<p>I'm a junior from central North Carolina (highs of 55 lows of 40 in November; snows 2 inches once a year) and I'm wondering if I am underestimating the brutality of the Minnesota winter. I love winter backpacking (I don't ski) in the Appalachians but as a southerner, will the temperatures destroy my will to live?</p>
<p>Haha, I know how you feel! I'm from New Jersey, and I don't really mind the cold, but every time I say to my parents, "I'll be FIIINE!" when we talk about Carleton, they just look at me like I'm crazy. (I probably am.) But, secretly, deep down, I'm a little nervous that the somewhat average winters here have me deluded about what cold <em>really</em> is. </p>
<p>Though I try to persuade everyone else that I'll be okay, sometimes I'm not so sure I will be...</p>
<p>I grew up in northern MN. We considered the Minneapolis area to be balmy. Add on global warming (unfortunately) and I doubt that winter will be an insurmountable problem if you dress for it and learn to play in the snow. It will feel extreme at first, but most people can get used to it.</p>
<p>My daughter is the type to get cold when the temperature dips below 74, so I've been quite curious as to how she's dealing with it. Granted, the worst will come next term, but she's doing OK. Has learned to layer properly. She gets cold, but that doesn't stop her from playing midnight ultimate games.</p>
<p>Coming from Long Island, I didn't find it terribly difficult to adjust to the weather. I didn't really pay attention to it after a while. There wasn't a whole lot of snow while I was there, although it got pretty cold.</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>Mid-Atlantic!</p>
<p>Just an update...its 80 degrees and sunny at my house...and its 28 and snowing at Carleton.</p>
<p>Had reports of 2am snowball fights.</p>
<p>These will help with the cold weather</p>
<p>learn to layer
down coat, jacket, whatever
wool socks if you're outside for a long time
very warm gloves
hat of some kind</p>
<p>this is from experience - I lived 70 miles from Canada in NoDakota for 13 years.</p>
<p>I went to Carleton having lived on the west coast all my life, and I LOVE IT! Winter is gorgeous and the cold only makes the times spent with friends indoors baking cookies more fun. Talking about how cold it is is really fun too. Last winter was not, however, too cold--change in environment, no doubt. But sliding down the big hill on dining hall trays and making dinosaur snowmen and eating honey and maple syrup poured on freshly-fallen snow (my mom didn´t really approve...) is absolutely priceless!</p>
<p>How's everyone doing with the latest snow/wind/blizzards the past week or month? We have friends in Duluth (further north with 7ft drifts). Pictures of Des Moines, a few hours south, looked pretty ugly. Normal, but ugly.</p>
<p>oh man, the snow here has been unbelievable the past couple of weeks. We actually don't get that much snow here in Minneapolis, we usually just get the sub zero temps, but we've gotten two feet in a week. driving home from school in ten inches of snow in a Corrolla w/o anti-lock brakes much less 4 wheel drive was pretty ridiculous.</p>
<p>The snow was gorgeous!! It's now back up into the 40s, but it was really nice for a while! As my mom said, I was always to get cold really easily, and yet, I found myself surviving negative degrees (though there were times when I looked at my roommates from colder dlimates and said "WHAT DOES THAT NUMBER MEAN??? WHAT DO I WEAR??") My hints: take up knitting, remember that you are just a bus ride away from the Mall of America, which has lots of good clothes ... might I suggest a shopping trip on parents' weekend? Other than that, hws56 has it covered</p>
<p>(daughter of fireflyscout)</p>
<p>Yeah, the weather is beautiful right now. The snow is beautiful in Northfield I bet, but here in Minneapolis the roads and roadsides are coated in hideous brown snow the next day from dirt and exhaust which is disgusting. However, I have to agree that it can be beautiful, especially if you didn't grow up with it. It's a mixed bag. Be ready for winter fun, but also for wind chill numbers well below zero.</p>
<p>so, Carleton is really up high on my list now... the weather is pretty much the only thing holding me back. I'm from CA and get cold pretty easily... I was wondering if there are any current Carleton students on this forum from CA? Is the adjustment really difficult? </p>
<p>Also, I haven't visited yet and I was wondering how far apart the buildings there are... is walking to class something that you need to bundle up for? lol..</p>
<p>I know many people from California who have adapted fairly well.</p>
<p>Again, it's all about layers. Once you get that, you're set.</p>
<p>As for the size of the campus, you can find a map here:
<a href="http://apps.carleton.edu/global_stock/photostock/44573_orig.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://apps.carleton.edu/global_stock/photostock/44573_orig.jpg</a></p>
<p>You will notice that the campus is approximately 4 blocks East to West and 3ish North to South, plus or minus Goodhue, the Rec, and the houses.</p>
<p>I live in Watson (SE corner), and it's maybe a 5-7 minute walk to Sayles. So yes, you need to wear clothes fit for the weather, but you probably won't need long underwear and snow pants for just building to building walking. You will need that for going to the arb or traying or something, so bring it, but otherwise, just enough warmth is necessary to go for 5ish minutes, most likely. Also, they do a good job of keeping the buildings warm, so keep that in mind.</p>
<p>(daughter of fireflyscout)</p>
<p>so i've heard enough about the cold. what about during summer? are the highs usually around mid 80's or lower? or does it hit the triple digits?</p>
<p>In my experience, almost every summer will have a day or two that hits the triple digits, but it highs above the mid 90s are usually confined to the hottest week or two of the year.</p>
<p>^^yep. There's about a half week of hot, humid, triple digid weather in July, but lower 90s are much more common. It is, however, fairly humid all summer.</p>