From the 808 to the 503: How to keep warm in winter

posted in: Opinion | 0

The summer heat is long gone now and as the last of the fiery orange leaves cascade to the ground, there is no doubt that winter is well on its way. This isn’t just any winter, however, rumors suggest this one will be especially chilly.

In fact, we’ve already experienced a week of wicked temperatures and all around campus students are bundling up to keep from frosting over. But for a kid from Hawaii, colder temperatures are unfamiliar and therefore scary to have to prepare for. So, I hit the street in search of tips for battling Jack Frost this season and I found some suggestions so original, even those of you experienced in the seasonal change might pick up some handy hints.

Layering allows for easy temperature adjustments, especially when going in and out of classrooms and buildings; layers can be removed or added to keep you right at the perfect temperature.

I also recently learned the proper way to wear a scarf: folding it in half and looping the ends through the hole and around your neck. That’s certainly a must for me this holiday season.

For feet, rain boots are great for keeping toes dry when the Oregon rains decide it’s precipitation time and fuzzy boots (mostly for girls, but hey, I’m not one to judge) are great for keeping feet comfortable and warm when it’s just a dry cold.

Your five-fingered extremities are best comforted with gloves; they make sporty styles for the more practical user and softer fabrics for those who like that cozy feel. Myself, I think I’m definitely going to add some of the warm and soft variety to save my hands from the iciness of my steering wheel early in the morning.

Last, ears are especially prone to releasing body heat, so any way you want to cover them, be it earmuffs (for the adorable, smitten with winter look), ear warmers (their slightly less bulky cousins), or the simple beanie (the ones with side flaps are the best), trap your ears as best you can.

Now that your jackets are layered, your neck toasty, your toes dry, your fingers warm and your ears covered, you’re almost completely ready to face the cold. But here are two more unexpected tips I picked up along the way.

One, hand warmers are an inexpensive and great way to keep warm even in the most frigid temperatures. According to one of my sources, an entire tennis team can share one and they last for quite a while. So, I guess there’s no better time than now to play hot potato with your friends, using a hand warmer instead.

And two, the perfect accessory for anyone looking to keep in the heat this season has a three-fold purpose. Carrying around a mug or cup of hot coffee (or cocoa) keeps your hands warm, turns up the internal heat from your belly outward and makes you look really cool and important. Okay, the last one is just in my opinion, but I’ve always found that holding coffee gives one an air of sophistication.

I hope these hints help you throughout the rest of the semester and I’m sure that everyone has their own special secret to staying comfortable when the temperature isn’t.

I encourage you to share your toasty tips with each other and remember that we’re all facing this nippy weather together. When all else fails, I hear that sharing body heat is a good way to go, so hugs all around will keep everyone in high spirits and hopefully high temperatures as well.

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