Snowfall in Chicago is back and the commonwealth of Lake Forest is ill-informed on how to handle these weather conditions the proper way. Winter in Chicago, as many Chicagoans know, comes and goes as it pleases. Weeks ago it was 55 and sunny followed by showers, followed by a ten-degree morning with heavy wind. In my 17 and a half years of living in the area, withstanding even the blistering wind chills of 2012, I consider myself an aficionado on the cold. That being said, here’s some tips to stay warm for this year’s fluctuating winter.

1) Don’t Complain About It.

I wake up every morning before school at 7:00 a.m. and have my morning routine like everyone else: shower, brush my teeth, and occasionally eat breakfast. I walk outside into the cold air and my morning gets significantly worse knowing that I have to drive three miles to school in a car that’s inside temp is colder than outside. My 2001 Cherokee Sport is an absolute beast in the snow, but it is frozen on the inside with no seat warmers or heated steering wheel. It is sometimes so unbearably cold that I’d rather stay home from school than drive in a mobile freezer. However, I’m not complaining about it. An uncomfortable ride is better than no ride at all.

2) Driving Gloves.

Yes, you read that correctly. Driving gloves. I’m not talking about the fingerless leather gloves that Ansel Elgort sports in the film Baby Driver, but warm, grippy, five finger gloves are the best way to keep your hands toasty on a cold steering wheel. Driving gloves are truly an essential aspect of staying warm in the winter, especially when you’re driving a vehicle that does not have a heated steering wheel.

3) Coffee.

No matter the weather, coffee is paramount to my morning routine. I prefer an extra large from Dunkin Donuts, or if the funds are low, a large cup from my Miele always does the trick. There is nothing better to warm up the stomach than a piping hot cup of joe. Walking into work or school with cup in hand automatically makes one look sharper. When I see a peer of mine drinking coffee, the only word that comes to mind is “Nice.” Coffee haters and non-drinkers are truly missing out on the great effects of espresso.

As a Chicagoan, I know that the winter is relentless. Sometimes you walk outside, look up at the sky just to ask why. Why is the weather in Chicago so terrible? But really, it doesn’t matter. As long as you keep your head up and dress like it’s cold out, Chicago winters will be like a bug on the highway. If you are a victim of the grueling windchill in the Chicago area, take my advice and suffer no longer.