Many students have written in to me seeking advice on a very strange and unusual occurrence. Although natural, it is beyond what we can conceive as normal in a state as hot-blooded as Texas. The DFW area has had more freezes this winter than any other in the last 30 years, leading many students to – brace yourselves – actually have a winter wardrobe. Sort of.

Equipped with scarves, coats and hot chocolates from Starbucks, students scurried into school on the daily during the cold winter months, anxious to get out of the harsh and merciless whip of a freezing wind. With the average student owning only a few long-sleeved shirts, the hope within this tortuous season rested largely in sweatshirts that only minimally warm the body. The question on all our minds was if it was really worth it to invest in winter clothes. Surely the winter is almost over, we thought. Surely it will not be 30 degrees today. Surely school will not be cancelled, for snow is nearly impossible in the southern states.

HA, Mother Nature responded. I’ll show them. We endured what seemed like one of the longest winters we have ever experienced here in the south. The average low temperature was the 11th-coldest in the history of the metroplex. If that concept is hard to grasp, I’m sure you felt it in the brutal, inescapable outdoor tundra that surrounded us. As Texans, we often don’t know how to go about dealing with a legitimate winter. Here are some tips for all the brave students who fight the chilly temperatures that tend to take us captive when we come face to face with its icy misery.

First of all, check the weather before you leave the house. I cannot stress this enough. Even if it is April and the groundhog has told you otherwise, Mother Nature is powerful and stubborn. She can choose to make a Tuesday in the spring,a 40-degree day. So, if you assume that Mother Nature is on your side as the sunshine seems to be consistent, YOU’RE WRONG.

Second, the phrase “dress for success” largely applies to the bipolar weather of Dallas. While summer seems to dominate ¾ of the year, winter is existent whether we like it or not. Have some summer clothes, some winter clothes, and a happy medium somewhere in between.

Lastly, be prepared to have a back-up plan in case of bad weather. If there is an 80% chance of ice at 10:00 a.m. but not at 8:00 a.m., then you need to be sure that you will have a safe way of getting yourself home. You don’t want to be sliding all over the icy parking lot in your car, or even worse, on your feet.

Take these words to heart and you will be less miserable than ever next winter season.