How to Survive the Winter Months: Part 2

WORDS: Kalisi Luv & Murphy Gold

PHOTOGRAPHY: Kora/ Betty & Kora

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It might technically be spring, but the weather sure hasn’t exhibited any spring-like qualities just yet, meaning winter is still pretty much in full effect. If our last article has left you looking for even more ways to survive the winter months here are a few additional ideas on what you can do to stay happy and healthy until it’s time to boogie at this summer’s festivals.

Physical Health

1. Let’s get physical. Pin-pricked, pickled and slightly paranoid… what does that mean? No idea, sometimes winter drives us truly crazy. With a brute cold force strong enough to feel as if it is actually freezing time itself, and although it feels like 3:00 pm, you check your clock and see it’s 6pm and the crisp night air is coming to get you. Get. In. Side. Or don’t? Night skiing and snowboarding are for those of us that want to take this cold force by the reins. Daytime snowshoe hikes are serene while romantic night skating can be the perfect date night activity. Still too cold? Crank up the heat and hit a hot yoga class, grab a Chai latte and flee to an ice-crystallized, crunchy beach. It may not feel like it but it is activity time.

When you’re finally ready to head home, it’s important to prep for success for the next day… One way to do that is to get your nutrition game on!! Cooking is an amazing winter activity, from full-bodied boiled soups to fresh power-packed veggie bowls. Have people over for a dinner party–cocktail party even–and get into it by making your own apple cider, bitters, or syrup sweeteners. Believe me, you’ll be happy you stayed inside and sipped on a piece of self-rendered art (insert fireplace).

Social Health

2. Get together: there are always ways to connect. Although summer might be over it doesn’t mean you can’t collect your festival fam for a winter adventure. Grab your HitCase and take a long weekend with your pals. Perhaps you’ll head to Whistler Resort and book a chalet with a hot tub to soak your toesies in after a long day of snowboarding, or maybe ski Mt. Seymour for a day. On the other hand, maybe you’d rather head to the woods with the group and rent a cabin sans internet and cable for a few days and throw your own private dance parties complete with wine, snacks, and lots of laughter.

Financial Health

3. Start saving: work hard, play hard. Summers filled with adventure and exploration can often break the bank and leave us scrambling to catch our footing when September rolls along. To allow yourself the pleasure of anxiety-free partying, winter can be the perfect time to polish your budgeting so that you not only have enough skrilla to fund your summer of fun, but some squirreled away for the September start. One of my favourite apps is mint.com. You can link your credit, debit and savings accounts to this app and set your monthly budgets and it will keep track of your spending for you! It’s super easy to set up and follow and it becomes quite obvious where you are overspending. You can even link it to your National Student Loan account and many other types of loan accounts, GICs, etc. However, you must provide your login information for your accounts (passwords included) which opens you up to fraud and may void your fraud protection so make sure to do your research well so that you feel comfortable about your choice before you give your personal information away. Here is an article about why someone chose not to use it.

Another way to save is to take those extra shifts! The days are short and the nights are long which means less fun activities to do so why not take on a second job? Take an extra shift? Work during statutory holidays and make sure to SAVE the money you make. One easy tip is to open a second savings account (preferably a Tax Free Savings Account as they often have higher interest rates like PCFinancial who currently has 2.25% interest rate on their TFSAs) and put all the money you make at your second job and/or during extra shifts or overtime hours into that account and save it for your festival fund. Keep your ‘party money’ separate so you know how much you can handle when the snow begins to melt and the sun beckons your dancing feet. Soon, it’ll be summer again and you’ll be happy you paid attention to your health throughout the winter so that you can go, full tilt until the chills begin to creep back in.