Finals are just about to kick your butt and then you're free for almost three weeks. You'll be able to just sit back and relax. That's right: Nothing to do at all, all of the free time in the world — and now you're bored.

Winter break woes come quickly when boredom sets in. One does not have to look at this as a cold bleak place where school just becomes a nice distraction. Take this guide to be your one way ticket out of Boretown this winter break.

First and foremost, if one is to venture out into the winter wonderland this break, proper preparation is necessary. We're not talking about the rubber boots and scarf your mom makes you wear. We're talkng armament.

Snowballs folks, the most elementary form of winter ballistics and a fundamental for fun. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right.

The best known source for the concoction of a perfect snowball is none other than the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes. Within this vast vault of knowledge, Calvin makes the perfect snowball from an interesting array of ingredients.

"This is the finest snowball ever made," Calvin said. "Painstakingly handcrafted into a perfect sphere from a secret mixture of slush, ice, dirt, debris and fine, powdered snow, this is the ultimate weapon."

Although the exact ratio of these ingredients is indeed Calvin's secret, one can hazard a guess through trial and error.

Now that you're ready to visit the world — with a snowball to the face if necessary, it's time to get you out of the house. What is needed now is a mode of transportation.

A recent trend has been sweeping the nation which not only solves the problem of how to get around quickly in the snow, but also how to give the dog a walk.

The game is dog-powered skiing and its name is skijoring. If one is wondering how to go about mastering skijoring, look no further than skijoring.com, a great place to find equipment for dogs, races and exciting information about this hot up-and-coming sport.

"Dog-powered skiing? That's amazing!" said sophomore Jenifer Pesicka. "I only wish our pet bunny was big enough to pull me on skis."

According to the Web site, skijoring is a unique partnership between people and their dog or dogs.

Now you're armed and highly mobile. What's left to do?

How about taking out all of that post-finals rage on unassuming victims? After all, your poor performance on exams is obviously the result of society's failure to recognize your genius and some sort of ludicrous bias of your professor. Why not take it out on the neighborhood while getting a few kicks and warding off boredom along the way?

However, dampening the holiday spirit to create commiseration and becoming the town Scrooge is no easy task. It should be undertaken by none other than the stoutest of heart and the most devoutly determined.

Start by destroying any and all pieces of snow art you come across. This will not only provide you with potentially endless hours of entertainment to stave off those boredom blues, it will send the message to everyone on the block that you're disgruntled and bored.

It's time to take your humbug to academia. Here are some ideas for letters to the editor of you local paper that will undoubtedly jostle even the jolliest holiday spirits.

The 25th of December is widely embraced by Christians as the birth date of Christ and a day to celebrate. However, this date cannot be confirmed, and the 25th actually holds an altogether different origin.

"The 25th of December was originally a pagan holiday to worship the Saturn god," said junior Bradford Johnson. "Write an editorial into a newspaper pointing out the irony in Christians' embrace of it."

In a time when the United States seems to be placing extra emphasis on national security, one potential threat remains unchecked and ignored:An intruder of the most proliferate kind, a man who comes and goes out of residences at his own will, leaving consumer goods to justify his invasion of our privacy.

Where is Homeland Security on this one?

Not feeling so disguntled?

If, instead, getting out of the parents' house and striking out for a road trip is exactly what the doctor ordered, there is a sense of urgency for one popular destination.

Canada is not only a great place to soak up some natural winter beauty, find amazing skiing and kick it at top-of-the-line night clubs, it's also a great place to realize all of those wild dreams that are only possible at age 21 here in the United States.

"Oh I've had some times in Canada," said sophomore Kirk Swenson. "I'm not really sure if I'm allowed in Whistler anymore. It turns out McDonald's likes to hold grudges."

However, beginning Jan. 8, 2007, a new law is going into effect that will require travelers from the United States have a passport to get across the border into Canada.

Acquiring a passport not only requires about $100 and three to nine weeks of waiting, but also a lot of waiting in government offices and a daunting application. Long story short: Get to Canada before the law takes effect to save your self some money and some grey hair.

Reporter Camden Swita: development@the daily.washington.edu