During my high school years (2001-05) we never had white Christmases. It never snowed until January. Seasonal snowfall was meager, never reaching 50 inches. That changed however when I migrated on over to the UW to attend college. How lucky was I to discover that as soon as I needed to start walking outside all day between classes, the weather of Wisconsin decided to berserk and deviate from its previous behavior. Thanks, Badger State. The past few winters have been record-setting in snow volume and frequency (snow in November was not uncommon). Last year, we broke the previous record of seasonal snowfall: ~79 inches. The new record to beat: a whooping ~101 inches. Wow. Although it makes for a nice white Christmas, it also makes for a hassle-filled end to first semester.
Because Wisconsin's change from autumn to winter can happen very abruptly, it is important to be prepared for winter and have everything you'll need. That said, I have prepared a list of things to have/keep in mind in order to properly prepare you for the advent of winter.
1) A massive, thick winter coat. In the midst of the Ice Age fashion should be the last of your concerns. Not everyone needs a $200 North Face parka (and a nice-looking peatcoat might not cut it during the most savage days of winter). Dress thick and warm. It is okay to walk around campus looking like a giant blob of coats. Besides, the more fashionable you look the harder I laugh when you slip on Bascom Hill.
2) Warm pockets to keep your iPod or cell phone in. People, including myself, like to walk between classes whilst listening to tunes. The cold, however, likes to suck out the battery power of electric goods like iPods or cell phones. Last year, my cell phone even broke simply because I was walking around outside too often with it in my pocket. The coldness scrambled my ability to get new voicemails. Likewise, my iPod was want to die and think it was out of battery even if I had just charged it 100% a few hours earlier. My advice is to keep these things in internal pockets if you have them.
3) Girls should never, never wear high heels. If you need them for something, bring them but don't wear them out on the ice. I don't pity the girls who slip on Bascom Hill's ice while during high heels. I laugh at them.
4) The warmer your coat, the less you need to wear underneath. This is benefitial for when you go inside places that have the heat pumped sky high. Too often my freshman year I made the mistake of trekking to class in long underwear and thick sweaters only to find myself sweating profusely in the middle of Feburary. Gross.
3) Girls should never, never wear high heels. If you need them for something, bring them but don't wear them out on the ice. I don't pity the girls who slip on Bascom Hill's ice while during high heels. I laugh at them.
4) The warmer your coat, the less you need to wear underneath. This is benefitial for when you go inside places that have the heat pumped sky high. Too often my freshman year I made the mistake of trekking to class in long underwear and thick sweaters only to find myself sweating profusely in the middle of Feburary. Gross.
5) A scarf. On the coldest of days, this should be worn around your face, not just around your neck. Who cares if you look like a winter ninja, at least now your snot won't be freezing in your nose.
6) Wool socks. These are not necessary if you will not be outside for long. However, if you intend to find yourself outside for an extended period of time, wearing wool socks is heavenly. There will be no cold toes for you!
7) Hot chocolate is eternally delicious.
See you next semester!
7) Hot chocolate is eternally delicious.
See you next semester!
