I feel a little ridiculous writing this article since we’ve recently had a week of sunny, crisp days during which my snow parka has been retired to the back of my closet. But it only took my freshman year to learn that Boston weather is like a girl PMS-ing…it’s gonna do whatever the hell it wants. Which means I know this gorgeous weather is just a tease; we will absolutely have more snowy days. And yes, that includes more anxiety walking to class across the snow-blanketed Heights.
One morning last January, I was walking from the Quad to Hillside. Since I was looking down as I walked−to make sure I didn’t step on an icy patch−I didn’t realize the skating rink I was quickly approaching. O’Neill Plaza had completely frozen over. As I stopped for a moment to try to find the safest path across, I noticed three kids currently crossing the sheet of ice. They were all spaced out walking alone, but sure enough, I watched as all three of them slipped and fell in the same exact spot! And the worst part about O’Neill Plaza is that once you commit, you have to make it across. Though these three students all slipped on their butts, I decided I would learn from their mistakes and walk slowly towards that treacherous part. Even though I knew it was coming… can you guess what happened? Yep, I hit that same patch of ice and hit the floor!
I was incredibly embarrassed−even though no one saw−not to mention cold and sore. You better believe I vowed never to fall on campus again. So here are some tricks I’ve used to help ease the winter fall:
You can either be this calm, collected girl… or this guy.
Pay attention and go slow
The key is to look where you’re stepping. Choose your steps carefully; usually stepping on crunchier snow is safer. Walk slowly so you can recover if you feel your feet start to slip.
Always use the Buddy System
What are friends for but to catch you when you fall? At the very least, you can bring them down with you and not look as stupid.
Keep your bag zipped
Definitely make sure your school bag is zipped shut, so in case you do hit the ground, all of your pens, notebooks, and tampons won’t come flying out. This way, you can just get back up and go, instead of frantically grabbing all of your wet belongings.
Try to land on your butt
You know what’s harder than walking on snow and ice? Crutching on snow and ice. If you know you’re going down, do everything you can to land on your butt! Don’t try to break your fall with your wrist or fall awkwardly on your leg. Rather than twist your ankle trying to undo it, just give up and let yourself fall. Let’s keep the injuries to a minimum, plus your tush will help cushion the hard ice.
Why this guy would carry a hot liquid with him, I don’t know.
Laugh it off
There’s really nothing else you can do but laugh. Hopefully other kids won’t be laughing with you, but if you happen to fall or slip, just shake it off and keep going. Don’t make a huge scene and start laughing hysterically, but also don’t let it ruin your day. It happens to all of us.
Dry off if necessary
Once you’re back up and quickly walking away, head for somewhere dry. Go straight to the nearest bathroom and dry your pants, bag, or coat off from any snow. Once you’re dry, you can enter your class or coffee date as though your embarrassing slip never happened.
Unfortunately, sometimes falling is inevitable. But these techniques will keep you prepared for what’s coming and will minimize the drama usually associated with walking on ice. If you must go down, go down with grace.
And if you don’t quite feel comfortable yet, your only other option is to stay indoors. Next time you wake up to a beautiful white morning, just go back to bed and let the rest of us do the falling.
If you have any funny or embarrassing winter stories, share them with us!
Photo Sources:
http://cerin.wordpress.com/2011/12/19/hip-mobility-and-slipping-on-the-ice/
http://www.unathleticmag.com/2011/02/03/while-the-country-gets-bombarded-with-snow-and-ice-we-can-enjoy-epic-ice-falls/