HLS in Focus

The weather is changing fast here in Cambridge, which reminds me of my first adjustments to the New England climate last year. Coming from Texas, I was completely unsure what to expect: part of me was panicked that I would hate the cold, the snow, and the need to pull on boots and gloves every time I wanted to step outside. But part of me, defiant in the face of relatives’ constant teasing about frostbite in September, was determined to like it.

The reality wound up being somewhere between the two. First off, my family was dead wrong about September. Although it’s cooling off a bit faster this year, I was still wearing skirts and light jackets outside last Halloween. Also, most things just weren’t the hassle I imagined. The snow held off until December, was shoveled expertly off most sidewalks every day, and was so gorgeous fresh that I never stopped being excited to see it fall. Winter wear gradually became part of my routine, and I found I was rarely cold indoors since New England, unlike Texas, really knows how to keep its buildings toasty.

The only annoyances were a handful of things I never could have predicted. Feeling unfeminine as I marched around in boots and bulky sweaters was a big one; so was slipping on ice all the time. Mostly, I found it depressing that the sun started to go down so early I would walk home from class at 4:30 in darkness. If I wasn’t careful, this made me sleep and eat constantly like a hibernating bear, which in turn wasn’t great for the femininity problem.

However, almost all of this proved possible to counteract somehow. A classmate from Canada told me that having multiple coats might keep my wardrobe feeling less monotonous in winter, so I didn’t fight the temptation to buy distinctive ones I saw. I wound up with three in different colors, and it really did help. I also started building extra time into my mornings so I could take it slow over the ice on my way to school.

Most importantly, I wound up seeing someone at University Health Services about a light box to make up for lost sunshine. I got one free with student insurance, and I didn’t have to undergo therapy or anything else intrusive or time-consuming first. It was actually spring before I thought to do this, and I wish every day that I had sooner, because the difference it made in my energy level was amazing.

If I could go back to my panicked pre-law school self, I would say Harvard makes it so easy to take care of yourself that there’s really nothing to fear about the cold—even coming from Texas. Sure, winter in New England is no walk in the park. Sometimes I think to myself, “The Puritans landed here first and they stayed?!?” But we Southerners can’t actually predict what we’ll like and dislike about Northern weather until we try it, and the school and our more experienced peers are always willing to help smooth the transition.

- Lea

Note: It’s beautiful and sunny out today, with a high in the 60’s.