salisbury said he and his brother brought six scouches, two mattresses with skis attached to the bottom, one car hood and about 30 friends.
'We lugged these things all the way to the top of the ski lift,' Salisbury said. On the way down, his date was sucked beneath the couch, Salisbury said.
'She got ran over, but she was OK,' Salisbury said. 'And she went down again. It was one of the most fun activities and dates I ever had in my entire life'
Freezathons usually aren't as much fun as scouching, but they're still a favorite of BYU graduate, Nate Cardon. Freezathons are contests to see who can withstand the cold the longest, usually while wearing a swimsuit. The best place to hold a freezathon is near a hot spring or Jacuzzi. Simply name an award and see who can lie with their skin against the snow the longest before taking refuge in the warm water.
Cardon, 27, likes to play this game with little kids who are suckers for candy. He had his two nephews lying in the snow for several minutes with only their swimming trunks on. One was crying. Both were screaming at the other to give up and jump in the Jacuzzi. Finally, one ran crying to the hot tub. The other kid got a candy bar.
Flirting, sledding without a sled and freezathons are only three of countless made-for-snow activities. If you lack imagination, ask around and you'll get plenty of ideas.
Cardon's father, Royal, said there's no excuse for hiding indoors when it's snowy outside. He served a mission in Norway, where snow is a way of life.
'Don't be afraid of the outdoors,' Royal said. 'As the Norwegians say, 'If you're cold, you're not wearing enough clothes.''