Winter is in the air!!! Can you feel it? Cold mornings, cold afternoons, cold evenings… well, that about sums up winter: it’s brrrr season! We’ve officially said our farewell to sunny mornings, birds chirping, flowers growing, melting ice cream, sandy beaches… gosh, is anyone else missing summer? Though winter may have its perks, for many people (silently raising my own hand), it’s their least favorite season and brings nothing but gray and gloomy vibes. So, what better way to improve our morale and make winter just a smidge more bearable by embracing the cold and wrapping ourselves in fluffy blankets so that we can have a cozy winter?

When you think cozy, what comes to mind? I know for me, the answer is blankets, pillows, candles, and sleeping in (because that 6 AM alarm and freezing morning frost does not scream cozy). When it comes to being cozy, we focus mainly on comfort, warmth, and relaxation. It is the epitome of what most teenagers strive towards. But, how do you reach it? I’d say dress cozy, but I think most of us already have that aspect covered in the pajamas, hoodies, and slippers that we wear to school. So what other things can we do to become more cozy this winter?

Grab a cozy blanket, it doesn’t need to be one of those fancy faux fur monstrosities that you can get lost, just a simple blanket. Now, get your warm drink of choice – hot chocolate, coffee, tea, anything – and, if you’re hungry, a sweet (or salty) snack. Now, find a cozy spot, this could be anything from your living room or bedroom, to a coffee shop or library, and curl up under your blanket (well, if you’re at a coffee shop, maybe don’t whip out a blanket, that may be a little awkward for the people around you). For the most important step, and I mean the most important step, turn off all of the big lights. What do I mean by this? Switch off the overhead lights, and only keep on small lamps… and voila! You’ve got yourself a cozy little spot to binge a show, watch a movie, read a book, get some schoolwork done, scroll on your phone, or sleep. But, for some, sitting inside under warm lights and fluffy blankets isn’t how they would describe being cozy. So, let’s brave the cold. Bundle up in a sherpa zip-up, pull on a hat, and take a walk, hike, stroll, or run. Before you go thinking that the cold is not cozy… hear me out! There is something immensely cozy about wrapping yourself in scarves, coats, sweaters, and boots and hearing the crunch of the snow beneath your feet. Every winter break I go to Vermont to visit my grandma, and if you know anything about Vermont, you know it’s cold in the winter (for a visual, when it snows an inch here, it snows a foot there), but despite the frigid temperatures and piles of snow, every morning we go for walks on the gravel roads. We bundle up until we look like overstuffed marshmallows ready for battle, and walk the dogs with coffees in hand. Unfortunately for us here in Brewster, there are no gravel roads encased with snow-draped trees sitting right outside our houses. But, we do have beautiful paths sitting all around Brewster, or, if you don’t feel like traveling too far, walk the sidewalks that wind all around your neighborhood. Bring along your dog (am I the only one who has a dog that would much prefer to hibernate all winter?), call up your friends, or go with your family. Not only will you be able to get active, but you will also be able to spend time with friends and family. Trust me on this one! Being outside, when you’re tucked into a warm jacket, with your breath coming out in airy plumes as the snow falls around you is cozy… or I’m the only one that thinks this, but you won’t know until you try it!

If I had to choose the coziest thing in the entire universe of cozy things, it would have to be waking up in the morning to the news of a snow day… back to bed for me! Now, at the time of writing this, we have yet to have a snow day (which is a real tragedy), but maybe February won’t just be the month of love, but the month of snow. My fingers will be crossed!! When that early morning alarm goes off, you turn to the right, look out your window and see piles of snow. It feels like I’m a little kid again, giddy over some snow and the possibility that school will be closed. Does that just happen to me? There is something so cozy about curling back into your warm bed, sleeping in, making a full breakfast because those last minute I’m-about-to-be-late-for-school-breakfasts were getting old. School is canceled, now you have all day to do anything. Harness your inner child and pull on some snow pants and go outside to play in the snow… because you’re never too old to build a snowman and make snow angels. Spend the day inside binging a show or watching that movie that’s been sitting in your watchlist for months. You can do crafts, curl up with a good book, organize your closet because you’ve been putting it off for weeks (Am I calling myself out? Maybe…). You can take advantage of the cold weather and treat yourself to a freshly made bed with clean flannel sheets, because those warm, cozy sheets are a staple for winter. Everyone needs to pray to the snow-day gods that we are granted a snow day very soon!

There are so many ways to enjoy winter, despite it being a cold and sometimes gloomy season. Go outside and enjoy the snow crunching beneath your boots, curl up in front of a fire, and so much more! And if you think that you won’t ever be able to enjoy winter, and are counting down the days until you can move somewhere warm and sunny, then think on the positive side: we are halfway through winter (I can see summer on the horizon… I think).