The ultimate Cardiff survival guide to beat those winter blues

As if the UK isn’t cold and miserable enough already, winter is creeping up, and seasonal depression is no joke. As much as hibernating in your warm bed for days on end sounds cosy, winter in Cardiff offers so much more than wet weather and dark skies. Even I can say that my room gets a little boring after a while, so here are some ideas on how to not lose to those winter blues.

1. Get outside

As the weather gets colder and the days get shorter, it’s tempting to stay indoors as much as possible, but there is so much you’ll be missing out. As the leaves turn orange and getting a hot drink becomes a must, two words to describe Cardiff are: Gilmore Girls. It makes going outside a lot easier if you romanticise a walk through Bute Park’s picturesque views or trekking to uni with a piping hot coffee. 

If Cardiff in the winter couldn’t get any more glamorous, the Christmas decorations are up and ready to be lit up on the streets, and soon the markets will turn your blues into a sea of red and green. With stalls planted all over town selling roasts, fudge and so many cool trinkets, as well as the Winter Wonderland by Cardiff Castle, you have no excuses to stay indoors this winter. Honestly, who needs snow these days to feel jolly and festive? 

2. Self-care and activities

It’s hard to even remotely put a smile on your face when you’re stuck in your room drowning in assignments and uni work. It’s important to take breaks and do things that you actually enjoy such as picking up a hobby like doing crafts or watching movies, cosying up with hot chocolate with a mountain of whipped cream on top. And yes, Letterboxd is worth the hype. Better yet, gather your friends and spend the day together baking because there’s nothing that a sweet treat and classic laughter can’t fix. 

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Cardiff also has an array of different activities to do from crafting workshops to sports events, perfect for getting your friends out as well. You could spend a gloomy afternoon getting invested in pottery painting at Peggys Pots or let your imagination run wild at a Sip and Paint. Hopping around thrift stores around town is another great way to spend time outside. My go-to is definitely Hobos and Blue Rinse Vintage and truly nothing brings me more joy than working hard to find that priceless treasure. You could also book tickets to the various events happening at Principality Stadium, Utilita Arena and the Millenium Stadium. There is always something happening in Cardiff, boredom and blues can’t hit a moving target, so keep yourself busy.

3. Try the seasonal menus

The most anticipated time of the year is here for all the seasonal menu lovers. There is no better way to get into the festive spirit than cinnamon and gingerbread, and brie and cranberry, but if that isn’t a bit of you, make it a challenge to try all them all. Starbucks and Costa have already released its festive menu like the iconic Gingerbread Latte and new items like the Yule Brownie Chocolate Latte which honestly sounds like a sugar high that could cure my blues. But personally, a Toffee Nut latte from Starbucks really brings the sparkle back into my eyes. There are so many other places like the Mrs Potts, Cardiff’s queen of hot chocolate, Bru and an endless list of more for you to get your festive fix in. 

4. Don’t give up on nights out

If going out in the cold in the day isn’t tough enough, the nights are even more freezing and unbearable, even with an alcohol blanket. But don’t let the doom and gloom kill the party. Nights out are a essential as a uni student, and a great excuse to get out at the end of the day. Whether it’s just popping round for a couple pints and pitchers at Spoons, an all out club night, or even a side quest to an escape room or bowling alley, it’s much more fun and a lot warmer than being sat in your room. Cardiff isn’t going to hibernate so neither will you. 

So don’t sleep through winter and let the blues and greys get you down. In the wise words of Elsa, the cold never bothered you anyway.