I keep warm.
Boston, MA is the coldest place I've ever called “home”. Before moving, I knew Boston would be colder than Princeton, NJ but I had no idea New England winters could be so brutal.
As God and the Universe would have it, my first Boston winter (2014 into 2015) unleashed a historic snowfall, totaling about 108.6 inches of snow! During this season:
I slipped on ice and fell (a lot)
I almost got frostbite once because I wasn’t wearing gloves while waiting for a delayed bus
I was often so cold at night that I had trouble sleeping
The toilet water in my bathroom froze (yes, that can happen)
*I’m shivering just thinking about all this! Praise this 85 degree Los Angeles, CA weather!*
Aside from learning how to ever-so-gracefully walk on black ice, I learned another invaluable life lesson that winter: when it gets too cold, I can find ways to keep warm. In other words, when something is out of my control, I do have the power to react and respond in ways that prioritize my well-being.
That winter, for example, I battled the bitter weather with:
a hot-water bottle
an electric blanket
heattech leggings
a safe, sustainable space heater
extra pairs of gloves to carry in my backpack
several beanies (I definitely lost most of them! R.I.P.)
lots and lots of coffee
Now, while weather definitely affects our mood (S.A.D. is real), we can also be proactive and fight for our joy.
There will always be something or someone, for better or for worse, vying for our attention. While we may not be able to change the school we go to, the cohort we are placed in, the classes we have to take, the advisors we work with, or the general culture of our PhD program, we can decide how much power we allow them to have over us.
You will likely encounter circumstances that liken an unbearable winter. When this happens, remember that you have the power to keep warm. Sometimes all we need is to layer up with optimism or humor. No matter how bad it gets, keep in mind that even my frozen toilet water did not stay frozen forever. Stay warm <3
Con cariño,
Jenesis