If you’re anything like me, when you went home for winter break, you brought your puffer jacket. You wore it all of break, and when you left to come back to school in Tallahassee, your mom told you to bring your coat back with you. In the blink of an eye, you said no and that you wouldn’t need it because it would be warm again.
You can imagine my rude awakening when I arrived in Tallahassee, facing the most bitter cold, face-freezing, toe-numbing weather a gal can imagine. With no coat, I’m left to use my credentials as a Boston girl to save myself from an impending case of first-degree frostbite. However, I think I’ve figured it out, and I hope to help you stay warm with no jacket.
Lots of layering
First and foremost, I can encourage nothing more than layering. Don’t listen to the people who say you need thick layers or quality long-sleeve cold gear to stay warm. In my experience, all you need is two to three cheap, thin, good-for-nothing long sleeves, and that’s enough to insulate you.
My go-to shirts are a Trendy Queen Amazon basic, a Target pajama shirt, and any old sweatshirt. Trendy Queen also has a very thick sweatshirt that I love.
The layering should never stop at your tops. In my opinion, true warmth is derived from warm legs. Every day since I got back to Tallahassee, I’ve left my dorm with not one but two pairs of pants on. My go-to is leggings and a pair of sweatpants on top. Anything can be layered; for instance, if you want to wear jeans on top or even another pair of leggings. It’s the quantity that matters!
Hats and head coverings
My most controversial piece of advice is to wear a hat. I have a slightly questionable-looking Carhartt hat that might be the warmest hat I’ve ever owned. Now, I can’t tell you I wear it all the time because hats do have the fatal flaw of messing up hair very badly, but desperate times call for desperate measures. If you do choose to go with a hat, I always wear braids underneath, which tends to minimize the damage.
If you don’t have a hat but do have a scarf of any kind, it’ll help get the same effect. Scarves are one of the most useful items to have in the cold. It’s hard to stay warm if your face is freezing, so covering it is very important.
Protect your hands
I didn’t bring gloves to school and am assuming most people didn’t, either. Cold hands may be the most upsetting feeling in the world. I always arrive at class with my hands all red and cold, so for your top layer of clothing, wear a hoodie with a hood and a pocket. Try not to be on your phone on the way to class because it’ll only make your hands colder.
Personally, I’m keeping my hood up, my hands in my pockets, and dreaming of the high UV days ahead of us. Throw on your shoes, play “Kokomo” by the Beach Boys in your headphones, and walk fast through the cold. Stay warm!
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