HOW TO THRIVE IN THE WINTER

  • Invest in: 

  • A high quality coat that goes down past your thighs, preferably from LL Bean. Don’t be afraid to lay down $200. This is your most important item in the winter.

  • High quality, waterproof snow boots with good insulation and good grip. This is your second most important item.

  • High quality insulated gloves

  • Layer layer layer. Wear thermal base layers under your pants & sweater

  • Always wear a scarf outside

  • Take vitamin D supplements (1000-4000 IU). This will prevent fatigue and seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which are big issues when daylight ends at 4PM

  • Get a sun lamp for home. There’s also one in the lab. This will also help with the scarce daylight

  • Exercise every few hours. Even if it’s just jumping jacks, or a short walk outside. You won’t want to but it will make you feel 3x better

  • Get a good scraper for ice on your windshield, and a shovel to dig your car out of snow/ shovel snow off the top. It’s actually illegal to drive with snow on top of your car

  • Always bend up your windshield wipers when you leave your car overnight so they don’t freeze to the windshield and/or break

  • Get your car started early in the mornings to defrost, and budget in at least 15 extra minutes to get wherever you’re going

  • Shift into lower gear when there’s ice on the road and drive twice as slow as you think you need to

  • Get flannel sheets for your bed

  • If your bedroom floor doesn’t have carpet, get a fuzzy rug. It will make you feel much better when you get up in the morning

  • Embrace what winter has to offer! Go snowshoeing, skiing, ice skating, and enjoy the beautiful snowy fantasyland (preferably with other people)