Necessities for Surviving Winter in 'Cuse
Graphics by Anika Dua
It blows my mind that there are some people on this campus that have never experienced snow or the insanely intense winter climate that the northern part of the US has to offer. My prayers go out to you guys!
Growing up with the hell that is Upstate NY winters, I’ve learned a thing or two about how to survive, and I’d be happy to help out others who have no clue what black ice is.
You can already feel the air getting colder, and soon you’ll have to swap out that sweatshirt for a real coat. So, let’s talk winter gear.
You will need a decent warm coat, and even though those thin little jackets are cute: you’ll freeze. So, I suggest picking up an LL Bean coat or something similar, such as Carhartt. You don’t have to compromise fashion for comfort here— there are plenty of coats and puffers that are warm and stylish. I also recommend getting a coat lined with some sort of warm/soft material, because I really hate the feeling of winter coat texture on my arms, plus you’ll feel warmer.
Link.
Next, get a warm sweatshirt too. You probably already have one, but this is really just a buffer between your skin and the cold. Also, the classrooms can get cold during this time of year so I recommend having one of these handy anyway, even if you end up just keeping it in the bottom of your backpack.
As for a hat, I usually don’t wear one because it messes up my hair, so I just wear my hood if I really need it. You can also buy warm earmuffs, but if you do go the hat route, I recommend that if you get a knitted hat, make sure it’s lined, otherwise it won’t do you much good. Also, having ones that cover your ears are nice.
Gloves aren’t really necessary but I like having them on the colder days, or on days where I have to walk far to and from classes. I suggest a pair that has fingertips that are screen-sensitive, so that while you’re listening to music to keep you sane while walking through two feet of snow, you also can skip any Travis Scott song you please if it comes up. Also— GLOVES, not mittens. Unless you hate the feeling of the material between your fingers, gloves are definitely better.
Another necessity is a good pair of boots. It’s best to get the taller ones because if the snow is high, you can get snow in the short boots. I like the look of the shorter ones, but snow in your boots and wet socks are hell. Again, I love L.L. Bean, but there are a lot of good boots elsewhere that are easy to find. I DO suggest trying them on though, so maybe shop in-store for this one if you haven’t bought any yet.
Link.
I also wear a scarf or a neck warmer to cover the bottom half of my face. It keeps you warm since your breath is warm, but you can also pull it up as far as you need in case it’s windy and there are flurries trying to cut apart your beautiful visage.
Link.
But really, don’t stress because you’ll figure it out. The winter months can be so pretty and yet so ugly, but you’ll definitely get a hang of what works and what doesn’t for you.
Stay warm– as warm as you can, anyway— and I wish you luck this winter at Syracuse University!