Having lived in a city where in winter the temperature does not fall below 20 degrees, the trip I took to the north of India (Haridwar, Rishikesh, Mussoorie and Nainital) this January was a bit of a roller coaster ride. Firstly, because it was my first time staying away from my family and sharing a room with others of my age. Secondly, the winter there was harsh man!
Well, here are a few things I learnt during my travel:

Explore every nook and corner of the city, take those bylanes. It will enrich you.

Talk to new people/ locals, interact and get to know their lifestyle. What if you never get to visit this place again?

Having Momos in minus one degree is always a good choice.

Be a little spontaneous, be adventurous, jump out of that comfort zone, just do it. This was a small speech I gave myself before swimming and river rafting in the freezing Himalayan waters of Rishikesh. Turns out it was the most memorable encounter in the trip that I cherish.

Devour the local street food there. In my experience, the food on the stalls will have an authentic taste of the region than the food in the restaurants. The roadside hot Gulab Jamuns of Haridwar were the best ever!

If you ever find yourself freezing in the sub-zero temperature go the nearest bar, and have that shot of rum. It will calm your nerves.

Always carry a book. This came in handy during the long hours of travelling and also when in was snowing outside. I sat in reading a Jane Austen classic.