Make your Cornell winter wonderful
Winter is a staple of life in Ithaca, and it often gets underway weeks — or months — before its official start. The days ahead, even if they are chillier, offer unique adventures for both the frosty fanatic and the arctic averse.
Bundle up and check out the showcase of plants that look best in winter at Mullestein Winter Garden. Varieties of birch, pines, furs and much more set the wintry scene. After the temperatures drop low enough, visit a frozen waterfall; marvel at the ice structures and appreciate the intricacies nature can provide. If you’d like to convene with nature indoors, visit the Liberty Hyde Bailey Conservatory Greenhouse to explore more than 650 species of plants, including corpse flowers, flowering bromeliads, orchids and more.
Another way to brave the cold and beat the winter blues is by getting active. Cornell Outdoor Education offers gear rental for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing or visit the Lindseth Climbing Center if an indoor workout is in order. Lap swimming is a great workout anytime of the year, and Cornell’s fitness centers offer plenty of ways to sweat. Bowling at the Helen Newman Bowling Center is an entertaining indoor option, as well. Want to feel one with the ice? Lynah Rink and Cass Park Rink offer public ice skating sessions.
Looking to relax and stay warm indoors? There are plenty of fun and educational activities on and off campus as well. Fuertes Observatory offers public viewing nights beginning Jan. 20, and winter is a great time to consider the cosmos through the Irving Porter Church Telescope (which recently celebrated its 100th birthday). If Earth-bound objects are what you’re looking for, check out the “Sounding Fashion” exhibition at the Human Ecology Building. Cozy up in one of the campus cafés or coffeehouses and warm up with your favorite hot beverage. Hoping to get ahead on your academic journey? Sign up for a winter session course before Jan. 4 and make progress toward your degree.
As you confront and enjoy the Ithaca cold season, take time to enjoy the unique opportunities it presents. Indoors or out, explore ways to have a wonderful winter at Cornell.
Written by Jesse Osbourne
Strategic Communications at Cornell University
