It’s that time of the year again! Temperatures are dropping, denim jackets are being traded for parkas and pumpkin spice is being phased out for peppermint mocha. So jam your hands into some wooly mittens and bury your face in a scarf - winter.is.here. Every year, we think that maybe this year will be different. Maybe it won't get so cold and it will only snow in gorgeous, picturesque fields. Maybe the buses will still run on time. Maybe we won't get low-grade colds that get passed around and around. Maybe this year will be different...

Who are we kidding? There’s no question that however you cut it Canadian winters are tough. Here’s what to expect throughout this winter season:

December

• This is the first official month of winter, so expect the temperatures to nosedive. That's okay though, it’s almost the Holidays!
• December means it’s time to start sipping hot chocolate and wearing cozy sweaters.
• You’re probably excited still to see the first snowfall. It might even snow a lot near the end of the month making it a white Christmas.

How to survive December: It might officially be winter, but you’ll be too busy eating good food, going to parties and listening to Michael Buble’s Holiday album on repeat to even care. Don’t be surprised if you start out thinking this time of year can and will be fun.

January

• December wasn’t so bad. Surely the rest of winter will be easy, right? Not so fast!
• The warmth and loveliness of the Holidays will end and then be prepared for a bone-chilling winter storm that will freeze you to your core.
• Uggs and Canada Goose jackets will start appearing on everyone.
• You’ll start to realize that nowhere is warm and that wearing 10 layers to class is acceptable.

How to survive January: Your hot chocolate and warm sweaters aren’t going to cut it anymore. It’s time to invest in wool socks, parkas and most importantly a lot of blankets. Crank up the heat and stay inside, you don't need to leave. I mean, we have Uber Eats, right?

February

• With the constant darkness, you’ll start to wonder what time of day it actually is? You didn't hear it from us, but, this is a great excuse for missing class.
• Now is when you’ll start thinking, "Will winter ever end?!?!"
• You’ll wear the same ten layers to school every day and not care.
• And fair warning, you may cry with the arrival of your heating bill - unless you're living with us here at Rez-One, no extra bills FTW.

How to survive February: One word. Sleep. The only way you will make it through February, is if you sleep right through it and pretend it doesn’t exist.

March

• Prepare for a frigid start to “spring” come the end of March. Technically, Spring starts March 20th, but it won’t feel like it for another couple of weeks.
• You’ll probably start WebMD-ing your cold symptoms that haven’t left since December and jump to irrational conclusions
• All plans with everyone, going anywhere—including weddings and funerals—will be considered "weather dependent."
• You’ll start to consider, "How expensive would it really be to move to the Caribbean?"

How to survive March: Why bother? There's nothing on the other side, it’s not worth it anymore. Just keep saying to yourself "It’s almost spring, it’s almost spring..."