Thanksgiving’s past and boy has it gotten cold out. There are only about three weeks left of the first semester of school and with classes, papers, projects, and finals, the last thing anyone wants to worry about is getting sick. The temperatures are dropping and snow should (hopefully) be on its way here. Wisconsinites and Illinoisans, you know the drill, same with you Minnesotans: bundle up. Because Guess what? The next few months are going to get chilly. Stock up on your hot cocoa and your cough drops because with winter rolling in so comes another season: cold season. Now a cold is just about inevitable this time of year, but for everyone who isn’t used to the cold Wisconsin weather, here are a few ways to beat it.
Wear layers. Just because its cold out doesn’t mean you can’t still look good but please for your health and the health of those around you, trade in your short sleeve t-shirt for a sweater, or, at the very least, wear a cardigan with it. Remember its cold out so you might want to think about adding a jacket, sweatshirt, or a coat and scarf.
Start taking vitamin C. It’s great for boosting your immune system and can be easily found at any Walgreens. It will help you prevent catching a cold and help you fight one off.
Wear a hat. It will save you from a lot of days of feeling awful from a head cold if you do. A hat will help keep your head warm and will keep your ears from freezing. It will also protect your eardrums from the freezing cold temperatures and save you from an earache or an ear infection later. A hat also helps you retain body heat easier since you lose the most heat through your head.
Get good shoes. Ladies, I know you love them, believe me I do too, but DO NOT venture out in heels in winter unless you have someone with you to catch you. If you have an event to go to that requires fancy, but impractical winter footwear, find a way to change shoes when you reach your destination. It’s better to change shoes than risk a broken ankle on the slippery sidewalks. The best shoes to keep your toes warm and keep you from falling are good rubber soled winter boots, though any shoe with a sturdy rubber sole will work.
Don’t forget the gloves! If you’re like me then it won’t matter how many pairs of gloves or mittens you put on your hands, they will still be cold. Nevertheless gloves are still important, (the same can be said for socks) even if it feels like your hands are frozen; the gloves are preventing frostbite (same with the socks!). I recently found a wonderful little trick to keep my hands (and toes) warm without putting on five pairs of gloves and making my fingers look like sausages. They’re called Hand-warmers. They come in a little bright orange package and can be found in just about any convenience store for about 2$. I highly suggest everyone whose hands are perpetually cold in winter to try them out, they’ve certainly made my winters more enjoyable.