We're not all Elsa from Frozen. The cold bothers us. And here in St. Louis, it's one extreme to the next. It's really hot and then without warning it's 10 degrees. The snow just hit us, and it's time to bundle up and prepare for the harsh, bitter cold. Here's a list of 10 things to make it a little more bearable:
1. Wear a coat.
This seems like a duh tip, but seriously. I hate coats and I feel like they restrict my movements a lot. So I tend to leave off wearing them until it's like, 10 degrees out. Get over that. You'll seriously get sick if you don't wear a coat.
2. Layers, layers, layers!
Today I wore two shirts, a sweatshirt, and my coat. It's cold, and the worst part about St. Louis cold is the fact that the wind is unbearable. It bites through one coat and a shirt. So, it might not look the cutest, but layering is the best way to keep the wind out.
3. Book a trip somewhere warm.
I guess if you seriously can't handle the cold, just leave, right?
4. Stay hydrated.
All the heaters are gonna make the air around you very dry. Drink water so that your throat won't get scratchy.
5. Eat warm, comforting foods.
Not comforting like, "I just broke up with my boyfriend and need a whole tub of ice cream" (it's far to cold for that), but it helps to eat warm soup so your insides stay warm! (*eats a large pepperoni pizza from Imos by myself*)
6. Be careful and over prepared when it comes to driving.
Keep blankets and extra gloves in your car, and try to keep the tank filled. You really don't want to run out of gas in this bitter cold. Also, clean off your car before you start driving in the snow (keep a snow scraper in your car in case it snows while you're out). St. Louis snow is really just ice disguised as snow anyway -- so be super cautious and seriously don't text while driving in this weather.
7. Hot chocolate is your friend.
Besides, it's nice to have an excuse to drink hot chocolate. Go visit Kaldi's or Bissinger's!
8. Don't lick any flagpoles.
I mean, common sense, please.
9. Buy some snow boots!
Don't try to navigate the mountains of icy snow in tennis shoes. Yeah, that's not gonna work very well.
10. Go outside and have fun.
You don't have to be stuck inside. You can always go out in the snow and make a snowman or have a snowball fight! Just dress warm, and enjoy the weather!
Stay safe and have a (warm and) happy winter!
