A huge swath of southern Minnesota has been getting pummeled with snow this winter, from the Twin Cities metro and South to the Iowa border, particularly. Mankato and Rochester have had an interesting time of it, but the south metro has also gotten its fair share of huge winter storms, the latest of which is happening now. Today.

Hopefully, if you live in an area of the Twin Cities that’s getting hammered with heavy snow, you’ve had a chance to stock up on groceries before you batten down the hatches. Before major winter storms, the video stores also get hit with a surge in business. But today, we’re giving you some ideas to help you think outside the Red Box.

1. Board Games

Particularly fun for families or other people that share living spaces with relatives or roommates, board games are a great way to do something together with lots of opportunities for interaction and using your brain. Some even work your eye-hand coordination and teach valuable skills. Monopoly, for instance, can teach youngsters a bit about money management, debt and investing. Clue can help develop good logic and deductive reasoning. Rather than sinking into the sofa and reaching for the remote, consider the fun and social interaction of a rousing game of Balderdash or some other board game as an alternative.

2. Cook or Bake Something

Since the snow is piling up in your driveway, you probably don’t want to go anywhere, including a restaurant. Save eating out for nicer weather. You can cook or bake something without leaving the warmth and comfort of your kitchen. Make it fun. Hit Google and search for recipes by listing things you have in your cupboard or fridge, typing in “recipe” and hitting “search.” You could find some interesting ideas. Find an old family recipe for some amazing cookies. It gives you something to do AND you can answer the eternal question “What’s for dinner?”

3. Learn a new skill

If you’re stuck at home, maybe you could learn a new skill. Hit Google and look up how to do something you’ve been itching to learn. Learn how to do your own home improvement projects. Go to YouTube and look for how-to videos, tutorials and hacks that may help you learn something new. Work on becoming more resourceful. Chicks dig that.

4. Do Your Taxes

Ok, it’s not terribly exciting, but if you’re snowed in, do your taxes. It has to be done, right? Go to TaxSlayer.com, TurboTax.com, or TaxAct.com, or Google search free online tax services. I used TaxAct.com and although it can be time-consuming if you have a lot of deductions, credits or complex finances, it was super easy and it keeps a running total of your refund or pay-in in the upper right corner of the screen. It’ll update in real time as you enter information, so you won’t be surprised when you get to the end.

5. Spend Time with Family or Friends

In the winter of ’97, I was living in Fargo, ND and we had an insane winter storm (remember stories of the subsequent spring flood?). It hit while I was at work. When work was over, a bunch of coworkers and I were reluctant to go out into the storm. We finally mustered up the courage to head out, but we decided we would all go to a coworker’s nearby apartment to minimize our driving time. We were stuck there for two days in our friend’s small one-bedroom apartment. We were forced to get to know each other. We cooked meals, played games, and talked. It seemed miserable at the time, but I wouldn’t trade that experience or memory for anything. We were all single and didn’t have families, but the same applies. Spend time with family or friends. The experience can be memorable.

6. Add Your Own Ideas

In the comments section below or on the Facebook post, we welcome you to add your own ideas. Share a cool experience, if you’re so moved.

Life is about writing your own story. Don’t stop writing your chapter because of a little (major) winter storm. After all, you live in Minnesota, don’t you?

Happy Snow Day, Twin Cities!