<p>so I live right outside washington dc and i HATE when it gets cold and snows and therefore decided that i need to go somewhere warm for college
but now that i've done most my applications i'm worried because so many of my schools are up north and i don't know if i could deal with that much cold weather. anyone have thoughts on this?</p>
<p>here's a thought - buy a coat!</p>
<p>^ Trying not to laugh gomestar. Anyway you should be fine. Besides, who doesn't like throwing snowballs, having their eyes water profusely during walks down the street, and roasting chestnuts on an open fire? You think the cold is tough in D.C.? Come to Chicago and you'll be in for a shock...or a freeze. </p>
<p>Better reasons for choosing a college in a warm place might be need of a change in scenery, better weather to do outdoor activities, and the relief of having to pack less clothing. I mean, be careful what you wish for, if you go to California, things might be so warm they're ON FIRE (tasteless joke alert). </p>
<p>P.S. This post was purely jocular in nature, and if you the reader happened to be a victim of the fires in Southern California, you have my support.</p>
<p>Stay indoors most of the time.</p>
<p>Some schools in ridiculously cold places put up "safeguards" of sorts. Macalester (in St. Paul, MN) has heated hallways between its buildings. Yay!</p>
<p>Otherwise, take some advice from a born-and-bred Chicagoan:
- Layers over bulk (t-shirt, long-sleeved t-shirt, sweater, coat). That way you don't have to walk around in a massive marshmallow coat. You can get something with a slimmer line and keep warm.
- Buy a good pair of gloves. I suggest leather.
- A coat that is a longer cut (mid-thigh length) will offer better protection.<br>
- Hat hair is acceptable from November to March (at least, it is in Chicago ;))</p>
<p>Why dont you go to a warm good school:</p>
<p>William & Mary
Duke
Wake Forest
Davidson
Emory
Vanderbilt
Rice
Claremont Consortium
Stanford</p>
<p>Would have added W&L and UVirignia but they are in the mountains where it does snow more than other Southern schools.</p>
<p>If you want to see the Eiffel Tower dont go to Tokyo. If you want to stay warm dont go to college where it is cold.</p>
<p>I grew up in Michigan, Massachusetts, and the Chicago area, got a master's degree at U of Toronto, and graduated from a Navy survival school. </p>
<p>Keep your feet and head warm and dry; get a good pair of ski gloves or mittens; Avoid cotton socks--they trap moisture and keep your feet cold. Use wool socks--preferably over thin polypropelene socks. Get some sort of shoes or boots lined with Gore-tex to make them waterproof. Keep the neck warm with a turtleneck or scarf. Make sure the lower back is covered well--avoid waist-length jackets, no matter how fashionable they are.</p>
<p>I love growing up in Chicago, we can take anything.</p>
<p>Tips for cold weather survival from a Northeasterner:</p>
<ol>
<li>Waterproof jacket, gloves, hat, boots.</li>
<li>LINED jeans</li>
<li>Corduroy pants (they might not be any warmer, but they sure feel like they are).</li>
<li>Layer, layer, layer.</li>
<li>Go to school in the South.</li>
</ol>
<p>To the poster who said "If you want to see the Eiffel Tower, don't go to Tokyo": Tokyo</a> Tower - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</p>
<p>So I suppose that the moral of this story is that you can build your niche anywhere if you're properly motivated ;)</p>
<p>That said, I think there are very valid reasons for preferring schools in warm climates. Some people really do suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), and months of gloomy weather and staying indoors can be unbearable. So if your reasoning is just that you don't like to be cold, then yeah...buy a coat, learn to layer. But if you know that bad weather really affects your mood, then you might want to add some schools in warmer areas (there was a relevant thread not too long ago that you should be able to find by searching for "Sunbelt"). </p>
<p>If weather is an important criteria to you, then I'm not sure how you're just now noticing that most of your schools don't meet it. But if you really picked schools that you love, then maybe weather isn't as important to you as you think that it is. I'd say it's pretty simple. If the school is more important than the climate, learn to deal. Layers, winter wear, disposable heat packs (you can buy them at any ski store and usually Sportmart...just little packets that you can put in your pockets or gloves...they heat up and last for hours), and so forth. And if the climate is more important to you than the northern schools you've selected, well...do a very fast reevaluation. If you figure it out soon, you still have time to act, even if not as thoroughly as would be ideal (i.e. at least you could add a few non-northern schools).</p>
<p>I've spent a lot of time in pretty different climates (including both the coldest state + the only frost-free city in the continental US, plus years throughout CA). All have their ups and downs...for most, it's just a simple matter of adjustment (and wardrobe) :)</p>
<p>thanks guys i guess i am stressing too much about this</p>
<p>student615- yes i think it is something to do with SAD but i don't know for sure except that it definitely does affect my mood</p>
<p>and yes i am applying to schools in the south (vandy, wake forest, duke, davidson, etc) but some of the schools that i've really fallen in love with are in the north (brown, williams, notre dame, etc) soo yeah i guess i just need to wait and think whether its worth it some more</p>