6 Schoolbag Essentials to Survive the Winter in Princeton

Now that the autumn season is coming to a close and the red, orange and yellow leaves have shriveled to the ground, the winter trademarks of chilly morning air and cold toilet seats have finally made their way to Princeton. For many freshman students not native to the East Coast, the idea of cold weather has never been an issue before coming to campus. Now, however, the struggle to understand and adapt to this new type of weather has certainly proven to be a challenge for many of them. Some brave native Californians still make it a mission to wear sandals and shorts to class, while international students remain puzzled at why there is still no snow in December.With unexpected rain and gloomy, gray clouds usually plaguing the skies, it seems hibernation is becoming an increasingly more viable option to avoid this winter weather. This is especially so when your book bag is filled with heavy textbooks and notebooks, making it that much harder to walk up the hilly Elm Drive. Instead of lugging all those textbooks and increasing your risk for back-pain before age 30, try carrying these small things in your backpack that are sure to help you survive this winter:1. Hand LotionFor those days you forget to wear gloves, putting your hands in your pockets seems like the only way to shield them from the frigid air and prevent them from achieving the consistency of sandpaper. Having a small bottle of hand lotion in your bag will keep your hands healthy and soft and absolutely ready for hand-holding action.     2. Hot PacksEven with hand lotion, you’re bound to take your hands out at some point to take notes and ask questions in class like the good student you are. A handy hot pack is sure to give you that extra warmth to motivate you for the rest of the day. Just please don’t mix up your hot pack with a hot pocket.3. Tissues and Cough Drops“Bless you” and “gesundheit” have easily become excellent phrases to strike up conversations with sick strangers. It seems almost everyone on campus, both teachers and classmates, has experienced some sickness, along with runny noses and sore throats. Carrying a packet of tissues and cough drops will not help your friends feel better but also make sure you have friends that make it out of winter alive. It also doesn’t hurt to pop a few cough drops for yourself to suppress any potential bugs you might catch from others on campus.4. Cinnamon-Flavored GumNow that the sun is going down much sooner in the day and most of us have returned to our inconsistent sleeping patterns, the flat desks of classrooms and wooden lecture halls have transformed into unlikely places of unwanted slumber. Cinnamon-flavored gum, or any type of candy with a spicy kick to it, is a sure fire way to give you that much needed pep and wake you up for those really long morning lectures. When all of your classmates inevitably ask you for some, be sure to say you just “conveniently” ate the last one. After all, you can only be so nice.5. Lip BalmMuch like your hands, your lips are bound to get dried out by the cold winds. While it is important to apply lip balm before going bed, having some handy lip balm in your bag will definitely save you from the discomfort of having chapped lips during the day. Since most of the student body will be busy studying for finals and stressing over finishing end-of-the-year assignments, that lip balm is probably the most lip action you’ll get until after finals6. Travel-size Umbrella Even when the weather app says there’s only a “10%” chance of rain, expect some spontaneous showers to come your way. Sometimes these showers can last as long as five minutes to several hours. Be prepared for any amount of rain with a travel-size umbrella at your disposal. Make sure it’s big enough to cover your backpack, and maybe big enough to accommodate another person so your trip back to your dorm isn’t so lonely. *wink*