New York City is of course full of plenty of things to do and see, but it can be tricky to muster the energy or the motivation in February when the weather is unpredictable, frigid, and often quite unbearable. Plus, the comfort and coziness of your home can be convincing enough to sway you to stay in and catch up on your Netflix shows—but fight the urge! Luckily, even in the dreary month of February in the middle of winter, there are still plenty of ways to spend your time and enjoy the sights of New York City. Plus, if you’re learning English, these activities are also great ways to practice your vocabulary and put your social and verbal skills to good use. So put on your heaviest winter jacket, check the weather forecast, and get out there!

1. Super Bowl—Sunday, February 4

This is one of my favorite times of the year! As an avid football fan, I look forward to this day for months! In an earlier post, I introduced you to the football teams based in New York City—this game is the championship between the two best teams of the season, so this game is basically for all the marbles! To celebrate, people come together to cheer on their favorite team and eat tons of food. If you feel like celebrating the game with hundreds of other football fans in New York City, make sure you plan ahead—bars fill up quickly! Make sure your English football terms are brushed off before heading out: “Touchdown!,” “Go team go!,” and “First down!” are all phrases you’ll overhear, so get ready!

2. Mardi Gras—Tuesday, February 13

If you’ve learned anything about New York City by now, you know that New York City does everything big. Mardi Gras is no exception! This occasion is widely celebrated in Louisiana, but of course, New York City celebrates the day just as colorfully. Mardi Gras, which is French for “Fat Tuesday,” is a time when people feast and enjoy amazing jazz music before Lent. Since the origin of this holiday takes place in the New Orleans area, you’ll notice people replicate the traditions of this region: people stuff themselves with BBQ, dress in purple and gold beads, and blast funk, blues, R&B, and jazz. If you feel inclined to join the party, this is a great way to practice your social English skills. Grab a group of friends and hit your favorite jazz club and brush up on some BB King lyrics!

3. Valentine’s Day—Wednesday, February 14

Chances are you’re already familiar with this holiday. You’ll discover that you’re going to be surrounded by all things romantic: restaurants will offer sweetheart specials, chocolate boutiques will feature discounted packages for those in love, and you’ll also probably start to notice many more jeweler advertisements. I find that if you’re in a relationship or single, any of these kinds of destinations are going to be hard to get into this time of year. If you’re looking to practice your English Valentine’s Day vocabulary, I recommend picking up a pack of candy hearts that have the sayings on them—they’ll tell you exactly how to communicate with your special someone!

4. Chinese New Year Parade—Sunday, February 25

Head to Chinatown to celebrate the Lunar New Year! The parade starts at 1 pm, but be sure to get there early so you can secure a great spot—it covers areas from Mott Street to Canal Street then continues to East Broadway and Sara Roosevelt Park. Also, be sure to come hungry because Chinese restaurants from all over the city come to the parade and serve some of their best dishes. You’ll get to see traditional Chinese dances, traditions, and dress. Even if you’re new to English, this is a great time to do some quick research on Chinese phrases so you can mingle with the crowd—and you never know: you might help someone else that may be new to English!

Even if you’re still getting your grasp on the English language, these activities will still allow you to enjoy New York City in the coldest months of the year. February is a great time to take advantage of your English practice, so be sure you don’t become a hermit—get out there and practice!

You probably know by now that New York City is the city that never sleeps—there’s always something to do, and those activities are always the best of the best simply because you’re in New York, right? But with that, you’ve probably learned that it can be tricky narrowing down what to do when there’s SO MUCH TO CHOOSE FROM!

For the month of September, here are just a few fun and timely things to do in the city so it makes it easier for you to decide. The best part of each of these activities is that you can easily incorporate your English skills with each event—by either interacting with other people or experiencing the English-speaking culture first-hand, these awesome events will have you putting your English skills to use without even realizing it.

1. Labor Day

Labor Day is kind of like the unofficial close to summer—kind of like how Memorial Day is the unofficial start to the summer. With that, you might find that tons of people use their long weekend to hit the beaches one last time or travel to out of town locations to kiss the summer goodbye. But if you’re staying in the city, there’s still plenty to do! Tons of restaurants offer Labor Day specials to honor the close of summer, with great seafood-themed deals and summertime cocktails. There’s also a Labor Day Parade that marches through Fifth Avenue, honoring those that make our everyday life going, like teachers, doctors, firefighters, and postal service workers. The US Open is also this day, so check out ticket availability so you can watch some of the world’s top tennis players compete against one another. This is a great time to practice your English as well, as you’ll be surrounded by tons of people sad about the end of summer and wishing they had more time—interact with these folks because hey, misery loves company!

2. Oktoberfest

It might be easy to assume that this event should be held in October, but way back in the 1800’s, the date was changed to September instead due to colder weather conditions. Originating in Germany, this annual festival is celebrated all over the world in which people drink beer and eat pretzels, dress like the Germans in traditional lederhosen, and partake in polka dancing. If you’re interested in experiencing an Oktoberfest, there are events in Central Park, Munich on the East River, and Watermaker’s Oktoberfest. Check out the dates, as each location has specific timing, so if you can’t make one, you can hopefully make others! You’ll probably be hearing lots of German in these events, but most people won’t be totally fluent in German, so this is a great opportunity to blend in with others unfamiliar with the language, so you can learn together while you simultaneously practice your English skills socially! Plus, what better way to meet culturally and linguistically diverse New Yorkers?!

3. Pig Island

If you have Saturday, September 9^th free and have a few extra spending dollars (one-day pass tickets start at $65), you absolutely must check out Pig Island at Ikea Erie Basin Park in Red Hook, Brooklyn. If you’re a fan of pork, this is a top destination for you, as over 20 of the top pitmasters come to this spot and offer their best porcine and cooked pork. Plus, it’s a great spot to try out some locally-brewed or imported craft beers and ciders, perfectly timed for fall. Since this day is a huge melting pot from people from all over the city, take advantage of this opportunity to get to know some new English vocabulary, specific to pork or grilling techniques. Ask the grillmasters questions about their favorite recipes or how they came to this profession, and you might be surprised at how easily the conversation comes to you! If you struggle, don’t forget to use your translation application or communicate that you’re practicing your English. Don’t forget that so many people in New York City come from all over the world, so they’re more than willing to help you out.

One of my favorite times of the year is baseball season. I grew up in a family that was raised playing the sport, and I grew up decked out in Chicago Cubs gear—it was quite simply a way of life for us. Some of my favorite memories growing up are from the stadium watching my team play with my family and loved ones. Even after I moved away from Chicago, I’d keep my eye on their schedule and see if I could make their away games. In fact, when I was living in Philadelphia, I’d get a bunch of my Phillies fans together and take them to see them play the Cubs. It was the perfect situation for fans of two different teams, and we’d always end up having a blast.

One of the coolest parts of living in New York City is that we have some pretty iconic options when it comes to baseball. The sport itself is timeless and is considered an American pastime, so it’s the perfect opportunity to get adjusted to the New York City experience while you’re learning and practicing your English-speaking skills. If you’re ready for a taste of New York City as well as an iconic American experience, find your best baseball hat, bring some cash for a few hot dogs, and get ready for one of the coolest days ever! And don’t forget to pack your sunscreen!

1. New York Yankees—Yankees Stadium, Bronx

Getting to Yankees Stadium is an easy shot up the 4 train (don’t forget to use your Google Maps!), so you don’t have to worry about parking or paying for a taxi or fighting traffic. I recommend getting there a bit early so you can have time to check out the gift shops, learn about all the iconic history behind the Yankees, and pick up some great snacks and maybe a beer or two. Luckily, Yankee Stadium is a timeless staple to the New York City experience, so the field gets a lot of other out-of-towners; it’s the perfect opportunity to practice your English with the vendors, other fans, and there’s plenty of memorabilia to read up on so you can become a Yankees expert! And to top it all off, you can then say that you’ve seen one of the most timeless baseball teams in the world—live! After the game, be sure to hit up one of the many surrounding restaurants in the area, themed around the Yankees and some of the team’s most famous players—there’s not a better way to cap off the day than a great meal and a cold beer, surrounded my hundreds of other Yankees fans. I’ll admit—it’s hard to live in New York City and NOT catch the Yankee fever! I’ll always be a Cubs fan at heart, but just don’t tell my family that I’m also a secret Yankees fan!

2. New York Mets—Citi Field, Queens

Getting to Citi Field is just as easy as getting to Yankee Stadium—it’s a straight ride via the 7 train, so again, you don’t have to stress about driving, parking, or fighting any kind of traffic. You can find tickets online, or if you’re feeling lucky, you can show up the day of the game and see what last-minute seats you can find. The great part about baseball season is that there are plenty of games throughout the season, so you have tons of options with timing and availability. The Mets are just as iconic as the Yankees, so it’s the perfect opportunity to check out all the memorabilia and learn about one of the most famous baseball teams in America. And again, it’s the perfect time to practice your English from all the surroundings at the stadium. You can learn some of the most famous baseball terms, practice the iconic Mets players’ names, and pick up on some of the colloquial phrases that baseball brings out in people (I’ll write about these in another article, so you can be sure to practice these before you hit the field!). Again, after the game, don’t forget to stick around and check out all the surrounding restaurants to learn even more about the iconic team and their legen