Happy 2020! You may think that there is not much to do as you make your way back to freezing cold Wisconsin, but here are four things to do this winter for under $20.
1 — Explore the Chazen Museum of Art
Located at the center of campus, the Chazen is the perfect way to escape the sub-zero temperatures characteristic of a Madison winter. Get lost in the 20,000 works of art that this museum holds and forget all about your hands turning numb from the cold. Beginning Feb. 1, the Chazen welcomes two new exhibitions: the “Faculty Exhibition 2020” and “Speaking of Book Arts: Oral Histories from UW-Madison.” For a price of exactly $0, take advantage of the lectures, artist talks, films, receptions and other special events the museum offers, or simply wander through the collections until your body regains feeling.
2 — Go ice skating at the Edgewater Hotel ice rink
Bundle up and head over to the Edgewater Hotel for an afternoon on the ice overlooking Lake Mendota. Just a short walk from campus, the Edgewater offers a $6 deal for students to ice skate with a $3 charge to rent skates. With events like date night, a Super Bowl skate and even an “80s Glow Skate with DJ Nick Nice,” the ice rink is an excellent way to get together with friends and pretend to actually enjoy being outside in the winter. If the cold becomes too much to bear, check out the Ice House for hot chocolate and snacks.
3 — Attend an event at the student unions
The university offers entertaining and interesting events for students at the student unions all winter long. Check out the Wisconsin Union website for the full list of activities, performances and presentations to enjoy — many of which are either free or offered at discounted rates for students. Events include a variety of musical performances, from the Escher String Quartet to folk musician Eileen Ivers, as well as the screening of films like “The Dark Night” and “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” Check out Free Art Friday at Wheelhouse Studios at Memorial Union or attend an educational workshop and relish in the heat and insulation that the student unions provide during the coldest months of the year.
4 — Roast s’mores on the Camp Trippalindee roof
Grab a blanket and a cuddle buddy and head over to the Graduate for a night of marshmallows and chocolate. For only $6, the Camp Trippalindee restaurant offers s’mores kits and outdoor seating with fire pits and a scenic view of Madison. This is the perfect date night location for Wisconsin winter veterans who have somehow become immune to Arctic temperatures. For those who may be less acclimated, Camp Trippalindee offers cards and board games inside for students to distract themselves while daydreaming of white-sandy beaches and 80-degree weather.
Hopefully, one of these four things will be able to distract you from the chilling weather in Wisconsin and allow you, along with some friends or family, to have a great night to get away from the stress of the semester beginning
