Staff Writers Kathleen and Grace share their thoughts!

Whenever people used to ask us what our favorite seasons were, we would always say winter. Of course, as born and raised Texans, we’re used to the mildest winters ever… so, of course, we preferred the one season that wasn’t sweltering hot. When we moved to New York for college, we were completely oblivious as to what to expect. (The warmest article of clothing Grace packed in her luggage was a sweater. Looking back on it, she had no idea what was to come.)

Grace:

I still remember the first day it became noticeably cold—my first day of winter fell on Big Sub. After weeks of “the warmest fall on record,” I had become admittedly careless in stocking up on winter supplies. As I stepped outside to grab a sandwich, I was suddenly hit by a blast of cold air and a swarm of puffers. Immediately, I ran back inside. The sandwich would have to wait for another time.

At times, I would mourn the Texas weather I had willingly chosen to fly 1500 miles away from. While my family and friends back home were basking in the radiant 70-degree warmth, I was away freezing. But as time went on, I grew to appreciate the amount of layering options that winter brings. The NYC cold can be pretty refreshing when you’re cozy enough. And we can’t forget the excitement that comes with seeing the first snowfall. 

Kathleen: 

I actually love the colder weather here. I’d get disgustingly sick of the Texas heat. I love that in New York, we get to experience autumn and winter as seasons instead of the bipolar Texas weather. 

I think the hardest part for me has been learning how to layer. There are days when I accidentally wear too many clothes and get sweaty, and there are days when my legs are freezing because I thought I didn’t need to wear a pair of leggings underneath my jeans. 

It’s been insane to wear thick puffers every single day, though—back home, I’d only have to wear them in the dead middle of winter and at night when the temperature dropped. Here in New York, I’ve had to get used to feeling cold on the regular. I don’t think I ever wore my hat or scarf in Texas, but I’ve put them to good use here. The weather is refreshing, I agree, but it’s been a shock adjusting to the stark difference. 

If you’re also from a place that doesn’t ever get cold, there are four main clothing pieces that we recommend. 

  1. A puffer—you don’t need some fancy 750-fill power Canada Goose jacket, a regular one will do. Personally, we like the Uniqlo down jackets since they’re decently affordable for the quality.
  2. Scarf, gloves, and hat (a hat is optional, you can always use the hood on your puffer).
  3. And, of course, it’s essential to layer. Uniqlo HeatTech is perfect for this—they have leggings, undershirts, and more. 
  4. Thermal underwear (if you get cold easily).

Sad sun via AI Emojis