As someone who grew up on the west side, winter to me is a time of rain, just like fall and spring. Sometimes you get some slush that breaks branches and gets slippery. If you’re really unlucky, you’ll get freezing rain, a slick layer of death over (and under, amazingly) everything.

So coming to Pullman and experiencing fluffy, diamond-like glory was inspiring. You can go sledding without getting completely soaked. You can remove snow without breaking the shovel under the weight of moisture-laden slush. The trees don’t have their boughs and spirits broken from a slight dusting.

No, the snow here is like glitter, shimmering and enchanting. There’s a reason people wish for a white Christmas – it’s absolutely magical. Snow also provides the perfect excuse to stay inside.

Mint created a Winter Recreation Guide because winter is actually a season here, unlike about half of Washington. With all the snow and ice, there are opportunities to do wintery outdoor activities such as sledding, skiing, ice fishing and marathon Netflix watching.

Now that we’ve acknowledged that snow is cool, let’s talk about why I don’t like it.

It’s cold. And it’s wet. I don’t like either of those things. It makes it hard to drive and freezes on the sidewalks. I have to wear my clunky shoes because all my other shoes aren’t waterproof.

Walking up a hill was already hard, and now there’s snow and ice all over everything, so the likelihood of staying upright is seriously diminished.

It’s also way too cold. I can tell when it’s zero or below because my nose hairs freeze. I also seriously dislike the fact that I have to wear my bulky jacket to even look outside.

You know what makes zero-degree snowy weather even worse? Wind. If there is even the slightest breeze, my eyes start to water, and I walk into class essentially crying from missing warmth so much.

Now with all this bad stuff about winter, there are a few perks I haven’t already mentioned. For example, as a scarf lover, this is the perfect weather. I can even get away with wearing two scarves if I really want to.

It’s also ideal cuddle weather, unless your person has really cold fingers, feet or nose, in which case they can stay away.

Winter is great and horrible in so many ways, but it’s ultimately unavoidable. So Mint is here to give you some tips and tricks on how to survive the next few months.

Jennifer Ladwig is a senior communication major from Washougal. She can be contacted at [email protected].