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<p>She is most likely getting sick because she is living in communal housing, not because it’s cold. This happens routinely with college freshmen whose immune systems are being bombarded with viruses from living in close proximity to 100 other people. It will be better next year. Cold temps do not make people sick.</p>
<p>I’m thinking getting sick 3 times is because she is at college most likely in a dorm with a ton of kids and they are passing the sickness around.</p>
<p>I did buy DS one of these not sure if it works but I do know he supposedly wasn’t sick at college this semester however he did catch his younger brothers cold when he came home for christmas and we don’t have one of these here.lol</p>
<p>[Germ</a> Guardian UV-C PLUG-IN Air Sanitizer GG1000 at Allergy Asthma Technology - Allergy Asthma Tech](<a href=“http://www.allergyasthmatech.com/P/Germ_Guardian_UVC_PlugIn_Air_Sanitizer_GG1000/970]Germ”>http://www.allergyasthmatech.com/P/Germ_Guardian_UVC_PlugIn_Air_Sanitizer_GG1000/970)</p>
<p>Heads up…</p>
<p>Some university-owned grad apts do not include utilities. That was a surprise to us. I know that many have rents that are subsidized to bring costs down from other pricey places, but I thought that utilities would be included…not.</p>
<p>And furnishings can range from fully furnished, to bedrooms-only furnished, to unfurnished at campus-owned grad apts.</p>
<p>If I remember correctly, your son doesn’t cook much, but some grad schools do have meal plans that you can buy. some grad schools even have their own dining halls.</p>
<p>One thing about the north is that they design the roads with snow in mind (grew up in upstate NY, lived there until age 35 or so). It is way more dangerous in Seattle when it snows - steep hills, off camber turns, no shoulders. Decent tires are a must, M+S rated.</p>
<p>Another thing to check for in an apartment is off-street parking. There are different laws for winter parking and many towns don’t allow any on street parking during the winter. </p>
<p>And find him a decent pair of hockey skates before he heads north. Might as well prepare for the fun stuff, too.</p>
<p>A few thoughts:
For the car: ice scraper, snow brush, and make sure he owns a pair of gloves he would be comfortable driving in. Snow shovel, and carry it in the trunk in case a passing snowplow traps his car behind a wall of snow while he’s parked. Always go out appropriately dressed for cold in case of car trouble. Jumper cables, and best to know how to use them.
For him: several pairs of long underwear bottoms. I like merino wool best, but it is pricey and just about any fabric type will help. The tops aren’t as necessary as I assume he would have various warm layers and wearing the top also might cause overheating inside. He may like some turtlenecks, but some people find them uncomfortable. Really warm socks, I like my merino wool hiking socks. And a neck warmer or scarf.</p>
<p>Re: what kind of car? A car is an unnecessary expense for many grad students, but FWIW, these were the top-selling cars and light-duty trucks in Minnesota in 2012:</p>
<ol>
<li>Ford F-Series, 2. Chevy Silverado, 3. Chevy Equinox, 4. Ford Escape, 5. Toyota Camry, 6. Dodge RAM, 7. Honda CRV, 8. Ford Fusion, 9. Chevy Cruze, 10. Ford Focus, 11. Toyota RAV4, 12. Honda Civic, 13. GMC Sierra, 14. Honda Accord, 15. Toyota Prius, 16. Subaru Outback, 17. Hyundai Sonata, 18. Chrysler Town & Country, 19. (tie) Ford Edge, 19. (tie) Jeep Grand Cherokee, 21. Toyota Corolla/Matrix</li>
</ol>
<p>And these were the top-selling cars and light-duty trucks in the U.S. in 2012:</p>
<ol>
<li>Ford F-Series, 2. Chevy Silverado, 3. Toyota Camry, 4. Honda Accord, 5. Honda Civic, 6. Nissan Altima, 7. Dodge RAM, 8. Toyota Corolla/Matrix, 9. Honda CRV, 10. Ford Escape, 11. Ford Focus, 12. Ford Fusion, 13. Chevy Cruze, 14. Toyota Prius, 15. Hyundai Sonata, 16. Chevy Equinox, 17. Chevy Malibu, 18. Hyundai Elantra, 19. Toyota RAV4, 20. Volkswagen Jetta</li>
</ol>
<p>Pretty similar for the most part, but Minnesotans tilt a little more toward small SUVs and domestic brands. The AWD Subaru Outback is also more popular in Minnesota than nationally.</p>
<p>We have two cars, an AWD Honda CRV and a front wheel drive Kia Soul. Both are fine almost all the time; even in Minnesota, snow is seasonal, and local governments around here spend a lot of money on plowing and salting streets. But on those few days when the snow is falling faster than the road crews can keep up withor on the rare occasion when we need to make an out-of-town road trip in snowy conditions–we definitely prefer AWD, which gives us better traction. On the other hand, we know lots of people who dont have AWD and dont feel they need it, and they seem to do just fine, and we do drive the Kia on snowy days when we need two cars, so far without incident.</p>
<p>Also keep in mind what we’re experiencing now up north is truly unusual and unprecedented.</p>
<p>A stadium length jacket is helpful to keep the thighs warm. I really notice the difference with a longer jacket.
We always make sure our daughters keep boots, gloves, hats and a blanket in the car in the winter. I almost died of hypothermia many years ago when the morning weather was beautiful in the 30s and by evening it was subzero with blowing winds. I got stuck in a drift and wasn’t dressed appropriately for how severe the weather had become. Since it was in the country it was about a quarter mile in blowing drifts to the nearest house. By the time I got to the yard I laid down just to rest for a minute(hypothermia setting in and not thinking clearly). Fortunately the owners looked out the window and saw me. They drug me in and thank goodness they did. Otherwise I would have frozen to death. Lesson well learned and my advice is to always be prepared in the winter no matter what the weather looks like in the morning. Your life may depend on it.</p>
<p>Yes, pizzagirl is correct, this is very unusual cold even for Detroit Michigan. Last winter was actually kind of mild.</p>
<p>We moved from a mild climate to the Midwest four years ago and it was a shock to us. Even during ‘mild’ winters, one has to contend with new conditions.</p>
<p>If he ends up renting a room in a house near campus, be sure to ask about snow removal. Driveways and sidewalks need to be cleared by someone. Getting a car out from under the snow can be time consuming too.</p>
<p>For the most part roads are cleared very well here. A driver can adapt quickly to smart driving on icy roads. But, we do own a vehicle with 4wd and when conditions are poor outside, that is the vehicle I drive. You can get stuck on less used roads, even the residential areas not far from town center.</p>
<p>Shortly after we moved here we were leaving a furniture store. A young man came up to us in the parking lot and asked for directions to walmart. We told him it was a few mikes down the road. When we saw that he was planning on walking there, in the snow and poorly dressed, we offered him a ride. Turns out he was a new grad student desperately in need of warmer clothing. Good to be prepared. :)</p>
<p>Don’t let your son take the schools off his list! </p>
<p>While your concerns are valid, he is definitely able to get by! Get a good set of winter clothes and have him learn this phrase: “Mind over matter.” ;)</p>
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I feel like this is going to be me next year. It’s great that you helped him out!</p>
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<p>If she finds the sensation unpleasant she just needs a longer coat. Try knee-length.</p>
<p>Honestly, the picture painted by some of the posters on this thread makes one wonder how anyone survives in places that have a real winter. It isn’t Antarctica, people! 
I live in Maine with 2 regular FWD cars, never had AWD, an SUV, or even snow tires, although I admit that those things <em>would</em> help me get up my driveway more easily. Haven’t worn long underwear in a decade, at least. Rarely wear boots or hats. Never wear chapstick (It actually dries your lips out. There are better things, if you need it.)</p>
<p>Admittedly, I am half Finnish. Maybe that’s why. :D</p>
<p>No, the schools are not coming off the list. Son knows that’s where his industry is, and he’s determined to make it there. </p>
<p>I am so glad I posted this, because there really are some life threatening concerns brought up. Hypothermia is no joking matter. Love the shovel in the trunk idea, too. </p>
<p>In his undergrad research, son has had to hop in his car and go to a local Home Depot or engineering supply house to pick up parts, so even if he’s walking distance to campus, I want him to be prepared for the possibility of being called upon to drive in adverse conditions.</p>
<p>^Sure, but I don’t think your son owning a car will be a condition of him being accepted into whatever graduate program he is interested in. There is always someone who has a car, and someone who doesn’t. If his professor says “I need someone to drive to Home Depot to pick up some widgets,” the students with cars will offer first. He can always say “I’m happy to do it but I’d have to borrow your car and I haven’t driven much in snow” (if it is in fact snowing). Or he can walk to the corner hardware store instead.</p>
<p>Also–and I almost hate to bring this up–I saw your confessions over on the “snowplow parents” thread. Your son is what–21, 22? HE needs to start thinking about these logistics, in my opinion. But not overthink them. The pieces will all fall into place once he knows where he is going to be studying.</p>
<p>Not a snowplow parent, but also have a D who I think will need extra guidance into graduate school (she’s 16 now). I can see myself still kind of directing things into age 21 (yes actively trying to hand the reigns over on all things that she can take on age appropriately). Trying to get her to be more independent but think she’s a ‘late bloomer’ like me. If he’s cool with the extra parenting it should be fine.</p>
<p>What area of interest in eng’g is only located in the north for grad school?</p>
<p>A minority opinion:
My son also grew up in warm climate, and has been living in Boston last 4+ years. He chose to live in grad dorm. It was cheaper and closer to campus. Plus, he wanted to leave his room and socialize. He likes having roommates.</p>
<p>When your son has some acceptances, it will be easier for us to offer opinions.</p>
<p>I suspect my son will end up someplace warmer, unless a terrific job offer made.</p>
<p>For the poster whose D is always cold…is she wearing hats? Most body heat is lost through the head. There is an old saying that “if your feet are cold, put on a hat!”</p>
<p>I also absolutely love my flannel lined jeans from llbean. I’ve mostly lived in them for the past week…uh, maybe I should wash them! Lol</p>
<p>D, who is in grad school in Michigan after four years in Wmsburg, VA where there was measurable snow exactly once, pays a bit more for an apartment from which she can walk to all her classes. She uses the bus system if she needs to go further; once is a while she gets a ride to shopping or rents a ZIP car. Her choice to go North; she has survived the weather well.</p>
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<p>Hypothermia is a real threat, but let’s not go overboard. Reports vary, but there are approximately 1,500 to 2,000 deaths annually in the U.S. attributed to hypothermia from exposure to excessive natural cold. Most of these occur among the elderly, the homeless, or people with certain chronic medical conditions like diabetes that both make them vulnerable and may reduce their awareness of the warning signs. Many are associated with excessive alcohol consumption or use of recreational drugs which cause the user to become disoriented and unaware of the threat of excessive cold. A substantial fraction occur in the water, e.g., in boating accidents, and deaths by hypothermia are reported in all 50 states. The risk of a healthy 20-something dying in a snowbank, while something to take seriously, is rather small, and can be made much smaller by simple, common-sense precautions, like carrying a shovel and a blanket in the car, dressing appropriately, and carrying and using a cell phone.</p>
<p>To put it into perspective, the death rate from excessive natural heat is higher in Arizona (1.7 per 100,000 population) than the death rate from excessive cold in any state in the Northeast or Midwest (all < 1 per 100,000), according to the Centers for Disease Control. So your S may be safer moving to a cold climate than to a hot one.</p>