So, if you haven’t already gathered from the title, I am mad at Punxsutawney Phil for being such a big liar this year. I was excited when he gave the announcement of an early spring, but little did I know there would be a lot of snow, ice, and wind instead. So what can we do to deal with these constantly changing weather conditions?
Something that I absolutely SWEAR by is the Weather Channel app. I find it to be relatively accurate (no weather app is going to be perfect), and I honestly rely on it a lot. Before I leave my apartment, I always have to check it first to decide what jacket I am going to wear, if I am going to bring any extra layers, or sometimes what shoes to wear. They also have pretty accurate wind reporting, which I find extremely helpful since it is always at least somewhat windy in Hoboken.
And speaking of wind…here comes my second tip! For the next few weeks, always carry (at least) a hat! I cannot tell you the amount of times in my life that I have gotten really bad ear infections from not having my ears covered in the cold wind—but not anymore! You cannot catch me on campus without a hat (maybe if it is above 45 degrees, you might) or at least a thermal headband to protect my ears from the campus wind. To prevent getting sick from walking in windy conditions and to preserve your voice, wearing a glove or high-necked jacket or shirt is also always a great idea.
Now, this one is difficult and by far the most annoying. I am talking about those days when Mother Earth was so crazily indecisive that we went through all four seasons in a 16-hour span. Especially if you are commuting or are just on campus all day with all of your stuff, these are the most frustrating days of the year. While, of course, layering sounds like the perfect solution here, it can also be a hassle to keep track of all of your belongings. Maybe it’s just me, but any time that I have both a sweatshirt and a jacket, one of them ends up being forgotten somewhere. My main suggestion here is to invest in a lighter-weight sweatshirt (I have a super cheap one from Old Navy) because it is so easy to just crumple up in my backpack after I have taken it off, making it easier to keep track of than traditional layers.
This one is more of a side note, but why is it always so sunny in winter? Every time I walk to campus, I can feel the creases in my forehead wrinkling from all of the squinting I have to do on my walk, not to mention that I probably look like an idiot and cannot see anything in front of me other than the sidewalk. Maybe I should start to wear my sunglasses? But it just feels wrong to be wearing sunglasses when there is snow on the ground.
While we don’t get snow all of the time, rain is something that, during your time in Hoboken, you will definitely not be a stranger to. I feel like I have definitely mentioned it before, but one of my biggest recommendations for all Stevens students is to buy a pair of rubber rain boots. There will be puddles, and there will be flooding. Wouldn’t you rather be able to walk right through it than try to dodge it and then still end up with soaking-wet sneakers? Rubber rain boots will be an absolute game changer, I promise.
Alas, while it can’t come any quicker, we will be getting some nicer weather soon. Make sure to take advantage of the beautiful town we live in as the weather starts to get warmer — have a picnic, go for a walk, and remember to touch some grass every once in a while.
