DeKalb winters are cold. Ice, snow and freezing temperatures are only some of the things to look forward to during the winter months that lie ahead.

Nursing instructor Stacy Circelli says students need to take more precautions regarding frostbite and winter-weather care, and preventing prolonged exposure to the skin is a key element in preventing frostbite.

“You should cover up as much as possible,” said Circelli. “It’s best to wrap a scarf around your face to block the wind. Also, keep your body heat from the scarf trapped in the space to decrease your risk of frostbite.”

Steve Lux, a health-care educator at NIU, suggests that students walk to classes as opposed to taking the bus, even in the winter months.

“When students take the bus they are more likely to get a cold or flu because the space on the bus is so tight,” Lux said. “It’s also good for students to walk in the winter for exercise as long as they use the proper winter gear.”

Lux encourages students to increase their layers of clothing in the winter, such as wearing protective boots or shoes that won’t get wet.

“When students dress in layers, they can remove the clothing once inside a warm area, but still be dressed accordingly for outside,” said Lux.

Lux also suggests wearing mittens instead of gloves during the winter season. When wearing gloves, the cold air can pocket between each finger. However, when wearing mittens, the heat stays within the entire finger-area of the hand. Another suggestion to avoid frostbite is to watch the weather and windchill before dressing.

Circelli suggest that when preparing for the winter, it is important to watch not only the temperatures, but the windchill as well.

Cari Frank, a junior dietetics and nutrition major, knows how cold the winter months can become in DeKalb.

“It all depends,” said Frank. “Sometimes it can be mild and sometimes it can be frigid. When I was in high school, it had to be closed because temperatures got up to negative 40 degrees below.”