Winter Is Coming: Hot Tips On How To Get Yourself Ready
Sunglasses. Shorts. Sunscreen. The Sun. These are just some of the things people like me from hot weather climates like India are very used to on a daily basis throughout the year. However, this is Syracuse and winter is coming.
With the cold weather approaching fast, it is very important to be prepared with the right gear and attitude. First things first and the best way to prepare for a winter you may not be accustomed to is the right attitude. While this may seem unimportant or even funny to you, trust me when I say this will play a bigger role in your semester than you think.
As a grad student at Newhouse, we are very lucky to have just a year to enjoy all that is given to us and the weather can really affect students mentally. It is very important to feel uplifting and positive when the temperature drops. For those who are used to the sun, there will be a few months were you will barely see the sun and days where it will be dark before it should be.
While such changes can be difficult to adjust to, it always helped me personally to have my room extra bright. Buy an extra study lamp for your table or a tall lamp for the whole room but having a bright room can help feel more at ease when it is dark and cold outside. In terms of attitude, being in a bright lit space can help you feel warm and comfortable, which in turn help improve your mood! If that doesn’t work, order a pizza and watch Netflix.
Next hot tip, as a grad student at Newhouse we are bound to have to go outside and do reporting for a story or class assignment even though it is 10 degrees below freezing. When that happens, bring a pencil, not a pen. This tip was given to me by multiple professors at Newhouse so it must be true. When it is that cold outside the ink in your pen will freeze and stop working, whereas nothing will happen to a pencil because it is lead.
Even if you know you will be inside reporting, you can never be too prepared. Which brings me to my next tip. Wear plenty of layers. If you have not experienced severe cold weather before, you may be surprised to learn that when certain parts of your skin are exposed to the cold, they begin to burn. A few sensitive areas include your earlobes, nose, and fingertips. To protect yourself, be sure to always carry a hoodie or beanie to cover your ears. For your nose, a thick scarf can be wrapped around your face to cover your lips and mouth. Gloves are another obvious piece of gear you should always have with you.
If you travel by bus at any point and have to wait for it, keep in mind that most Centro bus stops have a button that turns on overhead heaters. They won’t save you from feeling completely cold, but something is certainly better than nothing when you are waiting and freezing!
If this will be your first real winter experience, just prepare the best you can. Dress well, add layers, and avoid being stuck outside for too long. Do not be scared or stressed and know that the weather is something everyone goes through. Eat well, be positive, and just stay warm!
