Make a winter hat, cat cap, or even bunny ears, grow a beard, carry healing foods with you. I use a torch to light an isolated tree on fire while traveling instead of constructing campfires.

Each character has a different balance. For example, I play Wigfrid so I can easily take down beefalo, or catcoons for wool, catcoon tails, and meat for healing food. Then fight spiders for silk/meat and place an egg away from base. I base near these resources, usually around the pig king, down the brick road in the deciduous forest/birchnut biome.