How to Stay Warm This Winter by Rose Lopez and Anna Miller

Winter can come as soon as October and stay as late as April, which means Minnesotans need to become professionals at staying comfortable during these freezing times. Here are some tips to keep your hands toasty and your feet warm while outdoors, traveling, or inside your cold home.

1. Dress in layers, many, many layers, but don't cut off your circulation. Dress like you’re living in the North Pole, because you are. Get yourself a good pair of thick, warm mittens, socks, and a hat. These are a necessity. Hand warmers also come in handy because sometimes gloves and mittens are not enough.

2. Start your car ahead of time to blast the heat before you leave. Also, make sure your next car has heated steering wheels/seats. They are the greatest invention known to mankind.

3. Take a hot shower to help you feel less cold. Hot cocoa, coffee, tea, or cider help to keep your insides warm as well.

4. Turn on a ceiling fan at a low setting. It sounds crazy, but since heat rises it will circulate the air to spread the heat.

5. Exercise! Or do a quick warm up before working out, especially if you are in a winter sport such as ice skating, hockey, snowboarding, or skiing. It will help your blood circulate.

6. If your fingers (or any part of your body) are cold, white, and frostbitten, DO NOT PUT THEM UNDER HOT WATER! This may be the first thing you want to do, but it can cause nerve damage. Instead, blow warm/cool air on it with a hairdryer, put them in lukewarm water (water conducts heat better than air, but make sure it's not too hot and massage hands to help blood circulation).

Hope these help you stay warm during the bipolar weather this state we know and love has. Have a good winter! Hope to see you in six months when we can feel our feet again and see the grass. Lastly, go drink some hot cocoa!