Winter in New England should come with disclaimers. Warning: Extremely cold temperatures. Beware: Random nor’easters. Caution: Light dusting, or 10 inches of snow. Oh, and don’t expect to get out of school anytime before the third week of June. These among many give me a good reason to hate winter.
I hate having to apply lotion to my hands every 5 seconds just so they won’t crack.
I hate destructively licking my lips as a last resort because I forgot to bring chap stick.
I hate, hate, hate the snow.
Winter by-far is one of the worst seasons.
I know I should be used to this. I’ve been living in New England and dealing with winter’s consistent single digit temperatures for 14 years of my life. But slush puddles, shoveling for hours, and slipping on ice are not something I want to get used to.
Through all of its foolery, I manage to survive 89 days of Winter each year. Here’s how you can too.
1) Spend time with those you love.
If you’re expecting snow, strategically plan a sleepover with a friend the night before. Do this and you’ll all be snowed in together for the next day. Watch a movie, blast your portable heater, eat some junk food, and have a good time. Just make sure it’s someone you can tolerate. You’ll be spending lots of time together.
2) Use the day to rejuvenate.
During these rough months, our skin and lips take a beating. Be sure to have chapstick and some lotion with you at all times so you can avoid the painful cuts and cracks, and your hands and lips will never see a dry day again. Burt’s Bees chapstick is super effective, I have almost every flavor.
3) Binge watch that Netflix show you’ve heard about everywhere.
Snow day? That’s a whole day to do your homework. And by that, I mean sit next to your homework while watching that Netflix Original your friends have been begging you to start. Use your six extra hours to spend fourteen hours and ten minutes falling in love with the Stranger Things cast. (A very good show by the way. Emphasis on the very)
4) Take a bath.
Nothing beats relaxing in a dimly lit bathroom, face mask on, and in a hot bath. Burning nice smelling candles is also highly recommended. Merriam Webster should add that to the definition of relaxation.Taking a nice long bath is a good idea for any day, especially during winter. The temps outside are the polar opposite (pun intended) from those in the soothing water.
5) Find a pet (preferably one that likes to cuddle).
Do I even need to explain this one? Dogs and cats are the epitome of happiness. If you have a pet, be sure to cuddle with them. Their love and softness will surely warm you up.
6) Take a nap.
As a toddler, many of us dreaded nap time. As a person who naps every day, I hate that I took naps for granted as a kid. Being wrapped in clean sheets, then waking up in a warm bundle of them. Come on, what’s better than that?
7) Make some comfort food.
Nothing (besides your loving pets) can warm you up inside quite as well as food does. Especially the dishes that hit home. Whip up Grandma’s old recipe and your taste buds will be so satisfied that you’ll forget all about the raging weather outside. Plus, fat = warmth, so eat up.
8) Make or find some good playlists.
Everyone here or there has lip-synced in the mirror with a makeshift microphone at least once, right? Music is calming, and you can jam out by yourself. Make a playlist for your one-woman show, or one to impress your friends with when the roads clear up and you get handed the aux.
The best tip? Just hang in there, we’ve survived through all 89 days of winter. Just remember to hang on tight, because winter might have some tricks up her sleeve.
