How to Survive Winter in Vermont
The weather has been consistently in the -20 F to +15 F this last month and the one day we had a high of 28F it felt like spring… needless to say the darkness, cold, wind, and snow is giving me hardcore cabin fever. This is my fourth winter in Vermont and while South Dakota has similar temperatures making me no stranger to the cold, the cloudy dreary days of the northeast have definitely given me seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Sooo what’s a dame to do to beat the winter blues? Well I have a few tips that have helped me and hopefully will help you as well if you’re feeling similarly.
Invest in good winter gear. Seriously, this makes a world of a difference. Having your legs actually stay warm on your walk to class or work? Game changer. Gloves that keep your hands warm? Necessity. Hat or ear muffs to warm up the noggin? For sure. Flannel or fleece lined jeans? Yup. Not avaiable? Leggings underneath baby. Rock those twants (twin pants).
Embrace sunshine. Any time the sun is up, try to get out at least for a little bit to soak up that vitamin D. Even if its only a few minutes or if you just sit by a window and soak in the rays, it will make a difference.
Get into a regular sleep routine. The constant darkness really messes with my circadian rhythm, espeically when the sun is only up from 8:00 am - 3:30 pm in peak winter. Now towards the end of January we’ve just started getting sunrises at 7:20 am and sunsets at almost 5:00 pm which seems so much longer than before! I’ve really been trying to be consistent with getting up by the time the sun is up to start my day. I find that if I sleep in to late and only have 4 hours of daylight I just feel off and even worse.
Find warmth. Whether physical, mental, or both its important to make sure you stay warm this winter. Have a cup of tea or hot chocolate, curl up with fuzzy slippers and blankets, have friends over or call someone and laugh your miseries away. Put on your comfort TV show, have a bowl of soup, and remember that brighter, warmer days are ahead.
Embrace the rest season. Winter is the time for hibernation. A time of resting, recovering, and relaxing. For planning adventures in the spring and summer. For getting things from last year in order. For getting ready to burst forward into the new year. While I understand the appeal of January and New Years as a time to reset, refresh, set new goals, etc—January to me is still peak winter and a time to ~chill~. Giving yourself permission to take a break during these harsher months can be very freeing.
Distractions if necessary. Books, movies, podcasts, anything to take your mind off of the freezing weather outside. Current favorites include the book “Daisy Jones and the Six” by Taylor Jenkins Ried, the podcasts “Ologies” and “Completely Abrotrary”, songs by “MUNA” and “The Crystal Casino Band”, along with the “Mandalorian” TV show.
Host a party. Depending on COVID in your area/restrictions and whatever you’re comfortable with it’s really great to have people over! There are so many options for winter parties including a paint and wine night, boardgame marathon, group movie night, dinner parties, potlucks, etc. My friends and I just had a “Mamma Mia” night where we watched the movie, dressed up, and had a greek style potluck full of delicious food. In the works is a Soup Sampler where everyone makes and brings their favorite soup to share with the crew. If you want or need to do something virtual, there are many options for multiplayer online games or powerpoint presentation nights or just FaceTime over meals and chat.
Start / continue a project. It’s nice having a goal outside of work, school, or whatever takes up most of your time. The project can be creative or tactical (think repairs around the house, car, building something) just an endavour outside of your normal schedule that gets you excited and thinking. I’m slowly working on the kids illustration book mentioned in a previous blog post, though I will say most of my time lately has been work, friends, reading, and sleep so I haven’t been able to add much to it.
Try something new. Get those creative juices flowing! Hobbies are what helps me get through the winter when stuck inside more often or can help me get outside more than I would have otherwise. I’ve brought several friends cross country skiing for the first time (they’re doing great) and I’m trying to get into climbing (indoor) more which is fun. I have been trying out more yoga practices (almost done with the 30 day challenge yoga with Adrienne). Other goals for the winter/spring include more language learning and renovating my truck to convert it into something livable for the summer field season.
Polar plunge. Every month, first of the month, regardless of weather (unless its physically unsafe) my friends and I jump into Lake Champlain. To be fair, its very quick jump in the winter (summertime we’ll stay and actually swim, winter is more like run in screaming, gasp, and run out) but its a great shock to the system and a little dose of crazy to get you through to the next month and the promise of warmer times.
Hopefully you find some of these ideas inspiring, please comment down below what you do to get yourself thorugh the winter blues and let me know if you do any of these already or if you try some of my suggestions!
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