As the temperature dropped below 50 degrees last weekend, I stepped outside bundled in a thick jacket and scarf, while my friend from New Jersey wore just a t-shirt. When I shuddered at a gust of wind, she said cheerfully, “I just love the cold.” My automatic next thought was: what’s wrong with you? Although I can understand why some people celebrate the first signs of winter (I do love snow and Christmas), I have a hard time accepting that the number of sunny, warm days left are limited and that soon a thick winter coat will be a necessity—and I’m not even from California or Florida. I can easily list the many things I hate about cold weather: chapped lips, dry hands, the feeling that you have become a human icicle, etc. But this isn’t going to change the fact that the weather is going to turn (sigh). So, I decided to make a list of advantages to the coming of winter because let’s face it: the cold is inevitable.
Winter Fashion
I’ve always thought that accessories were the best part of an outfit, and winter styles include some of the best: hats, scarves, boots, and more. Plus, whoever started the whole leggings-as-pants trend is a genius. My favorite by far are riding boots: you can wear them with skirts, dresses, jeans, or tights, and they provide major warmth.
Hot Drinks
There’s a reason why every girl loves pumpkin spice lattes: they are simply amazing. I also recommend chai tea, peppermint mochas, and gingerbread lattes. It’s hard to hate the cold when you have such a delicious drink in hand.
Motivation to Move Faster
I recently realized that my pace drastically increases when I’m walking outside in the cold. My roommate and I even sprinted to the library because of the freezing wind and got a mini-workout. So, next time you’re cold on the way to class, try out a power walk or fast jog. Who knew that the cold weather could actually serve as motivation to exercise?
Less Sweating
Although I love Duke, the humidity here was overwhelming at first. I would constantly arrive to class drenched in sweat from simply walking outside. Melted make-up and frizzy hair were other unfortunate side effects. With the onset of cold weather though, this ceases to be a problem.
It Could Be So Much Worse
We may complain about the weather here, but the cold that we experience is nothing compared to other places. Next time you say it’s freezing outside, think about the kids at the University of Alaska. We might have chapped lips and dry hands, but at least we can get to class without a snowmobile or dogsled.
When you take everything into consideration, the cold might not be so bad. So next time you start to miss summer, put on your cutest scarf, grab a hot chocolate, and relish the cold weather.