I am cold, annoyed, and jostled.

The winter times are, indeed, upon us. The temperature rarely creeps above 50, everyone’s Instagram stories rotate between the winter markets and the Rockefeller tree, and I’ve gained some honest, non-sarcastic wisdom that I’d like to impart if you, too, may be unused to the bustle and buzz of New York in December. 

1: DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT GO TO THE UNION SQUARE MARKET ON A SATURDAY EVENING. The crowds? Heinous. The vendors? Barely scraping by. I tried to buy a tiny wooden spoon as a gift for my mother, and spent 20 minutes waiting for their iPad payment app to connect to the WiFi. At one point, my friend and I were unable to do anything as the crowd surged us in the direction of the raclette stand. We got out immediately.

2: The less you have to keep track of when you go out, the better. Trying to juggle a digital camera, phone, airpods, coffee, and the dreaded slipping of the tote bag off your jacketed shoulder is a recipe for frustration. Keeping my belongings in my coat’s internal pockets and not bringing more than I need to has helped me stay more put together on my excursions.

3: Even if it’s touristy, the serotonin I experience when I walk down 5th Avenue looking at the decorated storefronts is worth the grief I get from my friends about it. One of the best, cheapest activities is literally to just walk around, admiring the views.

4: Go ice skating during the week, and make sure to buy tickets in advance online to get the best price. Weekends can increase the price to upwards of 15 dollars, and that’s just for a ticket, not even the skate rentals. 

5: Warm socks make a difference, especially if it’s raining!

6: My friends and I have had many successes with the Broadway lottery, as long as you’re open to going in the middle of the week or a matinee. It’s completely free to enter on a couple of different websites. Seeing a show is a nice way to get off campus for not too much money while staying warm. 

7: Romanticize the people screaming at you, bikes ignoring traffic lights, and crowds of people! Yay! Holidays in New York!

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