By now, you've probably heard that a blizzard is about to hit Philadelphia and surrounding areas. Actually, by the time you read this, you'll probably be seeing your way out of it from under a million pounds of snow and ice. So really, you've already dealt with the insanity of "OMG IT'S SNOWING!" tweets and Facebook statuses, putting on two pairs of gloves to grab the mail (if it even got there), and the sheer panic that erupted at every grocery store on Friday when people realized that there was only one weird kind of bread left. You've already had to settle for that loaf of cinnamon raisin pumpernickel! But fear not! In the spirit of freezing our asses off in tandem, I've strategically compiled a list of essentials for surviving any blizzard that comes your way this winter - because this will certainly not be our last!

Hot Cocoa

This one's a no-brainer. Everyone loves to snuggle up with a nice hot beverage on a cold winter day! But things are different now. Who can you trust? You've lost track of time. It's been snowing so long now that you fear the rest of civilization has died out. For all you know, you and your roommates are the last survivors. Can you really trust them? Resources are now scarce. But, they are your roommates and you've grown to trust them. So, just sit back and sip your hot cocoa.

But keep a pot of hot cocoa that is similar to lava in temperature... just in case your roomie Brenda gets sticky fingers.

Books

Also a logical choice! If the power goes out, books are great to keep you occupied.

But then again, books are for squares! Don't waste your time reading. Instead, put this precious resource to good use. Use it for kindling! Who knows if you'll ever find anything else to burn for warmth! Might as well do something with that $200 textbook that's just collecting dust in the corner. Now that the world is meeting an icy end, you're probably never going to get the chance to be a neurosurgeon, or more realistically, a cashier at Walmart when this college thing goes downhill.

You can also use it to make a shiv, because Brenda looks a little shifty and you've got to protect your turf.

Volleyball

Okay, so at this point, you've probably decided that Brenda is an awful person. You've also decided that it will never stop snowing, so maybe you're not the most emotionally stable. Still, it's important to have entertainment. So make sure you grab yourself a volleyball! If you and Brenda ever get on better terms, you can play with her and maintain your perfect figure. But for the time being, this volleyball will be your friend - literally.

The possibilities are endless! They can be your best friend, your favorite relative, or even a significant other. If it worked for Tom Hanks, why not you?

Camel

If you can't find a camel for some reason, a llama or an alpaca of substantial size will also do the trick. By now, you're two or three days into the blizzard. But, of course, you are completely dazed by the endless snowfall, so you're convinced it has been weeks or even months. Brenda is nowhere in sight and neither is that stack of books you were burning for heat.

Now it's time to get serious - you're going to have to use your camel for warmth. So just grab any cutting implement you have laying around (other people who've tried this said you can use a metal spoon if you're in a pinch, but I prefer to use my hawk-bill machete) and just cut that sucker open. Burrow yourself in its entrails as your ancestors once did!

Sunglasses

We're almost there! At this point, the snow has stopped falling. Your parents call you, concerned that they haven't heard from you all weekend, but you simply rejoice because the human race hasn't actually died out like you suspected. You begin to miss Brenda and realize that she was a kind and beautiful roommate (although she might move out after this experience). The plethora of emotions you are experiencing can be overwhelming! So make sure you've got your trusty sunglasses.

The world is a new and sunny place. Use your sunglasses to cope with the blinding daylight that you haven't seen for just over 48 hours and also to hide the tears that well up in your eyes, because you, my friend, have survived this blizzard. No blizzard is a match for you!