I think this article may have come too late. It\u2019s already cold. Pennsylvania winter is already all over the place, and the walkable State College we know has disappeared, with all signs pointing towards a return in May.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even so, I think this guide may help someone, so it\u2019s worth writing. When half the sidewalks are covered in ice, tufts of snow cover the formerly green lawns, and the violent winds cut into any exposed skin, what is there to do but hibernate?\u00a0<\/p>\n
As an avid hibernator, even when it\u2019s warm outside, I\u2019ve gathered quite a few tips and tricks. Remember the bear\u2014 a mammal famed for its hibernating prowess. Take notes, people.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Preparations<\/p>\n
It may seem cold now, especially since the first snow, but knowing Pennsylvania, it\u2019s only going to get worse. Winds will pick up to record-breaking speeds, and we\u2019ll end up happy to see a temperature in the teens. So get out now, before it really stinks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In bears, this phase is called \u201chyperphagia,\u201d or something like over-hunger. In the months before hibernation, bears begin to eat significantly more food than normal, bulking up energy to hold them over during their long sleep. We may still need to eat, but we can certainly stock up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Get in the mindset of a prime COVID-era shopper. Hit places with everything, and lots of it. If you \u2014 or a kind friend \u2014 have a Sam\u2019s Club membership, that\u2019s stop number one. Target and Walmart are also great options.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What are we looking for? Everything you need for the day-to-day. Toilet paper, paper towels, soap (all kinds, or some multi-use stuff if you\u2019re really committed), and really anything else you think you might need. Get out of bed and run through your apartment. Before leaving, make a checklist of everything that could run out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Of course, I haven\u2019t mentioned food. The most important part of preparations. Depending on how long you plan to stay cooped up, non-perishables might be the way to go. The classic college meal of Ramen is a no-brainer, but frozen meals could work too. Amazon has crazy discounts on bulk Ramen, though, so that works too.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t get any big ideas in this phase. No, you\u2019re not going to cook five-star meals every night. Be wary of the size of your apartment. If you\u2019re going to run out of space, it may be better to just leave it on the shelf.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Avoiding Responsibilities<\/p>\n
Now that you\u2019re cooped up and cozy, there\u2019s always going to be something trying to pull you back out. This is an unavoidable fact of life. Not everyone understands that it\u2019s chilly outside.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In some cases, you can just go AWOL. I won\u2019t judge. But responsibilities have a way of creeping up on you, and hibernation crabbiness shouldn\u2019t ruin your life in the warmth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Jobs and school are the two tough ones. If you have a job, I am sorry, I have nothing to help short of quitting. But hey, if you drive there, it\u2019s probably fine, right? Classes with required attendance are also tough ones, and I don\u2019t condone doctored excuses more than twice in a row. Luckily, the age of the internet has blessed us with mostly online classwork, and COVID has blessed us with required online options. So, if you\u2019re lucky enough to have a professor who posts materials online, I congratulate you. You\u2019re in the clear.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Staying Sane<\/p>\n
As \u201cThe Shining\u201d taught us so well, cooping up in one place for extended periods of time can prove deadly. Jack Torrance was in a massive hotel. Imagine what\u2019ll happen in a two-bedroom apartment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Distractions are the easiest fix here, but diversity is key. You can\u2019t play the same game on your phone all winter; you\u2019ll go insane within the first week. Human contact is also great, though if it\u2019s a roommate, it might have the reverse effect after a while. Find friends who wear shorts in the winter; they\u2019re a safe bet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rationing<\/p>\n
This is probably the most vital part of our hibernation. Unlike bears, we can\u2019t eat a bunch of food and let it ride for a month; we need constant food. And beyond that, the supplies we picked up before may run out earlier than expected. We must stay vigilant.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Staying at home for long periods of time may also cause people to use up these resources more quickly than normal, which we must avoid. Snacking and paper-towel usage are difficult to combat, but with a strong enough resolve, it is possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Keep a stock of everything as well. If a resource diminishes, you must catch it before it\u2019s too late. The earlier, the better. You can begin slow usage of whatever it is (hopefully not food), and it may remove the need for a trip outside. And nobody wants that, do they?\u00a0<\/p>\n
If You Must Leave<\/p>\n
If you ignored my previous warnings, I get it. It\u2019s hard to stay home this long and not mess up somewhere. There are still ways we can survive, even just barely.\u00a0<\/p>\n
First, like before, make lists. You need to know exactly what you need to avoid making unnecessary detours or trips.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If at all possible, use DoorDash or one of those things. They do groceries now, so leaving might not be necessary.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Otherwise, try to find someone with a car. Driving yourself is naturally a good option, but if you get a ride, they have to start the car, brush off the snow, and sit in the cold until the heat kicks in. I recommend a good car trouble excuse \u2013 my car\u2019s old, can\u2019t start in the cold. Something like that.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If walking is your only option, I\u2019m sorry, but it\u2019s not going to be pretty. Target or either McLanahan\u2019s are safe bet, and if not, a convenience store. You can check on Target\u2019s website if things are in stock, which may be the easiest of the three.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Of course, you may just need to leave for class or work. Work, I\u2019m sorry, but class I can handle. Campus is wonderful for this kind of thing, since every building is obnoxiously large and has like ten entrances. Plan your route accordingly, cutting through as many buildings as you feel necessary. Even if a building makes the route a bit longer, it\u2019s always a bonus.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Conclusion<\/p>\n
Stay safe out there, everyone. You won\u2019t be seeing me on the streets. As I\u2019m typing, I\u2019ve begun my hibernation and won\u2019t resurface until I see some sun.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"I think this article may have come too late. It\u2019s already cold. Pennsylvania winter is already all over…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":51898,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[17118,10250,28124,29476,29477,23973,3743,28,30,29,29478,23985,13189,3315,29479,9653,29480],"class_list":{"0":"post-51897","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-pennsylvania","8":"tag-campus","9":"tag-cold","10":"tag-cold-weather","11":"tag-hibernating","12":"tag-hibernation","13":"tag-onward-state","14":"tag-penn-state","15":"tag-pennsylvania","16":"tag-pennsylvania-headlines","17":"tag-pennsylvania-news","18":"tag-pennsylvania-winter","19":"tag-psu","20":"tag-state-college","21":"tag-students","22":"tag-tomfoolery","23":"tag-winter","24":"tag-winter-2026"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51897","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=51897"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51897\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/51898"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51897"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=51897"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=51897"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}