A survival guide to the Finnish winter

"There is no bad weather, only bad clothing." Says one famous Finnish proverb.

Sure.

The Finnish winter is not just about Aurora, Santa Claus, and reindeer rides; it is a vital battle humans fight against nature's harshness to survive. This might sounds extraggarating, but you need some real expertise and a good mindset to survive the winter here. At the same time, the snow, darkness, and cold can be transformed into a unique life experience you never have in the perfect, sunny Tenerife.

Combating the freezing cold weather was among the first challenges I faced in Finland, and the first lesson I learned was layering. Especially when the temperature drops to -20°C, and walking outside feels like putting yourself into a giant freezer. It is all about layering so that you don't feel too cold or too warm. Here I learned the Three-Layer Rule:

Base: Merino wool (or any other material that wicks sweat as you move; I normally put on a sports T-shirt)

Middle: Fleece or thick wool sweaters for insulation

Outer: Windproof and waterproof down jacket

When all these are set, we also need some accessories, such as the reflector(heijastin) so that car drivers can see you in the dark, a beanie, and a pair of gloves. Once you are inside, you can remove the outer layer, and the inside is good for a warmer room temperature (normally around 20-22°C). Finnish winter is also quite dry, so having some lip balm or hand cream by your side is always a good idea.

As we all know, the sun sets at 4 pm and vitamin D supplements become essential for your mental health. Sports and outdoor activities can also make your winter days much more enjoyable. Trying cross-country skiing, ice skating on a frozen lake, or even just a brisk walk in the forest can be so energy boosting, and there are many free cross-country skiing tracks and ice rinks to make these beloved winter sports easy. If you don't want to rent equipment or invest too much in brand-new skates or skis, there are always second-hand options for you to start a new winter hobby smoothly. If you are truly hard-core about Finnish winter, try ice dipping or ice swimming(avanto) as Finns do and have a warm sauna afterwards. It can be so refreshing for your body and you can finally cross that off your bucket list :)

Finally, make yourself cozy at home. You can use candles to create a warm and intimate atmosphere at home to chase away the darkness, adding warmth with the light, burning flame. It is also nice to make yourself a hot coffee or chocolate, holding the warm mug, pulling on a blanket, and enjoying some relaxing alone time. Winter in Finland also represents the time of the year when you fully hand yourself over to unresistable force of nature, stay calm, and connect deeply within. Before you know it, the snow is melting and Wappu(May 1st) is there again.

-Yijuan

You can chat with Yijuan and other Aalto Squad student ambassadors on Unibuddy!