Although the start of winter is officially in December, these cold and frigid winds we have been experiencing in Connecticut has me thinking otherwise. Surviving on a college campus when temperatures start to drop can be extremely difficult. No one knows how to dress, everyone is getting sick, and the lines to get hot tea or coffee are ridiculously long. However, being in my last year at UHart, I think I’ve got it all figured out… for the most part at least.

Let us start with this unbearable weather. The winds are harsh, the weather promises snow, not all of the buildings seem to have their heat on, and the ones that do are on full blast. How does one dress for something like this? The answer: layers. Layers will be your best friend in college, especially if you have not gone home to bring your winter clothes back to school yet. Layers will help you stay warm once you have worked up the courage to leave your warm and cozy room. Layers also give you the ability to take off whatever you need if you encounter a classroom that is extra, extra hot. What do you do if you do not have boots yet? Well, all you have to do is layer up your socks, and your feet are guaranteed to stay warm all day long. Don’t forget those gloves, hats, and scarves too (especially for all of you that have night classes, I too feel your pain).  Also, here is a quick tip for all of you suffering during that 30 second walk between Commons and Hawk Hall. CHOOSE ANOTHER PATH! The wind tunnel effect is real! Wind will move faster and harsher between tall buildings that are close in proximity to each other. So, do yourself a favor and take another route to class.

Now that it is getting colder outside, does it not seem that everyone you know is getting sick? Well, here are some tips to reduce your chances of being just like them. Do not forget to wash your hands and wash them often. The amount of germs that could be spread after someone wipes their runny nose with their hands is an amount no one should come into contact with. Maybe even stock up on some hand sanitizer so you will be able to keep most germs at bay this season. Stay updated with Health Services on campus as well. Since we are all students of UHart, Health Services offers free flu shots during certain times of the day. The next free session that is happening will be at the Hartt School on November 14th.

When that cold feeling shivers up your spine and you can feel yourself starting to slow down, stay hydrated. Naturally, Starbucks might seem like the way to go with all of their warming tea options. However, you are not alone in that way of thinking, and the lines will be very, very, very long. Lines can become frustrating, especially when waiting to go to class. An easy solution for this is to stock up on teas, honey, and water. Make sure to have an insulated water bottle to keep all of teas warm for the majority of your day. If you have all of these, then you can make yourself a drink right at home and bypass all of those long lines.

Overall, we cannot really complain about the cold as we all willingly chose to attend a school in New England.  It should be an expectation every year to survive the deep freeze from November to March.  The best we can do is help ourselves prepare for this drastic drop in temperature.  Stay warm out there UHart!

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