Hiiiiii 😀
I can’t believe Week 6 of lectures has just ended; time seems to be flying by and before you know it, it’ll be Christmas! This is also the time of the year when the temperature begins to drop. So today, I thought I’d talk about how to deal with the shorter days and colder nights
On the 30th of October, the clocks went back by an hour at 2am; this is known as Daylight Saving Time. When this first happened in 2013, I was amazed as there’s no such thing as clocks changing time in Malaysia, ever! The simplistic reason behind this is so that we would get an extra hour of daylight as it tends to become nightfall by 5pm by the month of November. For the history as to why this even came about, check out the link http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/0/when-do-the-clocks-go-back-in-the-uk—and-why-do-we-have-daylig/
Getting back to today’s post; So, I’m a sun-loving girl through and through. I absolutely love sunshine and would do just about anything for extra bit of warmth. People tend to tell me that I’m in the wrong country and instead should be in a Mediterranean country like Malta (I wish!). But even for a warm weather loving girl like me, there are plenty of ways to keep warm and not get affected by SAD( Seasonal Affected Disorder) which is an actual type of depression, believe it or not!
The most crucial thing I would say is layers; I’m constantly wrapped in 4 layers of clothing + a thick shawl and winter hat. I always have a thermal top as my base layer which can be purchased from even Primark in Guildford Town for roughly £10. I would suggest however to purchase thermal wear from Uniqlo in Malaysia as its excellent quality and has seen me through the last 3 winters and still going strong. The next layer would be regular top or t-shirt followed by a hoodie or jumper. I have a particular hoodie that I swear by which was also purchased at Uniqlo and is still available for RM100. The key is to have a thin layer of lining in the hoodie which keeps your warm. Finally, it’s the winter coat which I would recommend to be purchased in England instead of Malaysia. Mine is actually from Primark and was purchased for £25 and has lasted me 2 winters already
Besides layers, it’s also important to keep certain parts of your body covered i.e the ankles, hands and neck region. I would suggest getting thermal socks and boots which come in all sorts of patterns and colours, a thick shawl which can be purchased from Primark, Accesorize or any other department store for £10-15 and a good winter hat/beanie which is, you guessed it, thick & wooly! I would also recommend having a pair of gloves stored in the winter coat pocket as you never know when you may need it; the gloves can be purchased for as little as £1 from Poundland but I would suggest to spend a bit more and purchase touchscreen gloves which allows phone access
Besides clothing, I have a hot water bottle and small portable heater which are handy during the evenings. Both can be purchased for less than £10 from places like Boots, the local pharmacy. In terms of bedding, I actually have a double duvet even though I use a single mattress. This is so you can double wrap yourself up and keep warm throughout the night. Duvets have Tog ratings whereby the higher the rating, the warmer the duvet. I would suggest to also get throws which can double up as either an extra blanket in addition to a duvet or for warmer months because trust me, you will always need some kind of a blanket here unlike back home!
I tend to stick to warm drinks during the winter months by usually having hot green tea in the mornings which are both good for health + warms up your body and either hot chocolate or even warm Milo in the evenings. Also, as much as it does feel like torture to have a shower as it involves having to take off those warm layers, it’s worth it once you’re under the hot shower. In terms of food,  I have both a rice and slow cooker and think both are amazing appliances especially the slow cooker.  The slow cooker is amazing as I can basically make an entire meal in it by simply putting in chicken, veggies and spices and leave it for a few hours after which I have delicious warm food ready! I also tend to make larger portions so I can freeze half for extra meals
As much as it’s tempting to stay under the duvet all day, it’s actually good to get out and get some fresh air. It’s not particularly healthy to stay indoors with heating on 24/7. So, I try to make plans which involve having to leave my room and enjoying other people’s company which I feel is an excellent way to combat the winter blues
These are just some of the ways which I find extremely helpful when trying to cope with these next few months and hope it’s helpful to you too!
Till next time; Selamat tinggal x
