Boston Winter Survival Guide

This past Sunday morning, my roommate ran into the living room of our apartment, opened the window and stuck her head outside of it. “It’s snowing out there!” she proclaimed in disbelief. I stood up and joined her at the window and took a look at all the white, fluffy stuff that was coming down. “Well, considering other years, snow in November isn’t such a shocking thing around here. However, this is only the beginning.”

For those out there who do not know me, I love snow. One of the reasons I ended up going to an undergraduate university in Massachusetts was because I was guaranteed to have at least more than one snow day. But, my love for snow extends far beyond just the possibility of not having school. I love walking through it, playing in it, taking pictures of it, watching snow collect outside while sitting inside with a warm cup of hot cider. Essentially, if it is a snow based activity (other than shoveling it), chances are high that I’ve participated in it. But I’m sure that everyone who is reading this must be thinking that I am getting way ahead of myself. We are only five days into November; it is still the season of all things pumpkin! But if Starbucks can start serving gingerbread lattes and peppermint mochas the day after Halloween, then why can’t start dreaming about snow? After all, winter is coming.

But pushing my little snow rant aside, for those of you who are still new to Boston, and maybe the northeast entirely, I would take Sunday’s snowfall as an indicator of what is to come. If you haven’t invested in a pair of sturdy winter boots and a warm winter jacket, you might want to do so sooner than later. Keep in mind, last year we had a few days in the single digits. While that might not happen this year, it would be better to be prepared then not. For those with cars, parking in the city is about the become a whole lot harder. While Boston is pretty good about staying on top of plowing, those snow piles already make a tough parking situation harder. Last year, people on my street put out folding chairs to save their spots. The T might be slower, but it will save you the headache of finding a new space to park.

Now, despite the information above, winter in Boston is actually pretty cool. The trees at the Common are decorated in lights and walking through at night feels like walking through a wonderland. Also, there is an ice-skating rink there which means you won’t have to travel all the way to Rockefeller Center to get your skating on. Actually, walking anywhere in Boston is pretty magical in the winter. Faneuil Hall, Newberry Street, Harvard, the list goes on. It might be cold out there, but the city is definitely worth exploring.

Of course, all of this information is a bit premature; we still have Thanksgiving to celebrate. But in my experiences living in Massachusetts, you never know when a winter wonderland might appear.