As November takes the place of October, the day grows shorter and the chill of winter creeps in (ugh). Fall is absolutely the best season of the year. The streets are covered with various shades of red, orange, yellow, and brown. The sky remains a crystalline blue. The sun still shines very brightly. And the temperature is comfortable enough for us to go out and fill our lungs with the Finnish air. However, it’s time we opened the door for winter to come in and take the warmth away.
The Finnish winter is not only very cold but also very dark. Many Finns apparently enjoy the snow and cold. Me? I only want to stay under the blanket. I have only experienced one winter here. That is enough for me to know how bad it can get, but not enough to learn the tips and tricks of surviving it. Well, maybe not “survive” but thrive in it. Last winter, I did relatively okay. As I’m writing this post, I’m also picking up on ways to make my next winter season even better. Most winter-related problems center around a lack of energy and motivation to, well, live. We feel sluggish instead of exuberant. There is no one big solution that will change the game and make winter as pleasurable as fall or summer. Instead, small things make the difference. Below are what I have tried as well as learned from the others. I will try to dig around for more ideas and extend the list.
Dress up
The most important thing during the winter is probably to stay warm. Good gloves, beanie, jacket, shoes,...you name it. However, dressing cute is also necessary, simply because when you have a nice outfit, it encourages you to go outside and show it to the world. Since I got back from Vietnam and carried with me a whole new winter wardrobe, I find myself a bit more motivated to put on the new clothes and go out. This might just be a reason for me to buy more clothes, though. As clothes in Finland are quite pricey, I prefer bringing them from Vietnam. My favorite brand is definitely Uniqlo. They have perfect thermal underwear and trendy clothing items. That being said, it’s unsustainable to keep buying clothes every time we start feeling sluggish. I suggest you build a capsule wardrobe with more chances to mix & match. Or you may as well get smaller items like cute earmuffs and beanies to spice up your outfit. I guess putting on make-up and wearing accessories also count. The idea here is to gain motivation by making yourself more presentable.
Watch something
Watching videos on YouTube has inspired me to try things not just for the winter. Some kinds of videos I usually watch are Korean cooking vlogs, camping in the snow, and cinematic videos of living alone or traveling. The cooking vlogs have given me ideas for new dishes and desserts, making me more excited to try something other than noodles. I like the Korean ones because of the aesthetics and because Korean food is relatively diverse and easy to make. Snow camping vlogs show how other people are also having fun in the snow and how uniquely beautiful winter nature is. Traveling vlogs not only entertain me but also encourage me to work harder so that I can one day travel like in the videos. Another great YouTube channel that I just found out about is Kahvihuone8487. She makes videos about living in Finland, mostly focusing on her home and what she does at home during the four seasons.
TikTok has also given me countless ideas. Still, I think that watching TikTok causes more harm than good since it’s SO addictive.
Exercise
I guess everyone already knows how important exercising is. It is easier said than done. I usually feel like exercising for 20 minutes per day is such a waste of time and never got into the habit of doing it. I hope to improve that since almost all videos and articles that I have come across say that exercising regularly is integral to beating both physical and mental tiredness during the winter months. It’s interesting how spending energy in turn boosts feelings of energy. If it’s too difficult to build a habit of exercising, start with just a few minutes per day doing moderate exercises then gradually increase the amount and intensity. Planning to exercise at the exact same time each day or taking part in an exercise challenge with a friend are also ways to start a more active lifestyle. There are plenty of workout videos on YouTube with multiple difficulty levels that you can even do in bed!
Many small things can help to beat the winter blues. I didn't want to make one big list, so I decided to split it into parts. I plan to keep updating the list and come up with even more detailed ideas for the winter. Visit again soon for part 2!
amazing good job!