Staying warm in student housing.
Writing about It's so cold it smells like Kendal Mint Cake from My name is Layla, I'm not a showgirl
Or, How to stay warm when your boiler is broken and the only source of heat is the dribbling electric shower.
1. Spend as little time in the house as possible (may I recommend the Chaplaincy as a source of warmth and electrical appliances, and Costcutter as a source of warmth and food).
2. When in the house wear all your outside clothes (including your heaviest coat).
3. Going to bed: A strategy that works very well:
– Put on pyjamas.
– Add two T-shirts and two pairs of socks.
– Fill hot water bottle (naming hot water bottle is optional, mine's called Fred) and hug it tightly. Remember to put the stopper in before you hug it. Otherwise…owch.
– Wriggle self into sleeping bag.
– Bunny hop into bed and arrange duvet over self.
– Shiver for a while.
– Hug hot water bottle more tightly.
– Fall asleep from sheer exhaustion.
4. Getting up in the morning: only one piece of advice here. Do everything at speed. It's probably warmer outside anyway.
I love that my heating is no longer broken. :)
(edited to add hot water bottle, as suggested by Eleanor. I'd forgotten about Fred.)
20 Dec 2005 13:31
| 
Tags: Deranged Ramblings
| 
Comments (12)
| 
Report a problem
Loading…
12 comments by 4 or more people
[Skip to the latest comment]James Lewis
our boiler was broken for the last 2 weeks of term although our shower was cold too. pubs are definately the best places to see it out and you don't notice it as much when you get back
20 Dec 2005, 16:36
Lol. Poor James! It's a nightmare. Pubs? Didn't think of that…but then that would have required a) effort and b) money. Well, not money for me (pint of water please mate) but effort nonetheless.
20 Dec 2005, 17:01
Eleanor O'Donnell
Hot water bottle and bed socks tend to be my reliable keep-warm plan! But yours seems more thorough!
20 Dec 2005, 17:28
Oooh. Forgot about the hot water bottle. (goes to add)
20 Dec 2005, 17:35
Christopher Sigournay
I recommend disabling the fire alarms and starting a controlled fire in the kitchen. But then again, I am a pyromaniac so my advice in this respect should perhaps be treated with suspicion.
20 Dec 2005, 18:16
Eleanor O'Donnell
I recommend opening the oven after someone has been cooking, it makes the kicthen toasty warm!
20 Dec 2005, 21:16
I think Housemate:Mike might have done that at one point…or was it warming his hands over the hob? I'm not sure…
Chris: NO FIRES. There will be no setting fire to things. Indoors, at least. :)
20 Dec 2005, 21:25
Christopher Sigournay
:( But fires are brilliant!
20 Dec 2005, 21:35
Not inside.
If it's any consolation, our vacuum cleaner did spontaneously combust about week 3. I was…slightly taken aback when it set the smoke alarms off.
I was trying to clean!
(it's rare enough that happens!)
Ah well.
Is your favourite holiday Guy Fawkes night then?
21 Dec 2005, 00:07
Not only did I turn to using the hob for heating, but in our desperation Ad and I also attempted to use the toaster as a portable heater. And who can forget the tealights as well?
That week really was so very, very cold…
Ah well, it's been 30+`C today and I spent most of the afternoon in the pool. Not bad for late December, eh?
21 Dec 2005, 13:40
Christopher Sigournay
Is my favourite holiday Guy Fawkes night? Abso-bloody-lutely! About the only time of year you're likely to see me smile!
21 Dec 2005, 17:38
I'll keep a look out on the 5th of November.
Housemate:Mike: Stop tormenting us cold bodies in the UK. Just cos you're all warm and stuff.
21 Dec 2005, 20:51
Add a comment
You are not allowed to comment on this entry as it has restricted commenting permissions.