“They say it grows so cold up here in winter that a man’s laughter freezes in his throat and chokes him to death.” — George R.R. Martin. Perhaps Deerfield weather is not as dreary as it is in Game of Thrones, but laughter and happiness seems to be less present during the winter term. Admittedly, it is not easy being cooped up inside all day waiting for the weather to warm up enough to step outside without shivering. But, it isn’t all bad. In fact, some of the best things come out of the winter. So without further ado, my declassified guide to doing winter right.

First of all, try to get out of your room more. Nothing is worse than spending the winter alone within the same four walls. There’s actually quite a bit to do. “I think that some of my best memories from last year were from winter term,” says Caio Paiva-Oliveira ’20. “I know the barn is gone now, but going to basketball and hockey games were so much fun last year.” From cheering on the basketball team to getting pizza at half-time to rushing the court when the point guard hits a buzzer beater, if you want winter memories, the gym is great place to start.

But that was not all Oliveira had to say about the winter. “Go to all the weekend activities, especially semi,” he said, adding, “There’s always a movie or a dance or a tournament to go to, and semi is the best dance all year.”

“Definitely ask someone to Semi,” Oliveira continued. “Don’t be shy; they will probably say yes.” Ask a friend. Ask someone special. Ask someone you wish was someone special. It doesn’t matter.

But there’s more to winter than meets the eye. After all, there is snow everywhere!  If you’re not used to the cold weather, it can really suck trying to get through the winter. David Chen ’20, a returning sophomore from Perth, Australia, had been stunned by the cold last year and is now an expert at staying warm.

“Move your bed right next to a heater if you have one,” Chen said. “And unless your heater is right next to the window, keep your bed as far away from the window as possible. Also, don’t bundle up too early. Wear shorts for as long as possible so you can get used to the cold.” Remembering these little things about the winter is the key to not freezing this year.

However, the cold weather can be enjoyable. Adrian Yao ’20 loves the snow: “Go play in the snow. Get in a snowball fight, go sledding. It’s so much fun.” The snow certainly is one of the perks of the winter. Who doesn’t love the look of snow falling on a Sunday morning?

Last but not least, we can’t forget that winter term means winter dress code, which means rocking a new look. Guys can exchange a blazer for a sweater or a shirt and a tie for a turtle neck. All of us can also look forward to dress down Fridays (hopefully)!

It may be true that nothing burns like the cold, but that won’t stop us from looking forward to the great term ahead of us. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. So don’t let anyone tell you the winter is all misery and cold. If you put in a little effort, winter can be great.