It’s that time when many animals choose to stay inside and stock up on food, something I think most Carleton students would love to do. But fear not! With a couple of useful items and a change of attitude, you can make winter months at CU a bit more bearable…and maybe even enjoyable!
Vinegar: Wait what? Should I drench my French fries in this? As many of us have discovered, the Ottawa streets are covered in another condiment for French fries: salt. There have been days where my boots are whiter than they are brown from all the salt. What’s worse is that salt is damaging to those nice leather boots you bought for winter. Vinegar removes the salt and saves your boots from permanent damage, so you can wear those cute leather boots for years to come. Simply pour some vinegar onto a cloth and wipe away the salt from your boots.
Skates – As tempting as it is to never leave the comfort of the tunnels, we could all use some fresh air sometimes. What better way to enjoy the outdoors than to take part in a Canadian favourite – skating! Ottawa is lucky to have many rinks, including one of the longest outdoor rinks in the world – the Rideau Canal. Think skates are too expensive? Try a used sporting store where you can get skates that are not only in great condition but are also a fraction of the price. Skating is not only a good break from homework but it is a great way to spend time with your friends.
Travel Mug: Early morning class and the thermometer reads -17? Frosty weather is all the more bearable with a hot drink in hand. The added benefit of carrying a hot drink is that even in the frostiest of conditions it provides that extra source of heat to help stave off frozen fingers. Not only does this keep you warm but it also keeps you hydrated, something that most of us forget about in the winter months. With the heating systems on full blast in most buildings it is necessary to keep your intake of fluid high.
Varsity Tickets: What better cure for the winter blues than the many varsity sports CU has to offer? Be it a night in the icehouse to watch our hockey team or some basketball action at the Raven’s Nest, varsity games are a great addition to your calendar. Even for those uninterested in sports, a varsity game is great night out with friends. Enthusiastic crowds, fun intermission games and school spirit can all be found at a Carleton Ravens game. Did I mention the stress release associated with letting out a bit of school spirit?
Lotion: Ottawa is known for its dry, windy winters. As an added bonus, every building seems to have the heat setting on Sahara desert. Not ideal conditions for soft skin. To combat the dryness, lotion is essential. For maximum effectiveness make sure you apply lotion just before bed to let it soak into the skin and do its magic. Keep hand lotion in your bag to apply as needed throughout the day as there is nothing worse than dry, cracked hands when you’re trying to take notes in class! When shopping for lotion look for formulas specially designed for the winter months and make sure that the lotion is thick to provide enough moisture.
IMAGE SOURCES:
http://www.heinzvinegar.com/products-distilled-white-vinegar.aspx
http://www.proskate.ca/figure-skating/figure-skates/ladies-figure-skates/jackson-1790.html
http://a.tgcdn.net/images/prod…
http://goravens.carleton.ca/me…
http://www.thebodyshop.ca/en/shop-by-line/shea/mini-body-butter-shea.aspx