What to do during this winter weather? Our quick hits will help you enjoy yourself and the snow.

Staying in

Make the best of a night "snowed in," and throw in one of these movies guaranteed to thaw out your evening and probably your VCR.

Communication junior Ben Wiedmaier prefers to get lost in an adventure when he can't get away.

"Longer movies are good, like epic movies because they take you back," said Wiedmaier. "If you are stuck inside, you want something that is going to take you away."

French junior Kate Jones enjoys the thrill of action movies such as "Jurassic Park."

"I love dinosaurs, and there is so much suspense — it's great," she said.

Revisit the carefree days of childhood — when school actually got canceled — with "Snow Day," or the always touching fairy tale "The Princess Bride."

Pick up a horror movie for an excuse to hide beneath a blanket or cuddle up with someone special. Try a classic like the original "Psycho" (1960) or "Wait Until Dark" (1967) for a change of pace from gory slasher flicks.

Explore the ups and downs of love with a feel-good romantic comedy like "The Wedding Singer" or a less-sweet tale of passion and deceit like "Closer."

Finally, spend the evening with inquisitive thoughts while solving the cinematic conundrums of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" or "Memento."

Shovel — or else

In the early hours after snowfall, off-campus students trudge through East Lansing's sidewalks.

Sleepy and puffy-eyed, the students try desperately not to trip — or slip — on the night's precipitation buildup as they make their way to early morning classes.

But that inconvenience for passersby can pack more of a punch for property owners: $85, to be exact.

East Lansing residents have 24 hours after snowfall to shovel their sidewalks, or the city's Parking and Code Enforcement, or PACE, can issue an $85 fine. If ice results from the snowfall, residents have 12 hours to apply salt or other abrasive material.

Even in the later afternoon, advertising senior Brittany Braunlich said she had trouble maneuvering on some of East Lansing's sidewalks.

"It doesn't bother me to the point where I'll complain about it, but it makes it difficult," Braunlich said. "I just slow down." Don't worry about the streets, though — that's up to the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services. The department will clear East Lansing's roadways after 2 inches of snow or ice has fallen.

Some students said they empathize with residents who can't remove the snow right away.

"I understand that people are on different schedules and students have exams, so I wouldn't expect them to get up early and shovel," nursing senior Frannie Galetto said.

Snow day

MSU has only closed three times because of snowy weather and chilly temperatures. Classes were suspended one time. Despite the recent freezing and snow accumulation, the university remains open. And it appears it won't be closing anytime soon.

• Jan. 27, 1967 — After 26 inches of snow fell, the university closed for the first time in its history.

• April 3, 1975 — A snowstorm quickly dumped 15 inches of wet snow, making roads and sidewalks impassable. The snowfall led to one of the biggest floods in Mid-Michigan history about two weeks later.

• Jan. 26-27, 1978 — Twenty-four inches of snow fell during this time, causing the university to shut down for two days.

• Jan. 19, 1994 — Classes were suspended after temperatures dropped to 18 degrees below zero with a wind-chill of 51 degrees below zero — the second coldest temperature recorded. However, the university remained open.

Get out, get down

If you can't resist heading out into the cold, here are a few fun activities in the area.

• Cross-country skiing at Lake Lansing Park North, 6260 E. Lake Drive in Haslett. Lake Lansing Park North offers 400 acres of outdoor recreation area, cross-country skiing and a winter warming lodge.

• Ice skating and hockey at Suburban Ice, 2810 Hannah Blvd. Suburban Ice offers ice skating lessons, hockey games and group skating on the ice.

• Tobogganing and sledding at William Burchfield Park, 881 Grovenberg Road in Holt. The 540 acres of Burchfield Park feature two 700-foot long toboggan runs, cross-country ski trails and sledding.

Dig in

Freshly dusted snow, clean crisp air, the feel of a wool scarf tied tightly around your neck. A winter morning can be as refreshing as a quadruple shot of espresso pounded before an exam.

However, you have to be careful.

The following is a guide to preventing winter mishaps with good old-fashioned snow shoveling.

Step 1 — Get a good shovel. Don't waste your time scooping up snow with a faulty piece of equipment.

Step 2 — Snow shoveling is hard work. Make sure you are healthy enough to do it. A shoveled path is worth nothing if you are passed out beside it.

Step 3 — Don't forget the key spots, such as sidewalks. PACE might be lurking to ticket unshoveled walkways.

Step 4 — Make sure to spread salt and sand over areas with ice.

For someone weighing 150 pounds, shoveling snow burns 408 calories an hour.

Source: www.ehow.com

Drink it up

When temperatures plummet, reach for a hot beverage to stay warm. This recipe for Mexican hot chocolate should to the trick.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups of milk

• 1/2 cup of granulated sugar

• 3 ounces of unsweetened Mexican-style chocolate, coarsely chopped

• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon of salt

• 2 eggs

• 2 teaspoons of vanilla

• 1 stick of cinnamon (for optional garnish)

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, combine milk, sugar, chocolate, ground cinnamon and salt.

2. Heat, stirring constantly, until the chocolate has melted and the milk is hot — don't let the milk come to a boil.

3. Beat two eggs in a mixing bowl. Stir one cup of the hot mixture into the eggs, then return this mixture to the saucepan.

4. Cook two or three minutes over low heat, still stirring.

5. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Beat with a rotary beater until very frothy.

6. Pour into mugs, garnish with cinnamon sticks, then serve and enjoy!

Source: "Rediscover True Hot Chocolate" on http://whatscookingamerica.net/Beverage/HotChocolate.htm

Compiled by Alex Altman, Brendan Bouffard, Petra Canan, Kristen Daum, Kristi Jourdan and Ashley Smith