Warring Against Winter With Walks

People tend to assume that because I’m from Colorado, I’m accustomed to snow and the cold. While this is somewhat true and I haven’t come in without experience, the winters here have hit me pretty hard. I’ve never been in a situation where I can’t just go outside for a run or a walk without thinking about my health and safety beforehand.

This week, we’ve had a day with a high of -6 and a low of -18 Fahrenheit. Obviously, I haven’t been able to go outside as often as I used to which has been challenging because I love being outdoors.  So how do we remedy this?

By bringing out my inner Minnesotan that I didn’t know that I had and going out anyway. How do we do this when frostbite can set in within minutes here? Well, we’ve got to prep.

Armoring Up

I have been working up a high tolerance for the cold. That being said, no matter how much my mind tells me that I can walk outside without a coat, my hands will go numb no matter what. If it’s really cold, I try to ensure that my only exposed skin is around my eyes so that I can see.

Otherwise, it’s a long-sleeved shirt, my winter coat, a scarf that goes above my nose and wraps around my whole face, a winter hat, gloves, two layers of pants, and my winter boots. I’ve only needed the entire ensemble a couple of times, and usually I’m losing layers about 45 minutes into being outside, even in the -20-degree weather. Remember: your body is much more adaptable than you think, and if you get outside enough your body learns to regulate itself.

AT THE SAME TIME. It can be a pretty challenging balance because sometimes I’ll walk outside, feel fine, and then get sick because I was exposed to the cold for too long. So when armoring up, opt for more winter protection rather than less!

Battle Cry…

…with extremely strong and well-chosen words. Yes, indeed the stereotypes of Minnesotans ranting about the weather all the time is very true. The times when I’m complaining about the weather have been the most mid-western I’ve felt since I’ve gotten here.

I will say that you learn to live with the weather. It’s always a back-and-forth between complaining about it and wishing it would go away and realizing that actually, it’s not that bad, and then you can tell all of your friends and family who don’t live in the Midwest how you can walk outside in 10 degrees with only a sweatshirt because that’s 40 degrees warmer than the day before.

And What Are We Fighting For?

OUR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH! It’s so incredibly easy to just disappear into a dorm

or a study room and just study or doom scroll from dawn to dusk because getting outside is a battle. However, it’s so important to make oneself get out during the dark months of the year.

Walking in the arb with friends has been so great to get myself moving, see nature, and connect with my friends in a new way. Something about the woods makes it feel like you can tell your friends anything and it’s safe to do so. Because the arb is up by Goodhue, which I’ll be perfectly honest, is treated as the far outskirts that one must journey to reach, there usually aren’t a ton of people in the arb which makes a great place to escape everything if that’s something you need.

In addition, it’s gorgeous. I love the arb in the Summer or in the Autumn, but the winter has its own sort of beauty. The snow blanketing the trees and the frozen river that runs through it are stunning.

Recovering From Battle

Even though these walks are my breaks, it takes a little bit to warm up. If I go on a night arb walk and then immediately try to go to bed before warming up, I’m in for a long night of shivering. My favorite thing to help me is putting on a pair of sweatpants, making a cup of tea, and looking through the photos I just took of the previous adventures.

Overall, Winter here has taken its toll on me, but these small outings give me the strength to make it through term with excitement and joy.