I’ve met people who are hard-core winter advocates.Kudos to them, especially without the promise-of-winter-break motivation thatwe look forward to at the end of the fall semester. But for some of us, weprefer the heat, and right now it feels like the only heat we have coming ourway is the blazing stress of a newly developed fever. Nevertheless, we bravethe Kingston winter and venture to campus. I might have all my books, mycomputer, my chargers, snacks and reusable water bottle, but these are no matchfor a drafty study spot. Let’s face it, sometimes getting a study spot isequivalent to arriving late to a buffet – all the good stuff is gone, andwhat’s left is cold. Even when you manage to find a great spot to work in, thatsneaky winter chill can creep up behind you, just as you hit your productivestreak.

As someone who does their best and most productivework on campus (aka surrounded by accountability – don’t be the person watchingNetflix in the library), this seasonal cold front really frustrated me. So,like the procrastinator I am, I began to do some research about keepingyourself warm, specifically when you’re sitting in one place for a long periodof time. I found a ton of articles, how-to guides, and scientific researchabout heat loss in the body. Through chilly trial-and-error, I found mypersonal and effective favourites.

Here are five of my thoroughly-tested hacks for dressingto stay warm:

Lock and Load Up on Layers:

No surprises here – you lose a lot of heat throughyour head, so wearing a warm winter hat can make a huge difference. Take sometime to find something more substantial than cotton, like a knit hat (thisextends to other winter items, like gloves and scarves). If you feel like yourhands are constantly cold, consider finding a pair of fingerless gloves; thesewill still allow you to use your electronics or flip pages with ease. Anotherkey item is a large scarf. Scarves can double as a blanket, or just a way toreduce the amount of skin you’re exposing.

Frost will Bite:

Cover your ankles. I know that you like the look ofyour white sneakers and jeans without tall socks, no matter what thetemperature is. Knock it off. If you feel like you’re getting cold whenever youstop power-walking to class, this is a huge part of why! Invest in some talland/or thermal socks, they make a world of difference when you’re stuck in achair for hours.

Back-to-Basic:

Lined leggings – my personal favourite. Lined orfleece leggings are comfortable and easy to wear (consider looking at skishops, or camping stores for the warmest ones). You can also switch it aroundand use leggings as a base layer for loose jeans or sweats, or even look intolong-underwear (they’re not as cute as Victoria’s Secret but hey, we’redressing for drafts here, not your crush).

Warm Paws:

Hand or feet warmers are underrated. I brought some toschool that were left over from a ski trip, and wow they were effective; likeholding a warm cup of coffee. You can even make your own reusable ones – Ifound a great how-to guide on a website called Little House Living.

Pre-Heat (and you can be the oven!):

If you have a radiator, you can put your clothes ontop before you get dressed in the morning, so that you leave the house warminstead of already cold. If you’re a morning-shower person, you can also put atop or sweater in the steamy room after you’re done for about 5 minutes (notlonger, you want to avoid dampness), and you get a similar effect. If neitherof these work for you, try this unconventional method: when you’re in bed inthe morning, dreading getting out of your cozy blankets, snuggle the clothesyou’ll be putting on. It may seem odd, but your body heat can warm up thoselayers for you in the comfort of your own bed.

The bottom line is it will continue to be cold for most of this semester (spoiler, sorry!), so the best we can do is buckle down, layer up and face that winter wind with the knowledge that the cold never lasts forever.

Header image source:
https://www.corinnetaylor.co.uk/blogs/blog/self-care-tips-for-mental-wellbeing

KAtherine Stanley-Paul is the Lifestyle Editor for MUSE