How to Survive Rochester in the Winter

L.L. Bean has been my go-to for winter clothing and accessories, but there are cheaper alternatives such as Amazon and Goodwill stores. I highly recommend purchasing a neck warmer as well. I never wore one until my mom showed me a matching neck warmer and hat combination she had lying around our house. Ever since I put that on, I have never left my apartment without it when it’s cold. A neck warmer eliminates the need to zip up your coat to the point where it suffocates you. It can also be pulled over your mouth to keep your chin, lips, and the bottom of your nose cozy as well.

Unless you plan on diving into a snowbank or skiing in the area, you don’t need insulated snow pants. I wear thicker sweatpants on top of jeans or khakis when it reaches the negatives. They are easy to take off, have the same effectiveness as bulky snow pants, and allow me to wear an outfit underneath them that looks presentable.

I combine all of the above elements to create my ultimate winter outfit for when I have to walk to class or clean off my car. Having a hood also means you can have a second layer for your head by pulling it over your hat. I have found this double-layer action has tremendously helped with keeping my sears warm and cutting down on the force of the wind battering my face. My pair of “thinner” boots are actually wool-lined sneakers with a thicker sole and outside layer.

With all of the above clothing, you will be adequately prepared for the harshness of Rochester winters! Keep in mind that it will take you longer in the morning to get ready with all of this equipment. It takes me about 10 minutes to get fully decked out before stepping outside of my apartment door. You need to account for this time when determining your morning routine and the time you ultimately wake up. I set my alarm around 15 minutes earlier in the winter than I do in any other season for this purpose, so I’m not late for a completely avoidable reason. That is not fun if you have 8am classes, so I would highly recommend avoiding early morning classes in the winter if possible. 
 

I suggest placing these items in the backseat over the trunk because my trunk has been frozen solid some mornings and locked me out of using my snow removal tools. All of these items can be found on Amazon or in local hardware stores. Sometimes you can find a snow brush and ice scraper combined into a single tool, which is what I have and is incredibly efficient. If you’re in the market for snow tools, make sure they are large enough to hold in your hand comfortably. Small tools are hard to leverage and will make clearing snow and ice off your car a larger chore than it already is.

You also need to get in the habit of putting your windshield wipers up when there’s snow in the forecast; which will be incredibly often during the spring semester. This prevents your wipers from being frozen onto the windshield and being unusable. If you forget to do this and try to use them anyway, you run a significant risk of breaking them entirely. If your car has a remote start function, now is the time to learn how to use it! 

The cold winters are not entirely depressing and lonely. The lower temperatures means that snow will accumulate on the ground and stay there. The snow that falls is usually the perfect firmness for forming snowballs; you can start snowball fights with the friends you will make, draw snow angels on the ground, and go sledding. There’s a golf course only a few minutes away from the campus by car with large, open hills that students race down after snowstorms. I’ve seen snowmen and snowwomen greet me on the quarter mile on the way to class, sporting a carrot for a nose and a beanie to protect their head. While the winters are long, cold, and snowy, there are many ways to make the best of it