Kylee Deering | Contributing writer
Fall has come and gone and the beautiful red and orange leaves all over campus have been replaced with cold winds and snow on the ground. It’s time to switch out the lightweight sweatshirts with winter coats and gloves as we take on another Iowa winter. You know, the ones where when you don’t blow dry your hair and go to class, it’s already frozen by the time you walk there? (Boys, I know some of you feel me on this too.) The point is, Iowa has below 0° temperatures and we act like getting half of a foot of snow is lucky because this time it was ONLY a half of a foot. If you hate winter or dread trudging through the snow to class every day, here are a few hacks to help you make it through until spring.
1. Strategically plan your route – Map out all of your classes and figure out the best ways to get there spending the least amount of time outside. I’ve already started doing this on some of the colder days. No way am I walking from Pierce White to Dixon-Eilers outside when I can take the underground.
2. Wear a coat – Okay, I know this seems simple. But you have no idea the amount of students around campus I’ve seen walking around outside with just a sweatshirt or cardigan on, hunched over with their arms around them, shivering in the cold. This is Iowa after all! Wear a coat (and gloves and a scarf while you’re at it) and if you don’t have one, invest in one. I promise you, it’s a smarter purchase than the six burritos you were about to buy this week.
3. Pre-start your car – If you must go somewhere in your car, start it 5-10 minutes before you actually go. This gives it a chance to get warm so crank the heat, turn on your seat heaters if you have them and let your car get toasty. You’ll feel so much better when you get in and it’s better on your car.
4. Carry hand-sanitizer with you – If you have frozen car door handles, hand sanitizer will melt the ice away.
5. Take shorter, lukewarm showers – Yeah, I know. Shorter, colder showers in the winter? There is a method behind my madness. Even though this sounds awful, it helps you avoid getting dry skin. So if you’re someone who’s constantly putting lotion on after you shower because you get really dry skin in the winter, this will help.
6. Put a hot water bottle or two in bed – Stick a couple of hot water bottles in your bed just before you climb in and you won’t be getting into a cold bed anymore.
7. Put zip ties on your bike tires – For those who ride a bike around, stick a few zip ties on your bike tires for better traction on snow and ice.
8. Invest in an electric blanket – They use very little energy and keep you nice and warm. So if you plan on staying inside, curled up for awhile or get cold sleeping at night, get one of these.
9. Use a humidifier – This reduces nose bleeds, lung problems, and general winter dryness.
10. Take vitamin D – Your body naturally produces this when you’re in the sun and doesn’t get as much in the winter. Taking vitamin D will help balance that out and helps to improve your mood as well.
11. Use an umbrella – They’re not just for rain. If it’s snowing outside, take an umbrella with you to help keep you a little warmer and dryer.
12. Organize scarves in a hanging shoe organizer – I know myself personally could benefit from this one. Over the last several years, I’ve acquired a handful of scarves that usually just pile up in my room over the winter. Use a hanging shoe organizer to put your scarves in to keep them neat.
13. Put sandwich bags over socks – Ever get wet socks from the snow soaking through your shoes? If you put sandwich bags over your socks, they’re waterproof.
14. Use vinegar on your windshield – Spray vinegar on your car windshield to prevent it from getting icy.
15. Use Chapstick on your fingers – Use Chapstick on dry/cracked fingers to get rid of cuts during the winter.
Graphic by Dee Friesen
