2008 Woodie Awards
Wear Your Jacket (And Other Tips to Survive the Colgate Winter)
Kris Koch
Issue date: 1/21/05 Section: Commentary
So you're back at Colgate and already experiencing the numbing cold and icy sidewalks. Maybe you've already fallen down when you failed to notice the ever-sneaky black ice. Maybe you forgot to get a car with four-wheel drive and realized without an SUV, you won't be driving anywhere until May (if you're lucky; it's been known to snow on graduation day). Or maybe you are from California like my naïve best friend, who thought snow was "fun" until she came to Colgate. If you're a veteran like myself, you know the routine, but for those of you Colgate winter virgins or those of you who were abroad in the Spring last year and like myself, no longer have fresh memories of the misery and bone chilling cold, I am here to offer you a little advice on surviving winter at Colgate. Now you may be thinking, I'm from New York or Boston, I've experienced snow and cold before, and I don't need any advice. THINK AGAIN. Coming from Chicago, I too believed I could handle the winter here with my hat and a fleece, but I learned the hard way that Colgate winters are like nothing you've ever experienced. So here are some tips I've learned over the past few years.
1. Invest in a good parka. A fleece just won't cut it.
2. Layers, layers, layers. I'm talking long underwear, wool socks, sweaters, gloves, and hats. Yes, I've been known to wear long underwear under my clothing just to go to class.
3. Snow boots. Uggs may be out of style, but they'll keep your feet warm and dry. Merrels also work quite well. Please ladies, don't try to walk those icy slopes with your stiletto heels. I don't care how well you walk in heels - you'll look absolutely ridiculous when you take a huge digger in front of everyone you know.
4. Space heaters and flannel sheets. For those of you living in those old houses off campus these are essential.
5. This ones for the girls and those of you boys who ignored your mother's urgings to get a hair cut over break. BLOW DRY. Trust me, I know it's a pain but it's time well spent especially for you lucky ones with straight hair. I had a curl freeze into an icicle and break off once and trust me, it looks about as good as when your mom had to cut off half your bangs trying to get the wad of gum out when you were little.
1. Invest in a good parka. A fleece just won't cut it.
2. Layers, layers, layers. I'm talking long underwear, wool socks, sweaters, gloves, and hats. Yes, I've been known to wear long underwear under my clothing just to go to class.
3. Snow boots. Uggs may be out of style, but they'll keep your feet warm and dry. Merrels also work quite well. Please ladies, don't try to walk those icy slopes with your stiletto heels. I don't care how well you walk in heels - you'll look absolutely ridiculous when you take a huge digger in front of everyone you know.
4. Space heaters and flannel sheets. For those of you living in those old houses off campus these are essential.
5. This ones for the girls and those of you boys who ignored your mother's urgings to get a hair cut over break. BLOW DRY. Trust me, I know it's a pain but it's time well spent especially for you lucky ones with straight hair. I had a curl freeze into an icicle and break off once and trust me, it looks about as good as when your mom had to cut off half your bangs trying to get the wad of gum out when you were little.