So we live in South Bend. People say there is nothing to do here in the winter. Well, they are partially right. But also, they are partially wrong. There are some things to do, but when it comes right down to it, it's up to you!

Long John Silver's and Toilet

If you have never eaten at Long John Silver's you are in luck. There are seven Long John Silver's franchises in the Michiana Area. They have catfish and fish sandwiches and ocean chef salads. And don't think your fun is over after you have gobbled down your meal. Within an hour you'll feel an anchor in your belly just begging for you to take the ship to the harbor. This could be a while and what fun it will be. Don't forget to ring the bell on your way out of Long John's if your service was good.

Drive Thru Safari

You can't really do this in the winter, but if you are a Bio major, and need to cram for your final, this may be a good place to start. Drive Thru Safari is located a piddely 180 miles east of here, close to Cedar Point. Most safari-goers describe their encounters as "Thrilling!" They have the only white zebras in the United States and a llama exhibit to boot. There is certainly no experience like it in the Midwest. And on your way out, don't forget to stop by the Simba Lodge Gift shop for a zoovenier. Take I-80 east, then go north on Exit 6 in Ohio. You can't miss it!

Cook Energy Information Center

Or maybe you're an engineer. Well then, the place for you is Cook Energy Information Center. About 33 miles north of us on Lake Michigan there is a big nuclear power plant that transmits 2.1 million kilowatt hours of electricity to thousands of consumers. And lucky for us, they are open almost the entire year for visiting. You can visit them Tuesdays through Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Here, you'll enjoy multimedia theaters and a fun tour. At the end, you can even test your Energy IQ with a touch-screen computer game. There are also great hiking trails there, and the lovely Michigan Dunes. Take 31 N to US 12 W to 94 N and take exit 16.

Amish Country

It might be winter, but the Amish don't seem to mind. They are a rugged people. And maybe some of that has to do with their yummy wholesome food. You too can eat this Amish food … in Amish Country! Spend a day there and see Amish covered bridges, shop for Amish collectibles and visit some Amish museums. Some places you won't want to miss are The Corn Crib, The ClothesLine and the Essenhaus Bakery. To get to Amish Country, take highway 20 east until you are in Middlebury, and start exploring. It is about 20 minutes east of Elkhart.

Casinos

If you are 21 and think you are lucky — or if you are filthy rich — consider heading out for an evening of carousing and gambling at one of the nearby casinos. United Limo drives to Michigan City. You could hop aboard with your money clip and head for adventure at the Blue Chip Casino. Oh, and don't worry, there is a Long John Silver's in Michigan City. If winning could only be as easy as it sounds. Blue Chip is located at 2 Easy Street. If you are passing through Gary, consider The Majestic Star, and if you're in Hammond seek out The Empress. If you are under 21 your closest bet is in Canada. You only have to be 19 to throw away your parents' hard earned money in Canada. And you can drink. The place to go is Windsor, and once there you won't have any problems at all finding out where to drop your money.

Marengo Cave

This is not in the Michiana area at all. But if you're a cave lover like me, you don't care. Marango cave is located near Patoka Lake in southern Indiana. They have cavern tours year round. (Pssst, the weather doesn't change much in a cave.) They also have corral trail rides over the caves in the spring, as well as canoe trips, a climbing tower and a zip line. Call (812) 365-2705 for more information.

Fernwood Conservatory

Packed with beautiful nature stuff, they have an indoor conservatory and a goldfish. They also accommodate you with a café, gift shop and visitor center. It is a great place for hiking and enjoying the outside. To get there, take 31 N to Walton, in Niles. Take a right when you get to Range Line Road, and about one mile down the road you'll see Fernwood.

Potawatami Zoo

Located nearby in South Bend, the zoo is open in the winter. The hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. The price for admission is $4. Don't miss the kangaroos. They are hip hoppidy fantastic!

South Bend Century Center

The Century Center is where a lot of big events take place in South Bend. You can check out their Web site daily for upcoming events at www.Century-Center.org.

South Bend Regional Museum of Art

You have probably been to the Snite, so why not head to the South Bend Regional Art Museum? Located in downtown South Bend across from the Marriott on St. Joseph St., the museum showcases a variety of art. If you are an artist, consider contacting the curator and showing him your stuff. You really might be amazed at some of the stuff they have in there. The Midwest is often criticized for being bland, but you'll find anything of the sort in the South Bend Regional Museum of Art, where a lot of the art is by Midwest artists.

Chuck E. Cheese's

Located at Town & Country Mall, Chuck E. Cheese's lets the kid in us come out and play some video games and eat some pizza, and if we are lucky, win some prizes. They still do birthdays and the band sounds better than ever.

Video Stores

There are 14 video stores in the South Bend vicinity that are at your disposal. Videos provide that simple escape at minimal cost. The closest video stores are Hollywood and Blockbuster, found right next to Martin's on Ironwood. If they don't have what you want there, they probably do at Morris Classic Video on 31 north. Some winter classics that you will undoubtedly enjoy are "Jack Frost,""The Snow Bunnies"and "Jingle All the Way."

St. Patrick's Park

Tubing and cross-country skiing is the name of the game at St. Patrick's Park. They are only open for fun on the weekends, though. It costs around $5 to rent ski equipment for one hour. You can ski from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This Friday they are lighting up the park with torches and you can ski from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tubing is every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It could be a blast with a bunch of friends tearing down the hill all linked together. St. Pat's is located just off Laurel Rd. Take 31 N to Auten Rd. Take a left and then turn right on to Laurel. The park is on the left.

Bendix Woods

This park also has cross-country skiing. They also have a lot of nice hiking trails. The big selling point of this park is this: In the 1930's the Studebaker boys planted pine trees to shape the name Studebaker when looked at from the sky. They used to have tubing here as well, but someone got hurt on the hill and consequently there is no more tubing. And if you get a sled and try to go down, park rangers will yell at you. It used to be the biggest snow tube hill in the area. So if you want to go there and have some fun, it is 12 miles out of town. Take Western Avenue west. The park will be on your left. Coming up in March, Bendix Woods is having its annual Maple Syrup gathering and pancake breakfast. Every year the festival grows in size. Last year over 800 people attended.

Shoveling Snow

When the snow hits the ground, the shovels hit the snow. And no one knows this better than old people. Many of them have snowplows by now, but the ones that don't could really use your help. It might be a nice gesture to wake up early every day and, if it is snowing, go walk around the nearby neighborhoods surrounding Notre Dame and offer to shovel people's driveways. They might pay you, they might ask to get money from you, but whatever happens, you will be enjoying winter the South Bend way: Helping neighbors and enjoying the outdoors.

Swiss Valley

Downhill skiing anyone? Just 40 minutes northeast of South Bend in the hills of Michigan there are some great ski slopes. Take 33 N to 12 E which will turn into highway 60. Take a left on Patterson Hill Rd. and you will be there. It costs $20 to ski and $15 to rent skis. You'll need a way to get there, but it is the closest place around. It isn't very big, but it should provide a good day's worth of fun and college memories.

Howard Park Ice Skating

There is a community park off Jefferson Blvd. It is about two miles south of Campus near the St. Joe River. Ice Skating is the name of the winter fun game here. The rink hours are as follows: Fri. 3-5:30, 7-10. Sat. 10:15-12, 1-3:30, 4-6, 7-10. Sun. 1-3:30, 4-6, 7-9. Mon-Thurs. 3-5:30. Skate rental is $2 a person and it is $3 to skate during one session. It is a great dating activity.

Board Games

Never underestimate the fun of the Parker Brothers or Milton Bradley. These guys have been inventing fun on cardboard squares for over 100 years now. If you can make it to Osco, you can buy your own game. If you can't, you could just make up your own board game. Some of my personal favorites are: "Sorry,""Hungry-Hippos,""The Un-Game,""Pay-Day"and "Risk."Check-m-out! What's great about these games is that it doesn't matter what the weather is like, they are fun all the time.

Dorm Rivalry

Start some dorm rivalry. Nothing smells better to an Alumni man than sardines behind a Dillon man's radiator. PW women know nothing finer than the greasy hair look of a Badin Frog because all the showerheads were mysteriously missing in the morning. Remember being told freshman year about dorm rivalries and as the year went on, you realized that there was hardly anything going on? A little prankstership could really whip the campus into a winter fun whirl. Check out www.pranks.com or www.strangepage.com for some good joke ideas.

Some other ideas for fun times are the South Bend Motor Speedway (it isn't opened yet for the season, but it comes pretty fast), antique shopping in Niles or somewhere in Steuban County (east of here) you can go tobogganing down tiny icy paths. Call (800) LAKE-101 for the exact location.

In the meantime, throw that snowball at that mean professor. Wake your roommate up with a snow pie in the face. That is what winter is for.

• Winter Fun in South Bend