With Cambridge bracing for a winter storm this weekend and two more months of winter to go, everything can start to feel a bit gray and dreary. Maintaining your motivation for writing and research can be difficult at this time of year. It is harder to go outside, making many of the ways we normally refresh ourselves—seeing friends, exercising—feel harder to do. But trying to push through and keep writing in the basement of Widener or hunkering down in the lab can lead to burnout and diminishing productivity. Instead, I would like to invite you to find your own winter adventure—something that you can do to shake up your routine and find joy in the season.
For this blog, we checked with the FWC staff to find out their favorite ways to embrace the cold and beat the winter blues. We hope you find something here that inspires you to craft your own winter adventure—whether out in the open air or from the warmth of your home.
–Josephine Reece-Stone
Indoor Adventures
Keep It Cozy
After eight winters in Boston, I’m starting to appreciate the long nights and chilly days. There’s an art to staying home. I enjoy turning on the stove to make myself hot pot or soup for dinner; the steam helps combat winter dryness, and the soup calms me down after a cold day. When I’m sipping soup, I like to put on a show or movie that gives me worldbuilding, characters, or literary devices to chew on—or at least a setting or culture that departs from my everyday life. On cozy nights in, I have everything I need. Except for maybe a cat.
–Jialu Bao
Find A Fireplace
One of the best parts of cold weather is warming up, preferably with a nice, cozy fire. I know this may sound like a backhanded compliment to the season, but it’s really not—warming by the fire after a long outdoor excursion only adds to the experience. The dream may be a rustic cabin in snow-covered woods, but an evening spent by a fireplace at a hotel or restaurant, a friend’s house, or an outdoor event still feels good. Woodfires are preferable to gas fireplaces for a good chat, as they can bring out that special flow of conversation that arises when you’re all looking into the flames. Enjoy the cold, then enjoy some warmth by the fireplace.
–Stephen Shennan
Bring People Together
In the winter, to provide warmth to my home, I enjoy cooking and hosting dinner parties. For my household, I often make soups in my Instant Pot. This usually takes under an hour start to finish and makes meals for several days, both great for my busy schedule. There are some great Instant Pot soup cookbooks, including “I love My Instant Pot” Soups, Stews, and Chilis Recipe Book.
I keep dinner parties on my winter schedule. Having lived in France for several years, I love having fondue parties for my friends. This recipe, from a French website, is my go-to. I also host themed parties, such as one for Pi Day (3/14), where everyone brings a savory or sweet pie, and cooking with alcohol, a potluck of dishes prepared with some sort of alcohol.
–Jeannette Miller
Outdoor Adventures
Embrace Seasonal Activities
Perhaps it’s the New Englander in me, but I enjoy venturing out into the crisp air of winter, especially when there’s snow. Outdoor activities in the cold are exhilarating, and they’re also beneficial to your physical and mental health; they get your blood flowing and keep your mind active. I’ve written about one of my favorite hobbies, skiing, in a past blog, and we’ve extolled the virtues of walking numerous times. Today, I’ll recommend another winter activity: skating. Rinks, indoor and outdoor, abound in the Boston area, but I recommend a trip to Steriti Rink in the North End. Not only does it have free public skating (though you’ll have to spring for rental skates if you don’t have your own), but you can take a walk afterward to a North End cafe to grab a hot drink and a pastry. Along similar lines, keep an eye out for the cafes and bars that transform into après ski-style lounges this time of year. You never know; brave the elements, and on your way, you may just come across Kraken arms bursting through a downtown building. Even the coldest winter day can bring whimsy, curiosity, and fun.
–Christopher Brown
Observe Nature
While it may seem like the world outside is empty in the winter, there are many plants and animals going through their winter routines if you take a moment to look. Currently in Massachusetts, non-migratory birds like the wild turkey, mute swan, and ring-necked pheasants are continuing their daily activities. The turkeys often seen in Cambridge and the rest of Boston will adjust their activity in winter by roosting in conifers for protection and sometimes going several days between foraging expeditions. Rabbits, red and gray squirrels, voles, beavers, and muskrats all continue activity throughout the winter, adjusting only on the coldest or snowiest days. The bare trees in winter also make it easier to spot some of our avian neighbors who winter in MA, including the cedar waxwing, dark-eyed junco, northern cardinal, eastern bluebird, and tufted titmouse.
If you are going on an outdoor adventure in the winter, layering is key. Start with a base layer of insulating leggings and undershirt. Materials like wool, silk, and certain synthetics are best—avoid cotton which tends to trap sweat and make you colder. Then add a middle layer of warm pants and a wool sweater or fleece. Finally, complete your layering with a coat, hat, scarf, and gloves. When spending long periods of time outside in the winter you want to take extra care with your extremities. Depending on the temperature, bringing a couple of disposable hand-warmers in your pockets can be a good idea. A thermos of hot chocolate or other hot drink can warm you up mid-adventure or add a bit of magic to an everyday walk. For local nature walks, I recommend visiting Mount Auburn Cemetery or Jamaica Pond and taking note of the wildlife you observe there.
–Josephine Reece-Stone
