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How to Survive Winter on a College Campus

college campus

Winter is coming, and no, that isn’t just a quote from the Game of Thrones.

Surviving the winter can be difficult, but it’s even more troublesome when you’re a college student. Long gone are snow days, and now you have to walk everywhere, no matter if it’s sleeting, raining, or snowing.

Plus, you have to worry about the negative effects that cold weather has on your skin and your overall health. That’s why we created a complete guide for surviving winter when you’re living on a college campus. Keep reading to learn more!

Invest in a High-Quality Winter Coat

Shopping around for a high-quality winter coat by the end of October will give you a more extensive selection of sizes, styles, and coats that can actually keep you warm in freezing temperatures.

While this may seem like an obvious piece of advice, a quality winter jacket isn’t a cute sweatshirt that you purchased from your local mall outlet. Try taking the time to go to a sporting goods store or department store to shop around for well-insulated winter jackets.

As you’re shopping around for jackets, make sure that it’s well-made, waterproof, and has excellent insulation. While the coat may be expensive, it can last you several years if you take care of it.

If a high-quality winter coat is just too expensive for your budget, you can take a look at a local thrift shop or a Goodwill. There’s a large selection of well-made winter coats that you’ll be able to find on a cheap budget.

Grab a Tub of Vaseline

Before you go to sleep every night, rub Vaseline of your hands, lips, and feet. After you replied the Vaseline to your hands and feet, you can throw on a set of fluffy gloves and socks. The Vaseline will help to moisturize your skin and prevent cracking.

Always Carry an Extra Pair of Socks With You

If you haven’t had a chance to invest in waterproof socks or waterproof boots, carrying an extra pair of socks to keep your feet warm in case of a freaking snowstorm. Even if there isn’t any snow in the forecast, there may be a chance where you step into melted slush on a street corner, leaving you with frozen toes and soggy socks.

Dress in Layers When You’re Walking Around Your College Campus

If you live in an area where you can never expect what the weather is going to do, dressing in layers makes it much easier for you to adjust to the temperature. When the weather gets unreasonably cold, you’ll have several layers of clothing to keep your core body warm. However, if things start heating up, you can take off a few layers.

Bring a Warm Drink While You’re Walking Around

A warm drink serves two purposes: keeping your hands warm and keeping your insides warm. Brewing tea, coffee, or hot apple cider before you leave your dorm can help you to stay warm (and hydrated)!

Buy Winter Gear

Just because you’re on a strict budget doesn’t mean you have to suffer through the cold. Setting money aside to invest in waterproof boots, waterproof socks, thermal gear, and gloves will help you to keep warm during the biterly cold weather.

Keep in mind that staying warm isn’t about fashion. Uggs are great for fashion, but they won’t keep your feet warm or dry if you step in any snow. Waterproof boots or boots that are lined with fur will keep your feet warm and safe from freezing water.

There are tons of affordable gloves on the market. You shouldn’t choose gloves that are just a thin layer of fabric. Find a pair of gloves that have several pieces of fabric or are lined with velour or faux fur.

Hand warmers are also a great option to keep your fingers and hands warm. Rechargeable hand warmers are less than $10, and you can throw them into your pockets for all-day warmth!

If you’re fighting against cold winter winds, scarves and hats are also a great option to keep warm. Wrapping a thick, heavy scarf around your nose and mouth will keep your lungs protected from the cold wind.

Grab Extra Blankets

Before you leave home to start up your college adventure, take time to grab extra blankets. The heating systems in a dorm aren’t always reliable, so you could end up spending several cold winter nights shivering.

If you want to make sure that you stay warm during the winter, having blankets readily available well are you to layer up and keep yourself warm while you’re sleeping.

Give Yourself Extra Time to Walk Around

When you’re leaving for your class, give yourself extra time to walk around a college campus. By giving yourself extra time, you’ll be able to avoid taking dangerous shortcuts in an attempt to get to your class on time.

Always keep an eye out for ice when you’re walking around. It doesn’t matter if the ice is super frozen, walking on it’s extremely dangerous and could cause you to get injured.

You can easily avoid putting yourself in a dangerous situation by giving yourself more time to walk to class.

Surviving the Winter on a College Campus


Staying warm and safe during the harsh winter weather doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. Buying affordable winter gear (instead of thin sweaters for fashion) from your local thrift stores can provide you with the tools to keep your body protected from the cold winter weather.

Carrying around rechargeable hand warmers or a hot beverage can help you to keep your fingers from freezing while you’re walking around your college campus.

Are you looking for other ways to survive while you’re living on a college campus? Click here to learn more!

About the Author

Christopher Manns

I was born in the UK, grew up in Canada and have lived in the USA since the 90s. I love my family, water sports, ice hockey, skiing and soccer. When I'm not helping people save money on textbooks, I'm travelling with my wonderful family and playing sports.