Montreal’s recent cold snap saw students bundling tighter than the kid from “A Christmas Story,” and crowding campus hotspots like the Redpath basement well past capacity. Hopefully we’re out of the woods now, but just in case temperatures plummet again before this winter’s through, the Tribune has compiled some tips to help you ward off frostbite, as well as a monster heating bill.
This season, more is more:
Layers are your new best friend. To give you an idea of how far you can take this idea, last week, I repeatedly wore two pairs of socks (one of them extra thick), leggings under my jeans, a shirt, and a sweater, along with my winter coat and boots. During one trip to the gym, I found that sweatpants over yoga pants were the first combination to keep my legs totally warm. Some people have their reservations about the appropriateness of sweatpants in certain situations—I say, ‘Let them freeze.’ There’s a certain point at which staying warm is more important than looking cool; and after this week, I’ve realized that for me, that point is somewhere around minus 20 degrees Celsius.
Furthermore, such cold weather makes accessorizing essential, even if you think you’re too macho to use that word. The name of the game is ‘no exposed skin,’ which means that gloves, mittens, scarves, balaclavas, toques, and hoods are vital. For some, this is an excuse for a shopping trip, which is never a bad thing. For others, it means digging into your closet and finding that ridiculously huge scarf you swore you would never wear, but now that gigantic amount of coverage suddenly seems to make perfect sense.
Stay warm with Tim’s:
A little silver lining to this incredible cold is that all your favourite coffee shop drinks suddenly become a necessity. It’s not extravagant to buy a vanilla latte everyday if you’re walking through frigid temperatures to get your classes, right? And who’s to say that your double-double isn’t what’s staving off frostbite? I would rather err on the side of caution—or more coffee. The only downside is that your favourite coffee joints will likely be crawling with equally frozen McGillians—but hey, body heat.
Shortcuts:
Another way to keep your limbs as toasty as possible is to learn all the campus shortcuts to get to your classes in the warmest way possible. Did you know McGill has a tunnel system? You can leave your Leacock 132 class and study in McLennan just minutes later, all without having to put your jacket on. For a comprehensive look at which tunnels can get you where, check out unofficialmcgillguide.squarespace.com or just wander through them yourself, and see where you wind up! Additionally, you can cut through other buildings on your way across campus. For example, you can duck into McConnell at the Milton Gates on your way to the Maas Chemistry building, or through the Arts building and Leacock if you’re heading for the SSMU building.
Don’t blow your electricity bill:
This type of weather forces us to worry about more than just our core temperatures. Montreal winters can wreak havoc for our hydro budgets, so be sure to check out our partner article below, with money saving tips to keep your apartment warm and your wallet happy.
