Winter Hacks for International Graduate Students

As a computer science master's student at RIT, navigating Rochester's brutal winters, I've used these practical hacks to stay warm and focused amid assignments, commutes, and late-night coding sessions.

Layering Clothes Smartly

Layering is your best friend for surviving Rochester winters. It traps heat and lets you adjust easily between RIT’s toasty halls and the snow-covered strolls outside. Always top it off with a good jacket; it blocks the wind and keeps that precious warmth in. And seriously, I can’t stress this enough: carry a pocket hand warmer. It’s a total game-changer when you’re walking across campus in freezing wind or waiting for the shuttle. Your fingers will thank you, trust me.

Explore RIT's Underground Tunnels

RIT’s underground tunnels are basically cheat codes for winter. They connect many of the buildings on campus (not all), but definitely utilize them when the wind and snow decide to team up against you.

On top of that, the tunnels are lined with doodles and decades of student art, which makes a regular walk feel more like exploring a hidden gallery than commuting. If you’re new, grab the official tunnel map PDF or use maps.rit.edu to learn the key links. After a week of paying attention, you’ll find your own favorite shortcuts and artwork to look out for on the way to class.

Stay Hydrated with Warm Drinks

Winter air dries you out indoors, worsening fatigue during homework or projects, so sip warm fluids like chai, herbal tea, coffee, or broth to hydrate without the chill of cold water. I personally will either order something when I’m out and about, or I’ll make Arabica roast coffee in my Stove Top espresso maker. As someone who downs two espresso shots a few days a week, I swear by RIT's campus options to combat post-nap sluggishness aim for room-temp or hot to make it habitual. These count toward daily Winter air dries you out indoors, worsening fatigue during homework or projects, so sip warm fluids like chai, herbal tea, coffee, or broth to hydrate without the chill of cold water. I personally will either order something when I’m out and about, or I’ll make Arabica roast coffee in my Stove Top espresso maker. As someone who downs two espresso shots a few days a week, I swear by RIT's campus options to combat post-nap sluggishness aim for room-temp or hot to make it habitual. These count toward daily intake and warm you from the inside, especially after evening gym sessions.

Join FreezeFest Fun

FreezeFest turns late January blues into a week-long winter party with ice sculptures, athletics, music, warm global beverages, wellness fairs, and a lot more,  all for students. It’s an RIT tradition that you don’t want to miss! 

Also, keep an eye on the event calendar online so you can bookmark a couple of events that fit between your labs and group meetings. There is always something going on.