It's no secret that this winter has been a cold one here in the Northeast. Still, we saw that January thaw like we do every year, and now we will suffer the rest of the winter on the frost-heave-roads because of it. But as it always does, that random 50-degree day vanished as quickly as it arrived and was replaced by some seriously brutal temperatures. I have learned to hardly trust what the weather apps say, as I've lived here long enough to know that the prediction can change in a moment's time, or be completely wrong altogether. Still, they said it was going to be cold this past weekend, and it certainly was—though not as cold as they said it would be.

I don't know if it's me being a New England curmudgeon or what, but each time people begin to spiral and panic about the winter weather, I can't help but scratch my head. It's not that I don't see the potential for danger when there is snow on the roads or temperatures dipping (sometimes plummeting) below zero; it's just that I feel like it's part of living here. However, I do recognize that not everyone has lived here their entire lives, and some of the necessities and intricacies to surviving a Northeast winter must be learned over time.

The Northeast is a unique area of the world for so many reasons, but our winters can be very cold and very snowy, and can present unique challenges because of it. Sometimes touring a home in the wintertime can be helpful, as you can see the home heating methods in action. Alternatively, you can always ask your agent for additional information from previous owners regarding heating methods, as well as snow removal and maintenance on the property.

My most trusted tip for facing extreme cold in northern New Hampshire is to let the faucet drip when pipes are at risk of freezing. I recently met some folks visiting the area for the week, staying in an Airbnb, and they told me they found it bizarre that their host advised them to let the faucet drip overnight. To me—and likely anyone who has spent at least one winter here—this feels like common knowledge. But to someone who has never faced the possibility of frozen pipes, I can see how it seems like a weird thing to do. Regardless, it seems we have made it through the worst of the cold snap, and folks have moved on to preparing (and panicking) for a snowstorm due to arrive overnight. The weather app calls for over a foot of snow, but I'll believe it when I see it. In the meantime, I've turned the faucets off for the night, and the house is back up to temperature. Now, we wait and see if tomorrow means shoveling the steps or just dusting them off with the broom.

Paige O. Roberts has a degree in Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in The Henniker Review, Sidereal Magazine, Rejection Letters, and Cypress. She has been nominated for a Best of the Net and Pushcart Prize. She lives in northern New Hampshire, where she owns and operates a pet boutique called Tailswag.