Winter at UMass can be brutal with its icy sidewalks and bone-chilling wind. When the temperature drops to the teens, it can discourage you from ever leaving your room. But you’ve still got classes to take and people to meet, so here’s your friendly reminder on how to survive the depths of winter.
1. Layering is your best friend.
Making sure you have enough layers to protect your body from the frigid weather is crucial, especially on those long walks to classes across campus. Freezing temperatures can be possibly dangerous with the chance of getting frostbite, and can even lead you straight to the emergency room. Before you brace the cold, layer on an extra sweatshirt, light jacket or long-sleeve wool shirt underneath your winter coat for maximum protection. A winter jacket can only do so much when it’s below 20 degrees out.
2. Protect your feet.
Your toes are more prone to frostbite, so it’s important for you to protect them before you go around stepping on the icy and snowy sidewalks. Fuzzy socks are pretty much essential to any winter wardrobe. It may be a good idea to wear two or three pairs of socks, because if the ground is wet and seeps through your shoes, your socks will become soaked and make your feet numbingly cold. That said, find some good winter boots! Most standard shoes aren’t durable in the wetness of winter, so make sure you have waterproof, insulated shoes in your closet. Non-slip shoes may also be a good addition to your collection to protect you from embarrassing — and potentially painful — slips on icy sidewalks.
3. Don’t skimp on the hats and gloves.
Without gloves, your hands and fingers are very vulnerable to frostbite. I know, I know — texting is harder when you have a thick pair of gloves on, but they’re important for protecting your hands. Similarly, beanies are super trendy right now and will keep you warm. Check out Love Your Melon — you’ll protect yourself in the winter while also helping fight cancer, as half of the proceeds are donated to nonprofit organizations fighting pediatric cancer.
4. Scarves, scarves, scarves.
Scarves are my personal favorite cold-weather accessory. They’re so versatile: regular scarves add warmth to your neck but large ones can be wrapped around your shoulders or arms, too. You can also wrap the scarf loosely around your face to bear the cold as you travel through campus.
5. Know the bus schedule.
With a huge campus like UMass, long walks to class in the cold can feel like trekking through the Arctic. That means the bus is your saving grace in the winter. You can find the PVTA bus schedule here, or you can download the BusTrack app. However, with a near-30,000 students on campus, the buses can get pretty packed. When taking the bus, I advise you to choose an earlier option just in case it’s late or already full. During the winter season, I recommend taking full advantage of the free bus system on campus.