Things no one told you about working through the winter!

Hey all! It has been much too long, sorry about that! Real life came over me. As a quick update, my company wrapped up yearend processes (promotions, compensation, etc.). This happened last week so it was a bit hectic to say the least. Then there was a promotion celebration (then the recovery from that hangover). Finally, I went to Long Island this weekend for a baby shower (when I am on LI I don’t tend to bring my laptop as it weighs 2020200202 pounds).

I thought a fun post to celebrate my return would be, things no one told you about working through the winter!

Most of us have had some sort of summer internship and the weather is great so it’s easy to dress and be motivated for work. Nothing can truly prepare you to spend your first winter working. So here is a couple of things that surprised me (some of them shouldn’t have been surprising but hey they did):

1.       The amount of tights you need to have on hand

Dressing in the summer was easy, I would throw on a dress and cardigan and be good for the day. Sometimes I would even sweat on the subway and think “Man I wish it was a bit colder so I could at least not feel like a pig being baked above some fire pit”. I regret ever speaking these heinous words. The cold adds such a layer of difficulty when getting dressed because you have to look professional but also want to be warm (and let’s face it warm clothes tends to look goofy on almost everyone).

The advice I  give is investing on a lot of tights, they will save your life! Don’t skimp either, invest in some quality tights because sheer ones will not keep you warm. I actually think the “No-nonsense” brand from Wal-Mart makes some pretty solid tights. I have about 7 pairs and they have yet to snag or tear. I bought some Uniqlo heat tech tights, and they just did not work. I am a thicker girl (or fat whichever word you prefer to use), and they just kept rolling down my tummy like down to my knees (even though I bought the correct size for my weight…). Anyways tights are a must and at least have 5 pairs, so you have options outside of pants!

 

2.       The holidays are no longer a two week long vacation

Just as a heads up, every companies policy differs in this area my company personally only gives the 25^th and the 1^st off. BUT, they are very flexible with many people working from home in the in-between days. The office is usually dead in the in-between days (except for the comp teams), so it won’t be super busy days.

My whole point here is that the way that school schedules are created you usually get at least 2 weeks off for the holidays. This 90% of the time won’t happen when you transition to full time. Be prepared to adjust your schedule accordingly and don’t be a scrooge if you have to work the 24^th. J

3.       Have a shawl/blanket scarf in the office

I think all offices were created to have dramatic shifts in weather AKA feeling like you are in Antarctica wrestling with polar bears or in the beaches of Puerto Rico enjoying some sunshine. So be prepared! Wear layers (cardigans or suit jackets) and always have a blanket scarf (I guess this is more targeted towards the ladies, I see a lot of guys having spare vest around though!). The blanket scarf is the best invention because it wraps you up in cuddly warmth, but it also looks professional! (Almost all of my co-workers have one in their drawers).

4.       Get used to you café food

When it gets cold outside, it is really a hassle to bundle up to go out and get food for 5 minutes. The café sees a dramatic increase in traffic because it is just more convenient (if you are lucky enough to have a café in your building!) Choose wisely and try to vary the food you end up getting (salad everyday can get to be too much).

I hope you found these helpful! J Stay warm and safe~