How To: Actually Dress Warm For Cambridge Weather

If you’re an out-of-state student, starting your new Harvard life is exciting for a lot of reasons. New friends, new experiences, new traditions…and of course: new weather. If you’re like me and you hail from a place that hasn’t seen snow since the last Ice Age, fear not, for my brief time on campus before Covid-19 has taught me a bit about what it means to live in a city where the weather literally wants to kill you.

Your High-Top Converse are NOT Snowshoes

You know those go-to sneakers you count on for most occasions? The scuffed-up Converse, the crusty AF1s, or the Vans with the huge hole in the toe area...you know the ones. Yeah, those won’t work. If you hate wet socks as much as I do, you’ll invest in a solid pair of boots that’ll get you through anything, from a foot-deep puddle to a romp in the snow with your roomies.

Your Current Jacket is Inadequate

Back home, I had one trusty jacket that would get me through the coldest days of Los Angeles winters (mid 50s Fahrenheit). When I got to Cambridge, I thought, “This jacket will be fine, right?” It was not fine. My trusty jacket could barely get me through a day in autumn. And rain? Forget about it. Bottom line: Invest in a weatherproof coat. They’re more expensive than your average outerwear, but you’ll only need one – plus, it’ll last your entire college career.

What is Canada Goose?

If you’re on campus already, you might have noticed that some students carry themselves through the cold with a certain confidence. Maybe you noticed their trendy parkas: the ones with the red, blue, and white circular logo. This is the mark of Canada Goose, the stylishly expensive outerwear brand that you’ll see many students sporting during your time at Harvard. Don’t feel bad if you don’t have one. The geese thank you for it.

Accessorizing is Mandatory

Back in your hometown, I’m sure you rarely, if ever, thought of body parts like your neck or fingers or ears as needing special weather protection. Now is the time to give them some love, so your fingers don’t turn blue and your ears don’t fall off. Invest in gloves and headgear! Get a scarf! It’s about more than just a fashion statement — it’s about SURVIVAL.

Onions have Layers, Ogres have Layers, Winter Clothes have Layers

While you’re reinventing yourself in college, it may be tempting to dress to impress. But come below-freezing temperatures, it’s better to walk into class looking like the Pillsbury Doughboy than to catch hypothermia on your way there. Dress in layers! Think thermal underwear, leggings, and multiple pairs of warm socks.

If I’ve worried you, don’t fret! You’ll likely survive this winter, either because you’ve done your research and come prepared, or because your roommates will take pity on you and lend you some hand-me-downs. Sure, you won’t always be able to walk around in a t-shirt and shorts, but it’ll all be worth it when, in the dead of winter, you see the look on your snowman’s face and get that warm feeling inside.