Winter in Morgantown is like no other. Not only is it ice cold, but you have to walk up and down hills just to get around. I wasn't super prepared for Morgantown winter when I first came here, now I am overly prepared and ready for the snow. Here are what you need to be prepared to survive a winter in Morgantown.
1. Snow Boots
Trust me, you don't want to fall in the snow on the way to class. I highly recommend getting yourself a good pair of shoes (boots) that you can wear every day. You never know when you might cross paths with a patch of black ice.
2. Keurig
When you come home from class, no matter how late, a warm drink sounds very inviting. I recommend investing in a Keurig so that you can enjoy a wide variety of warm drinks such as my personal favorite, hot chocolate. Nothing is better than snuggling in some cozy blankets with a steaming cup of hot chocolate.
3. Travel Mug
It's always nice to have that one warm thing that you can drink on your way to class. Not only does it keep your hands warm, but when you start feeling cold and shivery, you can take a sip and it warms your whole body up.
4. Winter Jacket
If you love your body, it's worth wearing a ridiculously big jacket to keep yourself warm. Winter in Morgantown is like no winter you have previously experienced. Rarely are classes canceled so you have to be prepared to truck through 5 inches of snow in -10-degree weather for that math class you can't miss.
5. Texting Gloves
You never know when you're going to need to text a friend in your class that you're going to be a little late, whether it's because of the PRT or because the winter cold was telling you to hit the snooze button one more time. If you need to pull out your phone for pretty much anything in the winter, I suggest getting a pair of those fancy texting gloves. They come in handy.
6. Chapstick
No, seriously. Everyone licks their lips in the winter. It's inevitable. But when the winter winds start up, licking your lips is that last thing you want to do. Chapstick makes life a little easier. Just apply a few times a day and you'll save yourself from those cracked (and occasionally bleeding) lips.
7. Daring Friends
Let's be real. A couple inches of snow on the ground isn't a reason to stay in every single night. It's not gonna hurt anyone. If you're brave enough to risk the winter cold for that house party you heard about, then you need to have some daring friends to risk it right alongside you. But please, bundle up.
8. Winter Scented Candles
I love being able to light a candle and within minutes, my whole apartment smells like a Christmas wreath. When you get snowed in, there's nothing like laying in bed all day watching holiday movies and breathing in the sweet smells of your favorite candle.
9. All-Wheel-Drive
If you brought your car to school, you're going to want to make sure that it has AWD. These snowy hills are no joke. Along with AWD comes heated seats. Just another advantage to surviving Morgantown winter.
10. Netflix
There are going to be days, weekends most likely, where either school is canceled and it's way t0o cold to go out unless you're an Eskimo. On those days, when you've finished your homework of course, and you find yourself with nothing to do. Netflix is a good time killer. If you don't already have Netflix, or some other streaming site, I highly suggest finding a friend who is willing to share or investing in it yourself. It's worth it during these winter months.