I hail from Michigan, so I’ve experienced a “real” winter before. However, there are lots of people (many of my friends included) who had never seen snow before this past week and don’t really know what to expect besides that it’ll be very cold. So here are some things you have to look forward to if you’re about to have your first snowy and cold winter!
You probably won’t look cute again until Spring.
Cute sweaters, patterned leggings, fashion forward boots: you will forsake all of these after the New Year. Winter is what separates those who are truly dedicated to fashion from the rest of us. The problem is that no matter how cute your clothes are, you’re probably going to look less than stellar with hat hair, wind chapped skin, and bleary eyes. It just becomes easier to give up than to put in effort with disappointing results.
Lies.
S.A.D.
Seasonal affective disorder, or S.A.D. (ha), is a fairly common form of depression that comes and goes with changing seasons, most commonly winter. This is not the same thing as having the “winter blues.” It often closely resembles more severe forms of depression. One major cause is the lack of sunlight. For those who are interested, St. Liam’s offers light therapy that resembles sunlight. I’ve never done it myself, but it would definitely be worth looking into.
You will have a semi-permanent cold.
Of course, there will be a few times when you have an actual cold, but for the most part, you’ll just spend weeks on end in a state of semi-sickness. Your nose will be runny and red and dry, your eyes watery, and you’ll never really know if you’re actually sick or if it’s just from walking in the cold.
Snow is beautiful… until the middle of January
Right now, the snow is mostly white and as pure as, well, the undriven snow. However, if you observe around the edges of the sidewalks, you’ll notice this gray slush and mud mixture. It won’t be long until all the snow is this horrible mixture that’s as dismal and sad as your attitude.
It lasts almost five months.
Technically speaking, winter doesn’t start until December 21st, and ends March 20th. This is a lie. As I’m sure you’ve noticed, we are in the middle of November and winter is already underway. Additionally, it’s not that unusual for snow to last into the first week or two of April. And when spring actually comes, it’s not much better–imagine cold rain, mud, and slush that occasionally freezes over.
The wind factor
You’ve no doubt already noticed that most weather reports this time of year includes two temperatures. This is due to the “wind chill.” Essentially, all the wind makes it feel about ten degrees colder than it actually is. When looking up the weather, the lower temperature is the only one that matters.
The hairs inside of your nose will freeze.
This is completely disgusting, but you need to be warned. When the temperatures drop even more, the runny nasal fluid you’ve been sniffling will freeze around your nose hairs. It’s like having hundreds of dagger-like icicles in your nostrils every time you inhale.
Best of luck guys! You’re all real troopers.
Follow the HCND Pinterest account, pin with us, and remember to keep posted with HCND onTwitter, Instagram, and Facebook!
Sources: 1