Ahh, it's finally fall. The leaves are changing colors, the air is crisp and winter is just around the corner. We all know what that means … in no time flat it'll be 40 below outside and we'll be forced to create our own diversions in the dorms.

Some of you may want to take this opportunity to turn to the sex column in the features section for tips on what to do with all that extra quality time indoors. For those who prefer more wholesome activities, allow me to draw your attention to that oft-overlooked group activity: dorm sports.

Now, I know you're probably gazing at the walls of your Dupre single or glancing up and down your hallway thinking "yeah, right," but bear with me here. There are actually a good number of sports that can be comfortably played in any dorm/apartment building/good-sized house.

Take staircase bowling, for instance. This invention of a current Mac sophomore can actually prove mildly amusing for a good amount of time. Find a staircase with a landing, like the staircases in Bigelow, Dupre, Doty, Turck, and Wallace. Set up pins at the very bottom of the staircase (below the landing), then stand at the top of the staircase (above the landing) and toss a ball down and try to knock over the pins. The trick is, you're not supposed to be able to see the pins at all when you throw the ball. You have to get the ball to bounce off the landing wall at just the right angle to hit the pins on the landing below. Try it, it's not that easy.

Of course, you could also just play a normal game of bowling. The dorms aren't too conducive to the use of actual bowling balls, so a soccer ball or something comparable chucked at a stack of toilet paper rolls would probably work best.

Dupre, as the first years will soon learn, is not only famous for its dreaded singles, but also for the boisterous games of soccer played throughout its halls. If you think playing soccer outside on a field is fun, try kicking that ball through a study group in the lounge while on a sugar high at 2 a.m. on Wednesday. Now that's fun.

In the warmer months, the campus is dotted with idyllic little groups playing nice, friendly games of Frisbee. Don't think that the cold weather in anyway deters these die-hards from playing their game. When the weather gets chilly they just pack up and head inside to the warm and friendly atmosphere of the dorms. Spontaneous games of ultimate Frisbee are known to spring up with increased frequency as the temperature continues to drop. They're usually quite easy to join, but be warned, when tensions mount as finals draw closer, this does have a tendency to become a full contact sport.

Those of you who are less into the whole team sports thing, there's always hallway golf. The winter months are a perfect chance to practice your putting, and it's much easier to strike up a conversation with that cutie down the hall while improving your short game than it is to shout at her while catching a pass and getting buried under half a dozen guys. If she shows the slightest interest, offer to teach her to play and remind her that the women's golf team is always looking for new players.

For those of you whose personal mantra is "chicks dig scars," hallway hockey might just be your game. If you're really reckless, you can attempt to play this on rollerblades, although I'm given to believe that RAs tend to frown upon this.

Of course, no true discussion of dorm sports could possibly leave out shopping cart races. There's currently a shopping cart floating through the dorms (it's been sighted in Dupre, Wallace and Bigelow already), so why not track it down, grab some friends and have a good time?

For all of you dying to get reacquainted with your childhood, you can always start a good game of Red Rover, or you can join the National Red Light Green Light League. Sure, they might seem silly and childish, but if you get enough people together and you're all in a silly enough mood, it'll keep you busy and amused for at least half an hour, if not more.

All of you Mackies who would rather go solo might want to consider wall climbing, which is possible in the hallways of Turck and probably in most Dupre singles. It's also possible to practice your racquetball swing in your room as long as neither you nor your roommate minds not having any more glasses to drink from afterwards.

Anybody who wants to waste several hours, or several days, on what is nearly universally regarded as the most boring and pointless game on the planet can attempt to get together a couple of teams for dorm cricket. Don't be surprised if your members start dropping dead of boredom, though.

And then, of course, there's the king of all dorm sports: Wink. Those of you who think that this is a game, not a sport, have obviously never played. The game's best learned by doing, not telling, but it basically involves one person winking at others and the others trying to run across the room while their partners restrain them. It tends to get violent, so heavy padding or several layers of clothing are recommended.

I'll bet you thought this winter was going to be boring and lonely, but there are dozens of games you can start up to make new friends and practice camaraderie. So don't despair about the coming cold, break out your gear and play hard!