My Rainy Day Survival Tips

Rainy days are here again and it's here to stay. With class suspensions here and there due to inclement weather plus a lot of experimenting going on to alleviate traffic, we must be ready to brave anything or everything, pretty much. If you're a commuter, imagine the hassle of having to go to school despite the bad weather just to learn that after a few hours classes will be suspended. It would be totally chaotic also for those who go to work because they have to go through the same hell over again just to get home. So what's the solution for all these? "Patience" and I mean lots of it. I use to be a commuter myself (I work from home now) so I know how it feels to get stuck in the middle of traffic, get stranded and all. Well, you just really have to find a way to calm yourself amidst it all or stress yourself which does not solve anything, to be honest. 

Let me share three (3) rainy day survival tips especially when you get stuck in traffic. As we all know when it pours, expect heavy traffic anywhere in the Philippines.

1. Rain gear 

What better way to protect yourself but to wear rain gear? A raincoat will not just prevent you from getting soaked, it will also protect your bag and everything inside it. Make sure to wear rain boots as well for health reasons. You wouldn't want your feet soaked in dirty waters you might catch athlete's foot or even worse leptospirosis and other communicable diseases. 

All geared up for the rainy days

Waterproof backpack

Rainy days call for extra space in your bag but I assure you it would be worth it. A waterproof bag is ideal but if you don't have one, then that's no problem at all because you can always wear a raincoat to cover it or you can use any plastic. If you're not comfortable wearing rain gears then you can always bring an umbrella. In my experience, a single fold umbrella is more reliable since it's more resistant to strong winds because it does not flip easily compared to the three-fold ones. But if you tend to be forgetful like me, I suggest carrying an umbrella that you can easily tuck inside your bag just make sure to cover it with plastic so everything inside your bag will not get wet. I do this all the time because I do not want to leave my umbrella in the umbrella rack at my workplace as I get paranoid it might get lost. I would rather have my umbrella inside my bag in the locker so I can have peace of mind. Let's just say that my stuff has sentimental value to me.

The classic big umbrella

Three folds umbrella

2. First Aid Kit 

First aid kit is not limited to medicines, water, and light snacks alone but extra clothing (including undergarments), towels and hygiene kit as well. Make sure to waterproof them properly because there is no point in bringing all the extra stuff if it will be soaked too. You can put all your important belongings including your gadgets and power bank in ziplock bags or any other waterproof case if you're trying to reduce plastic usage to help save mother earth. Make sure to charge your phone, power bank, and other gadgets for emergency purposes. Your first aid kit is not just a lifesaver during rainy days but also in case of other natural calamities.

First Aid Kit

Hygiene kit

Bring extra clothes in case you get wet

3.  Chill

Do not leave home without saving tons of your favorite music, TV shows or movies on your phone or tablet. This not only relieves stress but helps kill time as well. Time flies when you're pre-occupied as long as you have a power bank to back you up when you run low on is battery, then you're good to go. When you're stuck in traffic you can still try to be as productive as you can. You can listen to relaxing music or stream movies from your phone/tablet, eat, hydrate yourself or even get a nap because when traffic hits you hard you can't really fight sleepiness. I'm not really comfortable sleeping inside public vehicles but there are times that I really cannot control myself especially when I'm very tired. Our body needs time to recover from a long day but make sure to wake up when somebody needs to alight to avoid annoying other passengers.

Stream

A power bank should always come handy

Eat

Get a nap

Just remember to always expect the unexpected and it's better to be safe than sorry. Make sure to keep R.F.C. in mind: Rain Gear, First Aid Kit and to Chill, be optimistic because everything will pass, just like the rain.