Going to College in a Cold Climate
I'm so far north that half of the locals have Canadian-sounding accents. So when it comes to winter, it hits us hard. We got our first snow a week ago so I figured that now might be a good time to talk about how to handle the cold winter months.
1. Dress in layers
There are times up here when it'll be negative outside and then about seventy in the classrooms. (I wish I was kidding. I'm not.) The best thing to do is dress in layers. When I'm going to class, I generally wear a T-shirt or light long-sleeve shirt, a sweatshirt, and a thick winter coat. There will also become a point when I'll start wearing Under Armour pants underneath my jeans. To keep your feet warm, get a couple pairs of fuzzy socks. When I'm going to spending a lot of time outside in the cold, I wear an Under Armour shirt, a warm long-sleeve shirt, a hoodie, and my winter coat.
2. Scarves are wonderful
I have a thick woolen Gryffindor scarf that I wrap around my neck in the winter. It's also very nice if you do it in such a way that you can pull it up over your nose and mouth. Especially when the wind has decided to blow in such a way that ice crystals are flying into your face.
3. Get a nice pair of boots with good traction
Boots are an essential in winter, especially once it really starts snowing. There are a lot of stylish and warm boots out there, though, that get terrible traction. That's the last thing you want when the sidewalks are covered in a slippery layer of ice and snow.
4. There's nothing better on a cold day than a hot shower
This one pretty much speaks for itself.
5. Be careful on slick roads
This one is particular to students who drive to classes. Check the road conditions before you leave and if it's not safe, don't go. Most professors will understand if you miss class because road conditions aren't safe, though try not to make a habit of it. Just make sure to let them know ahead of time that you won't be there. I had a professor tell us last week that he would be prefer us to email him and say that we can't make it to class safely than try to get there and crash.
1. Dress in layers
There are times up here when it'll be negative outside and then about seventy in the classrooms. (I wish I was kidding. I'm not.) The best thing to do is dress in layers. When I'm going to class, I generally wear a T-shirt or light long-sleeve shirt, a sweatshirt, and a thick winter coat. There will also become a point when I'll start wearing Under Armour pants underneath my jeans. To keep your feet warm, get a couple pairs of fuzzy socks. When I'm going to spending a lot of time outside in the cold, I wear an Under Armour shirt, a warm long-sleeve shirt, a hoodie, and my winter coat.
2. Scarves are wonderful
I have a thick woolen Gryffindor scarf that I wrap around my neck in the winter. It's also very nice if you do it in such a way that you can pull it up over your nose and mouth. Especially when the wind has decided to blow in such a way that ice crystals are flying into your face.
3. Get a nice pair of boots with good traction
Boots are an essential in winter, especially once it really starts snowing. There are a lot of stylish and warm boots out there, though, that get terrible traction. That's the last thing you want when the sidewalks are covered in a slippery layer of ice and snow.
4. There's nothing better on a cold day than a hot shower
This one pretty much speaks for itself.
5. Be careful on slick roads
This one is particular to students who drive to classes. Check the road conditions before you leave and if it's not safe, don't go. Most professors will understand if you miss class because road conditions aren't safe, though try not to make a habit of it. Just make sure to let them know ahead of time that you won't be there. I had a professor tell us last week that he would be prefer us to email him and say that we can't make it to class safely than try to get there and crash.
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