So, by the time most of you read this, the weather will most likely be described as “chilly” if not downright “freaking cold.” The fact that it’s been slightly warm this far has been nothing short of false hope. For those of you new to Chicago, it’s time to face the facts: You live in (okay, technically a few miles away from) the Windy City now. So put your head between your knees and kiss warm weather goodbye until May.

It’s going to be a bit of shock once it hits. I know what it’s like, trust me. I grew up in, of all places, South Texas, where winter doesn’t actually exist. The temperatures only vary between hot, hotter, and surface of the sun. If the temperature in my home town ever plunges toward 65 degrees, everybody tends to panic. The last time I saw snow before moving here was when I was 12 years old. And I was in New York City at the time.

I can’t say that I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I wasn’t completely oblivious to the fact that Chicago, is in fact, in the Midwest and this part of the US tends to see a lot of the stuff known to people as “snow”. But let’s just say they don’t advertise the weather in Northwestern’s brochure for a reason, okay?

And sure, snow is initially somewhat appealing. It looks pretty and soft and perfect for frolicking in. At first, I couldn’t wait to make snow angels and have snowball fights and build snow forts. But honestly? When it’s all said and done, this will last for about a day before the reality will sink in. Because that’s what it was exactly like for me.

Clothing-wise, I was in no way prepared. I thought all I would need was a few long sleeve shirts, a decent jacket and I would be all set. How wrong I was. The concept of layering was completely foreign to me. I had never owned a scarf before. And to this day, I’m still not clear on what long johns are but I have a basic idea.

Then there was the treacherous trek from south campus to north campus (and vice versa) for classes. I would constantly curse Tech under my breath as I fought ice and wind to get to a lecture I couldn’t care less about. More than half the time, I wouldn’t even bother leaving my dorm and opted to stay in bed, praying for spring instead.

Let’s not forget these ridiculous snow storms. You’ll wake up and find that you may or may not actually be trapped in your dorm. Because that stuff piles up and the next thing you know, it’s like freaking Narnia outside.

It’s not just the snow either. Ice is also a major issue here. Sure, they do their best here at NU to salt the sidewalks and steps, but some ice is elusive. Does everyone know what black ice is? Because I didn’t until I slipped on some and almost cracked my head open.

Medill senior Dani Garcia is the PLAY editor. She can be reached at [email protected].