The first snowflakes have started to fall on campus. The beautiful piles of leaves will soon be replaced by snowbanks. And it’s going to get cold. Really cold. Until somewhere around late March. The months of November and December are full of holiday excitement and you’ll love the winter! But once the ‘magic’ of those months fades away, it’s just cold and long. But I promise, you will live to see April and warmer weather. To help you get through this winter here are some tips from someone who’s done it (a Vermonter).
1. Don’t fight it, embrace the weather.
Yes it’s going to be cold. Yes you have to walk to and from classes in bitter cold temperatures with wind and snow blowing in your face. No, there’s nothing you can do about it. However, you can choose to not wake up every morning dreading the task before you. You have to get up, get dressed, and take on winter with your best boot (trust me you’ll need boots) forward. A positive attitude makes everything better. Take a minute on your commute or in class or whenever you get the urge to transfer to Miami and look around you. Campus and all of Vermont is beautiful in the winter. Enjoy it, appreciate it.
2. Buy a heating pad and hot pot
As I’ve mentioned before, it gets cold. There is nothing better than curling up in a warm bed with a hot cup of tea (or hot chocolate). Heating pads and hot pots are worth the investment, you can get them for around $20 each but being warm when it’s -20 degrees out is priceless. (Just remember to unplug/turn them off when you aren’t using them.)
3. Dress for Success
Sure that outfit you planned with the cute booties and shirt looks adorable and you don’t want to hide it under a bulky winter jacket but trust me, no outfit is cute when the person in it is turning into a popsicle. You’ll need a good winter jacket with warmth being your #1 priority (check out Patagonia, Northface, and Burton), boots with good tread and warm linings, gloves, a hat, and a scarf. Even if you don’t think it’s cold enough for a hat and gloves, keep an extra pair in your bag, you never know when it might start snowing or the temperatures drop. Always be prepared.
4. Don’t get into a winter slump (AKA Hibernation)
It can be easy in the winter to not want to leave your room. It’s also easy to fall into a winter slump with the shorter days, some people may even experience seasonal depression*. That’s why it’s important to find new things to do every week. Going to the gym, getting coffee with a friend, joining a club, and walking around Church Street are just a couple fun things to do to get out of your room. St Mike’s always has different activities going on around campus so it isn’t hard to find something to do. Hibernating is fine in small doses (who doesn’t love watching Netflix all day while it snows?) but don’t let yourself get into a slump.
*if you do feel like you might have seasonal depression or just want to talk to someone you can always contact the Wellness Center for helpful tips.
5. “Do you wanna build a snowman?”
Throw on as many layers as needed, grab some friends, and get out there! Build a snowman, make a snow-angel, have a snowball fight, or catch snowflakes on your tongue. The snow is a perfect reason to act like a little kid and blow off some steam. And after you’re done playing you can warm up with that heating pad and hot pot I know you went out and bought. If being outside isn’t your thing, find a cozy spot to curl up, sip tea, and watch the snow fall. From the chairs in the library overlooking the lawn to the bird’s nest in Dion there are plenty of places to admire winter’s beauty.
I hope you now feel armed and ready to face winter head on. When your toes feel like they are going to fall off, you can’t feel your hands, and your nose is running, remember to look up and appreciate our beautiful campus and that even though it might not seem it, winter will end eventually. I hope to see you all out there building snowmen!
Sources: Image 1: http://i.giphy.com/Q2QfhYAx54sDe.gif
Image 2: http://i.giphy.com/xTcnTehwgRcbgymhTW.gif
Image 3: http://i.giphy.com/Xib5d2p8LjjO.gif
Image 4: http://i.giphy.com/WFJAqzg0hZ6dq.gif
Image 5: http://i.giphy.com/l2JHSLWYxzOdYF54s.gif
Cover Photo: http://www.almanac.com/snowreport