Exchange Tips for Switching Coasts/Climates

<p>Don't mention OJ in OC. Not a good idea!
BTW, the guy that heads(but not the chairman) the Chapman film program was mentioned in OC Register last year, he seems like a genius. I talked to his wife on some occasions that why I recognized his name when it was in print.</p>

<p>paying: campus is flat! your S should have a bike if he is inclined to ride one. Nothing fancy, just a cruiser.</p>

<p>Im not a daughter/son at a CALi College nor a parent but ive spent numurous vacations out there(lasting up to 2 weeks!) i grew up going there a lottt b/c i have family in LA and SD and we vacationed smack dab in the middle of both in LAguna BeACH!!!!! IM going out there in late July..and im really excited...remember it maybe warm during the day but it can get chilly at night..and remember sun screen that haze isnt fog its smug..and trust me u will get burned crisp b/c of that...and when hes not on the beach or shower try not to where sandals tell him that unless u where tons of sunscreen(i get really bad sunburn on feet)</p>

<p>Some things to visit in the LA area beside Disneyland:
The Getty
The Getty Villa
The Huntington (in San Marino -- museum and gardens and make a reservation for tea in the rose gardens)
The LA County Museum of Art (and La Brea tar pits)
Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills (Nate 'n Al's for a good pastrami sandwich)
The Fairfax area (Cantor's for another good pastrami sandwich)
The new Gehry symphony hall in downtown LA</p>

<p>Avoid LAX -- Burbank is a better choice for LA proper; Long Beach also has a very small, pleasant airport</p>

<p>When it rains in LA, it can be quite a downpour. Bring an umbrella. It never (never) rains in the summer.</p>

<p>^^^^^are all great ideas but are up in LA and a long (slow) drive from Chapman, which is in OC. Burbank Airport is not a good choice for Chapman either. Its either John Wayne (SNA) airport or Long Beach. There are still nice attractions in OC but not like those listed above. And, it is unlikely that move-in time, Dad will be playing tourist. He will get to know the local Target, Bed, Bath and Beyond, etc.</p>

<p>Yes, do the Bed Bath and Beyond registration at your closest store...and then start saving coupons from them and their competators. they will honor expired coupons. last year when we got to Allentown from SoCal I saved around $130 using the coupons. I even bought some on EBAY. I think I paid around $8 for 10 coupons. It was well worth it.</p>

<p>And I wish we didn't have the winter stuff to store...coming here is much easier than going to a cold climate. Your S will probably rarely wear long pants. Shorts and flip flops is standard apparel here.</p>

<p>Well I am appreciating that others are ready to post again.</p>

<p>So now... I'm picturing one happy guy coming in by Jet Blue to Long Beach airport, or perhaps John Wayne (but Buffalo does have a great deal to Long Beach!). He'll be the one smiling ear-to-ear, in flip-flops w/ sunscreen. (Later, when he's not with his dad flying in, would he then take a cab or bus out to Chapman?) Much of his heavy clothing has been donated or stored away, except for what we keep available here for visits home. </p>

<p>H rents a car for orientation weekend in order to score all the deals from Bed, Bath and Beyond, plus final roundups at Target.</p>

<p>Following orientation, once classes are in swing, son bikes (good bike-lock!). WHen he perceives a break, off to the nearby train station in search of the Holy Grail (pastrami sandwich - how'd ya know his favorite?) or to discover the art museum. </p>

<p>We hope he can squeak by without a car, although he'll have training as an EMT or Hebrew teacher, so might need a used car to get to a job, but I'd rather not deal with a car freshman year unless there's a job need for it.</p>

<p>Otherwise, I hope he can manage with the bike, 2 good feet, new friends who have cars for OC, and willingness/experience learning a bus system to explore
LA for a rare treat to see special sights. </p>

<p>He picked up from LIvejournals that there are season passes to Disney and some students go there to hang on Friday nights. </p>

<p>MOST of all: he devours his courses, gets excellent training in his chosen craft, makes friends, networks within a dynamic industry.</p>

<p>It's sounding wonderful to me.</p>

<p>I reccomend Long beach its where I fly into u can get a nonstop from JFK(NYC) to Long beach on jetblue...i luv the little tvs on jetblue</p>

<p>Buses are pretty useless in southern cal. For the area around Chapman, a bike and the local bus may work..........but we are talking very local. There is enough of a community around Chapman for part time jobs. Sorry to say, we are mass-transit challenged. Most freshman can survive without a car, but if he stays here and wants to really get around, he will eventually need a car. I don't know what Chapman does about parking, etc. Hebrew teacher? Have him contact The Orange County Bureau of Jewish Education
(949) 435-3450 for connections. OCBJE has great programs and if your son wants to get involved with the OC jewish community, there are great options there. They have lots of college aged kids working in their youth programs. I don't know much about Hillel at Chapman. If you send me a PM, I do know at least one local jewish girl going to film school (i think) at Chapman. Also know a great guy and several sophomores. I can give you names and he can Facebook them.....</p>

<p>I don't know about a college freshman renting a car...Many rental car companies will not rent to those under the age of 25.</p>

<p>There may be a shuttle service that runs between Long Beach airport, and John Wayne. That would make for a shorter cab ride.</p>

<p>I wonder if the college has addressed the issue of transportation for its freshmen, particularly. Maybe they have a shuttle to the airport or to places like The Block at Orange where he could find a job or just go for entertainment. At some point, though, he will really need to have a car if he's going to take advantage of his proximity to L.A.</p>

<p>Anyone have any tips for a California kid going to college in Chicago? Especially in terms of what types of jackets/coats and shoes people wear? Are snow boots necessary?</p>

<p>Haha, I can't even stand Bay Area winters so I have no idea how I'm going to live through winter in Chicago.</p>

<p>I'll bet lots of kids in Chicago don't have snow boots (and I'll bet that drives their mothers crazy). You can do without them, but if you do I would have some kind of waterproof boots or shoes that you can wear with several pairs of socks. (And make certain you have several pairs of warm socks, even if you don't like wearing socks.) Don't assume you can wear flip-flops all winter, or even sneakers, even if some kids do.</p>

<p>A down jacket is a good idea. With a Gore-Tex outer shell is also a good idea. My kids don't have them, but it drives me crazy. That plus the kind of light jacket a Cali kid would have anyway is probably fine, unless you really like coats, or want a dressier coat. My daughter wears a mid-length medium-heavy cloth coat and lots of sweaters in the winter in Chicago. She gets really cold.</p>

<p>A knit wool hat, a scarf, and warm gloves or mittens are necessities. More than one pair of long pants (or heavy tights, if you are a girl) is also a necessity. Your stuff will get wet.</p>

<p>Also, remember that when you show up in Chicago it will be 80-90 degrees and muggy. You won't need any of that stuff for 2-3 weeks (ha-ha). You will have plenty of time to check out what other kids have that looks decent to you. So if you don't own them already, you can wait to buy them.
They have stores (lots of them!) and internet connections in Chicago, and all major governmental and private delivery services deliver there.</p>

<p>One thing comes to mind. Be prepared to pick up student (returning to the NE from CA) at airport with Coat, Gloves and Jacket in the car.</p>

<p>I'll chime in re: the special light bulbs to combat "winter blues". </p>

<p>I'm sure there are slightly brighter bulbs one can buy at the store which will help brighten up a dim dorm room--feel free to buy those if you think it'll make the winters a bit less dreary.
However, actual "light boxes" or lamps that simulate sunlight are different. They are generally very, very bright and strong, to the point where it isn't good to use them as general lighting in a room. They can be prescribed by doctors for cases of SAD (seasonal affective depression) and can help travellers shift their sleep cycles to avoid jetlag. Unless you WANT to mess with your sleep cycle, use them only in the morning and never for more than 10-15 minutes unless prescribed by a doctor. They shouldn't be necessary for most college students. </p>

<p>That said, if your student goes to school in a colder climate and seems to consistently be depressed in the darker months, SAD is one possibility to investigate.</p>

<p>how about North to South?</p>

<p>(ie Buffalo to North Carolina)</p>

<p>I agree...when you pick up your "warm climate" college kid who is returning to the "cold" remember to bring a warm jacket and gloves with you. </p>

<p>Get outta...just think...you won't need your boots, the warmest jacket you'll need will be a warm polar fleece, and you probably won't need a snow shovel. You'll be able to pack much more lightly than those heading to cold weather places. DD went from New England to CA...and took only her light weight clothes, some hoodies, and polar fleece. She has been fine. Climate is about the same as NC. Just remember an umbrella...the snow in Buffalo is often rain in NC!!</p>

<p>Volteface: When my So Cal kid moved to Boston, we sent her with some long sleeve "under shirts" for layering and lots of socks (kids in Cal only wear flip flops). She needed to be there and talk to others before buying anything. We were back in Boston for Parent Weekend and took her to the Northface Store because everyone on campus seems to wear Northface. We got her a storm type coat with an inner lining that zips in/out and is waterproof and windproof for the worst weather. Mostly she wears either just the shell or just the inner part, and has rarely used both (although maybe this last few days she has used both). With Chicago and with Boston, you need serious windproofing. The fleece type gloves are not wind/water proof. Let your kid get to Chicago and ask around, but make sure to have him/her get good gloves, a warm hat and scarves. Almost no one wears snow boots in the urban schools....</p>

<p>We were in Boston last week, before the really bad weather. I was freezing with all my warmest clothes on...........kids were walking around in sweatshirts and flip flops. Even my D, who has definitely aclimated to Boston. She used to wear layers at home, in the house, in So Cal and always complained about being cold........not any more!</p>

<p>I live not to far from Orange. Public transportation is not very good here. If you can buy a small, used car you will be much better off. I have lived here for almost 20 years, and it is very difficult to get around without a car.</p>

<p>Thank you for all the California wisdom! It's been most helpful.</p>

<p>In return, I thought I'd list my TOP TEN bits of advice for anyone who's sending someone north for college:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>SNOWBOOTS, NOT. Although every adult wears them, kids do not.</p></li>
<li><p>EVENING FLIGHTS IN WINTER, NOT. Sometimes those get cancelled, even though weather was okay in college airport town. Problem is, the airline still has to fly in a plane or crew from another region impacted by different weather delays. We've had too many evening flights delayed all evening then cancelled this winter, most unpleasant, had to sleep in airports or motel and wait for a.m. </p></li>
</ol>

<p>Most reliable is the first flight of each day, but who can get up that early? At least try to book before 2 p.m. From 5 p.m. on, watch out! </p>

<p>Nonstop flights reduce the number of weather variables. For layovers, take note of which city is being used and choose flight by the mildest weather for layover city, which is best in the southern tier.</p>

<ol>
<li>BLIZZARDS, NO PROBLEM. Understand that big blizzards are more of a nuisance to working residents of a city than for students. For all, it's a huge bonding experience and brings communities together.</li>
</ol>

<p>Most colleges do not close down even when our public schools must. College students can walk to classes, unlike public high school districts which depend on schoolbuses. College students don't have to shovel front sidewalks and driveways. ALthough public schools might miss up to 10 snow days per winter, many colleges in the same communities might close down only 2-3 times all winter, under the same weather conditions. </p>

<ol>
<li><p>SOCKS ROCK. I never realized it, but wearing socks daily after October is a novelty if you're from warm weather. (I thought people were born wearing socks.) For girls, it need not be boring. My D's wardrobe signature is wearing blatantly mismatched socks with separate toes. But I think her college washing machine ate so many singletons that she gave up and started doing this.</p></li>
<li><p>(SERIOUS...) ICE is much more treacherous than snow, even though the snow makes the national headlines. If your kid will be driving, consider having a driving lesson (one time consult) or have him/her seek out responsible advice on handling a car during ice. Be sure your kid understands terms like "black ice" and "refreezing" as an indicator s/he's paying attention to the new issues up here. Have a talk about speeding re: ice. Carry salt, scraper, brush and a blanket in the trunk always. (The blanket can be used under a tire if caught in snow to create traction.) Get an emergency kit for the car that includes a silver foil aluminum heat blanket for the body. Teach your kid to use the cell phone to call state police (911 then ask for a non-emergency line!) whenever lost or disoriented in snow conditions; They help a lot with over-the-phone advice and know the area so well to get you to the next gas station, motel or safe haven. </p></li>
<li><p>SNOW IS FUN and beautiful. Mostly that's how college kids relate to it, and well they should! Snow angels, snowmen, snowforts...</p></li>
<li><p>HATS ARE GOOD. Factoid: 80% of body heat leaves via the HEAD, so wear a ski hat, or the variations that help avoid "bad hair days." Scarves aren't always necessary if you have certain kinds of winter jackets, but can be fun and decorative gifts. Some prefer gloves to mittens because of dexterity with keys and backpack zippers; try them out in the stores. </p></li>
<li><p>SUNGLASSES still matter because of glare on the snow, whether walking around or driving. </p></li>
<li><p>DON'T RUSH BUYING your waterproof winter jacket. It can take up half a suitcase and won't be needed during the first month ANYWHERE. So wait that until the kid can get to campus and see what's available locally or online. Should be in place by October 1, however, latest October 15.</p></li>
<li><p>We wear our hallowe'en costumes on top of autumn jackets for trick-or-treat, which has a fattening look. Oh well. Everyone understands.</p></li>
</ol>