This winter break, Northwestern skiers and snowboarders will visit a Gangsta’s Paradise while in a winter wonderland.
For its annual winter break trip, the Northwestern Ski and Snowboard Club is taking about 760 students to Winter Park, Colo., this December.
The trip includes six nights of lodging and four days of lifts. This year’s trip will also include a performance by rapper Coolio.
Weinberg senior Andrew Adair, a member of the club’s executive board, said students’ tickets will also cover the concert.
“The Coolio performance will bring a new element to Ski Trip,” he said. “Traditionally we have promoted a large, on-mountain party with a DJ as the big event during the trip. However, during the last few years we have seen attendance for this event decrease. This year, instead of that big party, we will be promoting the Coolio concert.”
Coolio, best known for his Grammy Award-winning single “Gangsta’s Paradise,” has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide and performed in Europe, Africa and Asia.
There will be other events in addition to the concert to help students wind down after finals, Adair said.
“We will also have a bonfire on the top of the mountain, wine and cheese events (and going to) restaurants,” he said. “The town is 10 minutes away. The atmosphere is pretty relaxed, no schoolwork, no worries… It gives you something to look forward to during exams. I actually drew a snowboard during one.”
Representatives from the club said this year’s turnout is higher than previous years. “It’s better than last year,” said John Webber, a Weinberg senior and executive board member. “This year we got a better deal with the resort thanks to the number of people we’re bringing.”
Club leaders said the ski trip offers a great chance to make friends, especially freshman year.
“Every senior wishes they went as a freshman,” Adair said.
Executive-board member Kyra Weiss said she went on the trip last year and will go again this year.
“I met a lot of people I didn’t know, even just on top of the mountain,” the Weinberg sophomore said. “Events bring people together; I made some best friends. I think it’s best to go as a freshman. You’ll meet so many upperclassmen.”
Nicole Fortuna, a Weinberg senior, said she decided not to go on the trip for a few reasons.
“I’d like to go but I don’t have people (to go) with,” Fortuna said. “It would be hard to fit in my schedule. And … the trip would take away time from my family.”
As a freshman, Hannah Chung did not go because she “just wanted to go home.” This year, the McCormick sophomore said she will challenge the slopes.
“I found a couple of friends to go with,” she said. “I wouldn’t go alone. Then you still have two weeks to go with your family. So the first week I’ll hang out with my Northwestern friends, second week with my home friends.”
