Winter in New York City is a unique beast. There is something peculiar about the way the wind blows through the streets. At times, it feels like you're being pummeled by icicles. You need to keep your head down and walk briskly in order to avoid the stinging cold in your eyes. You tug on the collar of your jacket to protect your exposed neck, and you pull your gloves high up your wrists to guard them.

New Yorkers walk constantly. And you need to walk in the cold, as well. The city does not change when it gets cold. You need to still walk to work, school, or restaurants, and there’s no way around this. So in the wintertime, New Yorkers still take to the streets and walk.

This is a lot different than Long Island winters. It’s cold on Long Island, but people do not walk as much as they do in the city. Most people drive, so your cold exposure is limited. Yes, you still feel the biting cold when you walk to your car, but you do not need to walk lengthy street blocks. You can escape the cold the second you close your car door and blast the heat.

New Yorkers don’t have this luxury. The only break you get from the cold is when you arrive at your destination or when you get on public transit. When you walk down the subway steps and feel the warmth radiating from below, you feel thankful for the sudden heat. Remember this during the summer: winter is the only time of year that you truly appreciate the warmth of the subway system.

Winter can be brutal, but that does not stop New York. There’s always something to do, somewhere to go, and someone to see. You may not want to bundle up and rush out in the cold, but you do it anyway. It’s the city. There’s so much you want to see and do, and a little cold cannot and will not stop you. Sure, you may rush through the streets a little more quickly than you do during the warmer months. But New York is New York all year long.

So remember that even though the winter may be brutal, you’re in New York. And New Yorkers continue to appreciate their city even when it’s freezing. If the sun is out or it’s raining, sleeting, or snowing, people will be out and about enjoying their city. Because New York does not freeze.