Stephanie Passialis
Contributing Writer
Winter is coming, and for the Illinois college student, that bit of news signifies bitter cold, mountains of snow, and additional stress. Fortunately, the employment of easy-to-do life hacks this upcoming winter term may ease the burden Mother Nature so graciously bestows us for both the on-campus and off-campus student.
For the on-campus resident, winter means trekking ten minutes in knee-high snow, losing a certain amount of mobility in bundles and bundles of clothing, and risking frost bite anyway (and everywhere) getting to class on the other side of campus. With the help of just a few simple winter life hacks, however, these inconveniences may be avoided.
1. Cut out wool insoles from old blankets and insert them into your boots. The wool will provide extra warmth in below-freezing temps.
2. Sandwich bags are great for storing lunch; they’re even better for keeping your feet dry. Placing sandwich bags on top of one’s socks when going out can help block out moisture in non-waterproof shoes.
3. Snow-covered boots will inevitably create puddles back in your dorm room. Inserting cut-up pool noodles in them will keep them upright, reducing this unfortunate mess.
4. Carefully inserting screws into the soles of shoes or boots can help prevent one from slipping on frozen concrete when walking, or more likely running, to class.
5. Turn an electric blanket on low heat and place it under the bed covers or on top of clothes to make them toasty warm. If one is not available, a hot water bottle or towel will also do the trick.
6. Placing a piece of tinfoil behind a wall-mounted heater or radiator will prevent the wall from absorbing its heat and, thus, reflect it back into the room. Be sure to use tinfoil; anything else could pose a fire hazard.
For the commuter, winter means waking up thirty minutes earlier to scrape the ice off your windshield, driving fifteen miles below the speed limit for fear of fishtailing into traffic, and then unavoidably skidding anyway on the unforeseeable black ice that just so happened to form on the road you take to class. A few simple winter life hacks may mean the difference between waking up at the crack of dawn and allowing one more hour under the beckoningly warm covers.
1. Splash some vinegar on your windshield before calling it a night. This technique will melt any ice that happens to form, allowing a few more minutes of much needed sleep that morning.
2. Should ice still form, however, and you have unfortunately not invested in an ice-scraper, a non-metal spatula or plastic card can be used to chip away pieces of ice on car windows.
3. Prop your window wipers in the air and cover them with old socks. These will prevent the wipers from freezing to your windshield overnight.
4. Similarly, covering your side mirrors with freezer-sized Ziplock bags, zipped as far as they will go, will prevent ice from forming. As a result, you will no longer have to worry about cleaning your mirrors before leaving for class.
5. If you park outside, be sure to face east overnight. The sun will defrost your windshield, and potentially warm your car, as it rises the next morning.
