As the weather outside drops to single digits, and FCPS shows no sign of cancelling school, it’s time to switch into cold weather survival mode.

1) Wear layers rather than a single large coat. Layers, while it may be more bulky will keep you warmer. Heat is generated from your body, and with more layers, it becomes harder for the heat to escape.

2) Wear a hat if nothing else. Speaking of body generated heat, cover your head. A report found that almost 10% of the entirety of body heat will escape through your head. Outer extremities cold? Throw on a hat.

3) Put chemical warmers by your toes or in your gloves. Chemical warmers like HotHands have cellulose, iron, water, activated carbon , vermiculite, and salt. These will provide a good source of comfort for those long walks to school.

4) Cover your mouth. When it’s 13 degrees out, and Ryan McElveen hasn’t come in clutch, its very important
to protect your lungs. Cover your mouth so that the cold air won’t directly hit them. This will help in the future with coughs and other colds.

5) Pick mittens over gloves. Mittens have all fingers together for a larger buildup of heat than the individualism of fingers in gloves. This means that the heat from the fingers will be more combined if you choose to wear mittens.

6) Stay hydrated. It’s essential for one to stay hydrated during the winter season. While it may seem counter intuitive to drink water while it’s cold outside, the liquid will actually allow your cells to work better. Furthermore, it can help stave off dangerous sicknesses that are found during the winter months.

7) Stay dry. This goes without saying, but when it is incredibly cold and it doesn’t look like you’re going to get dry soon, it could get dangerous. It’s harder for a body to keep warm when it’s cold and wet. Stay dry, stay warm.