As a Los Angeles native and someone who thrives on sunshine, the Midwestern winter is a foreign concept to me. First of all, it is cold. It is very, very cold. It’s the kind of cold where your hands turn red and your face feels like stone. In Chicago, it’s not enough to just be cold – there is also wind. The wind chill factors into the overall temperature, making 35 degrees actually feel like nine degrees. Coming back for winter quarter I knew I had to prepare myself to embrace the weather, rather than just go into hibernation.
Step 1:
Mittens. Sure, mittens are not the most fashionable option or the most practical. They limit mobility and they’re not great for texting, but they are warm! Wearing gloves, instead of mittens, isolates your fingers and causes them to get colder faster. My mittens are extremely heavy duty, i.e., the ones I wear skiing, but don’t worry – there are plenty of alternatives.
Step 2:
The coat. Having a good coat is key. It seems like Canada Goose is the most favorable option on Northwestern’s campus, but if you are OK to put the brand aside, The North Face offers amazing jackets. Mine is an ankle-length, zip-up coat. I have coined the term “sleeping bag coat” to describe my jacket. It is extremely warm and having a little extra fabric on the end makes a difference.
Step 3:
Shoes are important, but socks will determine whether or not your pinky toe will be toasty or frozen. Don’t worry, you don’t need heavy duty ski socks (even though I do), but any type of wool socks will do. Feel free to have fun with some printed and festive socks!
Step 4:
Hand warmers are cheap and easy to buy in bulk. Having hand warmers makes such a huge difference, whether you’re shoving them in your pockets, mittens or shoes. Hand warmers last for around 10 hours, so your fingers will be warm all day!
I hope these cold hacks help to make your winter a little more bearable.
Photos Courtesty of PicJumbo, Wikimedia Commons and The North Face.