It’s that time of year again; where the weather starts to get cold, your hands start to get dry, and every one inevitably comes down with some sort of cold. However, it is also the time of the year when the ground looks better than ever covered in white, you can sled to your heart's content, and if you are a sappy romantic, it’s even a great time to fall in love!

Since I’m from the North and attending college in the South, I tend to see winter as a much more spectacular occurrence than my southern peers. With that in mind, I want to give all of you some tips on how to utilize Winter to its fullest extent and some advice on how to survive the colder months.

My first piece of advice is that Bean boots are a NO-GO when it is slippery and snowy outside. For some reason, all the southerners I know tend to have this idea in their head that Bean boots are the perfect snow boo. They are not! They have leather, lightly treaded bottoms that will slip on the first stretch of ice or compact snow you will find. Please, for the safety of yourself and others, put the Bean boots in the closet for the winter and don’t bring them out unless the ground is dry outside!

Secondly, winter isn’t “so cold” because of the temperature, the majority of the chill comes from the wind. A dry, but windless, 15˚ F feels a lot different than a windy 15˚ F--trust me. So, when you are looking for an outfit in the morning, a big heavy coat is not necessarily needed. A fleece-lined windbreaker or a sweatshirt with a windbreaker over it will do much more for you than a fabric coat will.

My last piece of clothing it advice is that, contrary to popular belief, there really is no benefit to wearing darker clothing in the winter. Everyone knows that darker clothes heat up faster, which is why you should not wear black or related colors in the summer. However, when the temperature gets below a certain point, there is really no noticeable difference, so don’t base your clothing based on its color!

My next piece of advice is about illness! At some point during the winter, it is almost inevitable that you will get sick! So, I am here to offer the godly advice that "Mucinex Fast-MAX" (which is blue and in a blue container), is by far the best medicine out there! It has gotten rid of everything I have had! Put this on your next shopping list!

I also have some driving advice for the southerners dreading the upcoming winter.

First, do not be afraid to drive in snow! Is snow driving ideal? Of course not! However, it is nothing you should fear as a driver. The first thing you do driving in the hazardous conditions of winter, similar to what you do in rain, is slow down! You should never drive terribly fast in the winter because there is always a chance of black ice.

Secondly, always try to shift up as much as possible. The less revolutions your tires do, the more traction you have.

The third driving tip I have is that even if you think you can make it through a certain amount of snow: don’t try it if there is any doubt. Cars can get stuck in snow and on ice. For this reason, if you so choose, I recommend keeping a small bucket of sand in your car. That way, you can put sand under your tires and gain traction if you get stuck in snow or on ice.

Lastly, ENJOY IT! Make snow angels, go sledding, have the best time you will! I have lived in Maine since 2001, and I can tell you that the snow never gets old. Winter is the best time of the year, so instead of dreading it and thinking about all the downsides to winter, make the most of it!

My favorite thing to do during the winter is throw snowballs, which leads me to my final warning! Snow gets hard and ices overnight, so only throw snowballs during freshly laid snow or your friends might possibly hate you!