When the sweat drips down the insides of our thighs and pools in our socks, our thoughts understandably turn to colder temperatures and the relief that comes with them. It’s August, after all, and a chill may be starting to form in the air. But, after the heat waves that have gripped us over the last month, it’s time to pick up and seek cooler climates on a year-round basis—and it doesn’t get much cooler than the Antarctic wilderness. While it’s true that much of the land down under (way, way down under) is inhabitable to humans or, really, most life, you truly can’t beat the heat more into submission than posting up where the penguins only wish they could go. Of course, bring your board games! Here are a few tips on how to keep the board gaming going even when your fingers are freezing off:

Commune with dice from the spiritual realm

With the roll of the dice, board games come alive by becoming living, breathing organisms capable of complex change. Under normal circumstances, this is not very difficult. Grab and drop, tale as old as time. But, in this case, we must contend with the elements, and the odds are that those dice will be so cold that they shatter upon even the slightest impact. Now is the time to move beyond the physical limitations of our flesh-and-blood selves, and all we can touch with our five senses, and enter a higher state of being. This is what that shaman was charging you $700 an hour for! Snuggle up inside the skin of a nearby tauntaun and begin the meditation.

Construct snow opponents

Frosty is just the beginning (as a celebrity, they’re busy, anyway). No human in their right mind would choose to join you in the Antarctic, so most of your opponents are going to be either a) imaginary (Hi Wilson!) or b) made out of snow. Fitting, considering the desire to cease all fellow human contact is what brought you south to begin with. The good news is that while your imagination might be limited by your past experiences, the amount of snow available continues to overflow. Even without arms (the frostbite continues to spread), it should be easy enough to kick a few icicles until they gather snow and form a round shape from which to build your ultimate opponent. Don’t take it personally when their dead stare pierces your heart—or, maybe do…? Love finds us all, no matter how far we have been flung.

Keep it short

Sometimes, there’s nothing better than settling into a long, drawn out board game that requires multiple play sessions or lots of strategizing in the interim. Sometimes, it feels good to knock out a full board game in an hour or so, maybe less. The latter is more of the sweet spot you’re aiming for in Antarctica. With each passing minute, your chances of shuffling off this mortal coil increase ten times over. So, keep your board games moving along at a decent clip; consider using a timer or an hourglass if you can get any of the grains to actually move.

Keep it sweet

You forgot to pack rations! No wonder your backpack was so light. Oh well, at least you’ve got all of this cardboard to nosh on—we hear it’s the local specialty. It’s quite bland, so hopefully there’s a bit of snow you can dust on top and pretend it’s powdered sugar. And they said this was a desolate wasteland!