Winter Survival Guide

Winter is coming; and this is a time of cold temperatures, cold fingers and cold attitudes, so take time and prepare with advice from a Buffalonian! I will instruct you on how to survive the winter because, if you’re not prepared, you will be cold – guaranteed.

 

Outdoors:

Life is a journey and journeys need supplies in order for you to be successful; you wouldn’t wear shorts to Mount Everest, thus the proper clothing will help you keep warm and comfortable when heading out the door. To start, one needs these basics: boots/shoes, a coat, and pants.

Pants shouldn’t have any tears that show skin unless they are aesthetic and have a layer under, especially since we’re getting closer to frostbite season.

Looking for a coat? Invest in a good one; you can wear a coat and still be cold, if you don’t have a good coat.  Make sure to do some research, as coats can be an expensive investment.

What’s the point of wearing gloves if I have coat pockets? Well, you can’t pick up or use objects with your hands in your pockets, so get gloves, especially as frostbite often affects your hands.

Great fabrics that keep you warm include tweed and other types of wool, down, fur/fake fur and fleece. Try to stay away from cotton as it absorbs moisture, including sweat, which takes away your body heat, leaving you cold and, sometimes, uncomfortable.

 

Indoors:

Inside your home, escaping the winter wind’s, the goal is to heat yourself. It is wiser to  heat yourself first than your home. This will allow you and your family to save on the heating bill. If you do plan on heating your entire house, make sure to keep the heat inside your house, meaning you should close doors and insulate cracks in the house.  This will help you make your bill. You should also  run your fan clockwise, as this forces heat downward, towards you, and prevents draft.

 

Mental:

Now that we have the house warm and prepared for winter, it should be stated that winter is a time where people often get seasonal depression, often referred to as ‘SAD’. This occurs when humans get a lack of natural sunlight. To combat this one should get a ‘SAD lamp’ which simulates natural sunlight and helps prevents winter’s negative affect on mood, appetite, energy, and etc. But unfortunately, not everyone will be reading this guide like you.

How do you deal with human interaction in the winter then? One should think positive thoughts and drink warm liquids like hot cocoa more often.  This is because in the winter we as humans tend to judge others harsher, be less trusting in each other, and overall, just colder. Which is quite cold. With warm items however, we tend to be more warm and positive. When interacting with others, don’t feel bad if someone gives you ‘the cold shoulder’, remember it’s just that time of year and never forget, don’t let other’s negative mood affect you. Drink that warm cocoa and enjoy the positives of life.

 

Driving:

Driving in winter can be difficult; that’s why it is easy to tell where someone is from just from driving. Someone from Florida for example, often times won’t drive as well in the snow as compared to someone from up North. To make you a true ice road trucker, here is an obvious tip: Drive slowly. Often times people underestimate the winter weather and drive at normal or faster speeds which can be very dangerous. Be smart. You should accelerate and decelerate slowly in order to avoid skid and maintain traction. Try not to stop if you can avoid it, as stopping sometimes can get you stuck. Instead, try to slow your speed down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes.

It should also be stated as well that you want to keep at least half a tank to prevent freeze-up. Finally, if you can’t drive well in the snow and know you can’t, even after reading, don’t drive! Think of the lives you could risk. Think of the children!

Hopefully, you are ready to tackle winter’s worst now. Remember to keep positive as winter is never forever, and spring is waiting around the corner!