Adjusting to winter in Massachusetts

Student Lounge College Life
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Hello, this is my first post , so if this is the wrong place for my questions, my apologies beforehand

I am an incoming college freshman who will be attending college in Massachusetts. I am from Texas, and where I live, the temperature rarely dips below 30 degrees in the winter. Perhaps understandably, one of the things that is causing me the greatest anxiety is adjusting to winter up north.

My biggest concern is being properly equipped when it comes to clothes. Simply put, I have ZERO idea about how to dress for winters that are actually cold. I’ve never needed to wear more than a sweater and long sleeve shirt here in my hometown. So as you can probably deduce, my winter wardrobe is seriously lacking.

Now, I’ve been told to buy my winter gear once I get to Mass., and I am planning to do that. However, since I have no prior experience when it comes to these things, I don’t really now what to buy. Obviously, I know I need to buy a big warm jacket, but that’s about it. Perhaps to illustrate just how little I know about dressing for winter, someone I know mentioned something about winter boots. Prior to that, I had no idea you had to have winter/snow boots. I didn’t even know regular people even wore snow boots. I guess it makes sense now, but having never even seen snow, the thought of buying footwear for the snow would have never crossed my mind.

So if anyone out there could help me compile a short list of things I need to buy, keeping in mind to include even items which might seem obvious, since I am literally clueless. I am bringing a few sweaters with me to college, so I’ll be ok for a month or so. Is there something you guys recommend I buy here in my hometown and bring with me? Also, when it comes to jackets, how many do people usually have? In high school, I would usually just alternate between two hoodies but I don’t know if that applies here. Lastly, I’ll be going to school in the Boston/Cambridge area, if anyone has some recommendation for places where I could go and shop for clothes, it’d be greatly appreciated.

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Not from Massachusetts, but I’ve lived in Wisconsin for my whole life and my sister lived in the Boston/Cambridge area for a while. Boston has seen some bad snow storms these past few years that she’s been there, as in people do ski down the street sometimes, just to give an idea of the amount of snow you might be looking at.

You definitely need a jacket (fleece maybe) for late fall and early spring, it will get windy and blustery and it will be awful. A raincoat/water resistant jacket might be nice too.

Buy a winter hat, thick gloves/mittens, and a scarf. I personally don’t wear snow boots much (I’m vain and I don’t like how they look haha), but it’s a good idea if you’re going to be walking around a lot and it’ll be really wet, especially if they’re late on shoveling the streets and sidewalks. Hiking boots might work too, either way make sure you have something water proof that can clomp through snow.

I don’t know if you’ll need snow pants or not, I only wear them if I’m shoveling. I guess if you end up living off campus where you have to shovel it would be good.

Definitely get a nice, heavy winter coat lol.

Also, the weather tends to be rather unpredictable up here, one day it might be warm enough for a t shirt, and the next day you’re back to wearing a jacket. Always check the weather; sunlight is deceiving!

But yeah, I have so many coats and jackets it’s not even funny.

3

Btw big department stores like Kohl’s, JC Penney, Macy’s etc should definitely have winter gear. I don’t have anything more specific to the area unfortunately, but those are some starting places.

Also, if you do wear nicer boots/shoes in the snow, beware of the salt stains.

4

Don’t worry! You will learn quickly what you need by seeing all the other students around you at college. My advice is NOT to buy anything in Texas. First of all, you won’t need it until November and it will just be a hassle to pack, move and store it, and secondly, anything you buy in Texas will probably be inadequate for Massachusetts winters.

When the weather starts to get cooler, order your outerwear from a good catalogue store like LLBean.com with free shipping. It will arrive in just a few days, and everything is covered by a money back guarantee. They will refund your money for any reason at any time, even if the product has been used, if you are not satisfied. The products are very well designed and of high quality, without being very expensive. I suggest a down filled jacket or coat that you can layer over your hoodies and sweaters. Down is very light and has great warmth for its weight. Make sure you get warm gloves, scarf and hat. You can check the sizing charts and the reviews to get an idea of fit and style.

As for boots, you can purchase them in person at any shoe store like Famous Footwear or DSW. make sure they are well insulated, are waterproof, and have sturdy rubber lug soles, the better to prevent slipping on icy surfaces. If you are going to buy them in person, I suggest that you purchase no later than October or early November as the selection of styles and sizes gets pretty depleted by November. For convenience, you can even order them from Zappos.com, which provides free shipping both ways, so that you can order several styles and sizes to try on, and then ship the unwanted ones back. For ordering from LLBean and Zappos, you will need a credit card with enough credit allowance. Or your parents can order online and have the items shipped to you…which I have done for my daughter.

Another option for budget minded college students is to hit the local thrift stores or consignment stores, where you can find really great deals on some very nice clothing, which will be suited to the local climate.

Good luck and have fun! Make sure you get out and enjoy the snow!

*** Note: I have no conflict of interest or receive any benefit from either LLBean or Zappos, other than being a satisfied customer who finds their companies very user friendly and convenient.

5

Oh my goodness, it’s Massachusetts, not Antarctica! I grew up in the state and attended college there. You’ll need: A warm coat (doesn’t have to be down, just reasonably warm, unless you plan to spend a lot of time outside or have long hikes between classrooms/dorms), a knit hat, a knit scarf (nice to be able to cover nose and mouth when its really cold out), a pair of gloves or mittens (or two pair, as they tend to get lost), ones that are long enough to reach under the sleeves of the coat, so you don’t end up with a strip of cold wrist (note if you feel you must text while outside, they make gloves that have special fingertips that permit use of electronics or else you might like the kind that pull back to expose your bare fingertips), a pair of low heeled, waterproof, warm-lined boots with good traction for the days you have to venture out before the walks have been fully cleared or when you have to step into slushy gutters, and, if you’re female, maybe some nice heeled leather boots or Uggs for your more fashionable/fun moments when snow/ice protection isn’t an issue. That’s all you need, but of course you can add variations/additions as you live there and see what suits you. (I haven’t owned snow pants since I was 8, btw.) I’d also recommend avoiding jeans when the temperature really drops–denim gets terribly cold–and investing instead in corduroys, sweat pants, etc. But don’t be shocked to see students running between buildings with open jackets and no other outerwear on days when the temperature is in the high twenties or low thirties (which will be most days )—people get used to the cold and annoyed at having to bundle up, so they just grab a jacket and hightail it to wherever they’re going.

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I totally get it. My kid is also going to school in Cambridge and has never experienced real cold before. Kid thinks 40 is cold. So far, he has undershirts for his long sleeved tees and hoodies. He has a lightweight waterproof winter coat and a heavt duty Eddie Bauer winter coat. We will be bringing them to him late October or mailing them and some sweaters later. I don’t know if they have outlets anywhere. We got a lot of stuff at the outlets. Burlington Coat Factory also has a good selection of winter items. You will need gloves, hat, scarves, waterproof footwear with grips. We figure whatever else might be needed can be purchased in MA or ordered online. You are in for a big surprise with the weather.

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Be mindful that if you want the traditional or even lined LL Bean boots (rubber bottoms leather tops), they are back ordered for months. Order now if you want them by winter. For some reason these are currently very popular with young people right now.

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My daughter has rarely experienced weather below 60 degrees, Massachusetts winter will be a new experience for her too! OP you are not alone.

9

My parents are both from Maine but we moved overseas when I was very young, so I grew up in the subtropics and have only been in the northeast during the summer. Early mornings in Maine are colder than it ever gets where I live. Now I too am moving to Massachusetts.
Here’s what my parents say.
Mom: you’ll be really cold, but dress right and you’ll be fine. A good jacket layered over a sweater and a turtleneck will be fine with jeans and good snow boots (mine are LL Bean, ordered in Feb, got in July).
Pop: you’ll be going between heated classes. Wool socks under sneakers and a thick jacket will be fine, and you’ll want out of the jacket as soon as you get into the classroom.
So there are many perspectives on what constitutes cold.

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I’m from NY, not MA, but I’ll chime in anyway.

Your idea of “cold” probably won’t match that of the people who are accustomed to the weather. So, even though it will still be summer when you arrive, bring some layers-- long sleeved shirts, hoodies, jeans etc. It will be chilly by Halloween… on Long Island, we’ve occasionally had snow by that point in the year.

As far as real winter stuff: my son gets by with just a hoodie unless it’s actually snowing, but I’m guessing you won’t. (Not me either!) Take a look at either Lands End or LL Bean: you’ll want a winter jacket that will protect you from the snow, gloves or mittens, a hat, and some boots. (We tend to go cheap on the boots-- Payless quality)

If you’re going to spend real time outside (as opposed to running to and from class) a cotton undershirt and/or turtleneck helps a lot.

But know that the stores will be well stocked. Make sure you have the basics: hat, coat, gloves, boots and you can always pick up more out there.

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Don’t stress too much over specifics… just remember to dress in 2 or 3 layers (depending on how cold it is). A long-sleeve shirt or shirt designed as a “base layer”, a thermal layer, and if its super cold/wet/windy, a water repellant/wind breaking layer. If you plan on being outside for long periods of time (i.e. you go skiing or sledding), avoid cotton clothing.

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Agree, the LL Bean boots sell out early, start becoming backordered in Oct. You may not care, but some kids like to wear what others are. REI is popular with a lot of kids, they carry expensive brands, but they are usually good quality. Layers are your friend. I would not get sweaters and would instead opt for hoodies, unless sweaters are your “thing.”

13

All these suggestions sound great (I’m from Texas and am attending college in the NE too). I personally LOVE my Sorel brand snow boots. They’re comfortable, warm, and they don’t look clunky. They’re not cheap, but they would probably last you most or all of college.

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My D’s freshman year roommate was from Florida and everyone (including her) had a good laugh when she pulled out her parka in late September as the temperature hit the low 60s. Clothes are easy, and you’ll soon learn how to dress in layers. If you’re planning on driving in the snow, have someone more experienced give you lessons in the parking lot. Really.

And remember to grouse about the mud when spring comes. :slight_smile:

15

I have a few sweaters, a heavier jacket, gloves, hat, scarf, and also a pair of thermal pants that I got at Target for ~12 bucks. I don’t own snow boots - they plow the streets in Boston pretty quickly, so unless you’re in a rural area, it’s unlikely you’ll need to trudge through tons of snow.

It doesn’t get below zero often (we had a few nights last year where it went below 0 with -15 to -20 wind chill) but it was really snowy last winter.

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Adding on here, LAYERS. Everyone else has the light idea, but for your biggest layer of your, make sure you can fit a sweater under it.

I did the same thing except from FL, it was completely fine. I went with a short sleeve shirt, hoodie, and winter jacket on top of that for the winter and lost the winter jacket for spring and fall. Sometimes I exchanged the hoodie for a light athletic jacket under it.

Also, jeans. Lots of jeans.