A person walking in snow.

Blog: Snow, Slips, and Smiles

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Blog post

Do you also find the frosty, dark winter challenging? Your friendly neighborhood neurodivergent is here with his tricks. You might slip, but with a little gamified magic, you’ll glide through the long nights and keep those dopamine levels soaring!

Winter in Finland is a graceful, white serenity – it’s like living inside a glittering snow globe. Beautiful? Absolutely. Slightly terrifying? Oh, you bet. Especially as a neurodivergent person navigating through my life here in Aalto University. Winter feels more slippery for folks like me – not just on the icy trails (yes, I play games on my phone while walking), but also in the metaphorical sense: slipping in schedules, moods, and energy levels.

The elongated darkness, for example, can feel like living inside a dimly lit freezer. My neurospicy brain, which is already prone to getting lost in time, goes on overdrive. One winter morning, I woke up at 13:00, panicked about being late for my lectures, soon to realize it was the weekend. Brewed my morning-ish coffee with relief, stirring sugar with a self-deprecating chuckle.

Then there’s the ever freezing cold. If you have tactile sensitivities, layering up feels like a battle between staying warm and avoiding the prickly, itchy rebellion of a wool sweater. Last week, I bundled up so thoroughly that I waddled like a penguin to class – only to realize I’d left my laptop at home. Slippery indeed.

But winter isn’t all bad. It has a peculiar charm, even for neurodivergent folks like me. The challenges it throws at us can become opportunities to get creative. Over the years, I’ve developed a few survival hacks to stay upright – both on the ice and in my routine.

Over the years, I’ve developed a few survival hacks to stay upright – both on the ice and in my routine.

First, I gamify a lot of my tasks and ask my friends to play along and keep scores! When the darkness feels endless, I whip out my “Thrive the Day Scoreboard.” Gold coins for everything from sneaking out of my dungeon (bonus points if I catch actual daylight!) to completing boring chores (hello laundry!). One memorable week, I rewarded myself with a slice of cake for every 3 gold coins I earned by not gliding on the ice. That week I ate a lot of cake.

Next, I embrace what I call “strategic chaos”. I’m great at improvising, so when I inevitably miss a deadline or forget an appointment, I pivot quickly - usually with a mix of frantic energy and comedy. A friend once joked that I’d survive an avalanche because I’d already be late for something and would be running in the opposite direction.

Finally, there’s the joy of slowing down. Winter encourages me to stay put – sometimes it’s just collapsing onto the sofa with a hot glögi and a funny podcast. I call this “productive hibernation”. Wrapped in my cozy blanket cocoon, I remind myself that resting is part of thriving. Sure, I made up the term, but it’s legit.

Of course, some days I still slip – on plans, on deadlines, and occasionally on ice. Like the time I skidded dramatically in front of a girl walking her dog, flailed like a cartoon character, and then heard her say, “Siistii!”. Made my day. I’ve learned to laugh in such moments, embrace the slip ups with flair. While the Finnish winter is a frosty obstacle course for everyone, for neurospicy folks like me, it’s also a covert mission about resilience, creativity, and humor. Even the iciest days can bring their share of laughs and small victories. Kippis!

A portrait of Suryakant Sahoo.

About the author: Suryakant Sahoo is a master’s student in Communication Engineering at Aalto University, specializing in Human-Computer Interaction and AI. Passionate about exploring diverse cultures, meeting fascinating people, and savoring exquisite cuisines, he is here to share the neurospicy ways of life.

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