Winter Tips

By Samantha Reynolds

Confession Time: I love winter. I love the cold, and the wind, and the snow. Am I insane? Very possibly. But even a completely sane person could find it in their heart to enjoy the cold, snowy winter by following some of these tips!

Get Outside

When it’s cold, outside is probably the last place you want to be, but spending a little time outside can really make a difference in your overall mood. Part of the reason people get “winter blues” is a

lack of vitamin D. Not only do most people spend more time inside when it’s cold, but there are also fewer hours of daylight each day to soak up some sun.  I’m not suggesting that you go sunbathing in the middle of a blizzard, but if it’s not so bad outside, take your dog for a walk, or teach your little cousin your secret to forming a perfect snowball. It may seem like a pain to wrap yourself into a burrito of coats and scarves and gloves to spend fifteen minutes outside  walking to the end of your block and back, but just that little bit of sun and exercise can improve your mood for the entire day.

Spend Time With Friends and Family

Sometimes, the weather is too bad to spend even five minutes outside, but instead of sitting alone in your room feeling like a human ice cube, use the time inside as an opportunity to connect with loved ones. Got a pet? They are soft, cuddly, and (most importantly) warm- a perfect companion. Don’t have a pet? Call a couple of your friends. If it’s safe to drive, organize a chance for you to get together and play video games or have a movie marathon. And I bet your parents would agree that you don’t spend enough time with your family. Pull down that old board game that you loved when you were six. Maybe you can finally beat your brother (or at least prove he’s cheating). Make cookies. Put up holiday decorations. Huddle together and complain about the cold. It all makes for good bonding.

Help Others

If you need a better motive to help those in need, here’s one: helping other people makes you feel good. It’s kind of a win-win that way. As you’re digging out all your winter clothing, maybe think about donating those too-small snow boots, or put together a basket of clothes you no longer wear and donate that. There will be plenty of opportunity. A lot of different places collect food and clothing, this time of year especially. If you know you want to donate but aren’t sure what would be useful, contact an organization you’d be interested in working with (examples might be the Cherry St. Mission, or a local soup kitchen) and ask what they need. They’ll be grateful for any assistance you can give them, and it’ll leave you feeling warm and fuzzy way better than that too-small sweater will.

And if all else fails, drink some tea, coffee, or hot chocolate, and wrap yourself in a blanket. Winter won’t last forever. J