<p>I've lived in Miami my entire life and the only time I've seen snow it melted by the time it hit the ground. That being said, nearly every school besides my instate safety schools will subject me to harsh winters. Could someone who faced a similar situation give me a little guide to making it through my first winter? My parents want to buy winter clothes this winter to save money on deals and be well prepared before school. </p>
<p>P.S. I'm sure this topic has been posed before so feel free to link to other threads. </p>
<p>I would suggest either a good down jacket or a jacket with thinsulate insulation, Some retailers such as Eddie Bauer will give their coats a temperature rating to help you determine what you need. Keep in mind, you will feel the cold much more than others from the north and will need a warmer jacket. I remember a girl from Mississippi that would be wearing a fully zipped down coat with gloves while the rest of us were in t-shirts basking in the first warm (to us) spring day.</p>
<p>It’s going to help to explain what exactly you mean by ‘harsh.’ Are you talking about temperatures dipping to 20 degrees, or do you mean like subzero temperatures throughout winter with consistent snow cover?</p>
<p>Where are you going to be going to school? </p>
<p>I’m from a similarly warm climate, and to me, harsh is anything lower than 40 degrees, haha. I would suggest holding off on getting winter clothes, as stores in your area might not have as large a selection as ones in colder regions would (with the exception of sporting goods stores like REI). </p>
<p>I was going to throw in some tidbits of advice, but then I realized I haven’t really experienced a real winter before either, so I’ll let the experts weigh in on this one. </p>
<p>Dress in layers for sure. The dorm and classrooms will be warm, but the outside will be cold. Something fleece that can be worn under a winter jacket is good. You will also need a scarf, hat, and a good pair of gloves or mittens. Boots are also key as you don’t want cold, wet feet in the winter. Wool socks can help keep your feet warm. Buy a case of hand and foot warmers for that extra boost of heat when it gets really cold and you are walking between classes. And you can get lightweight long underwear to wear under your shirt and pants.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that most dorms will be kept very warm in the winter, so you are really only dealing with the cold as you walk between classes. Try to enjoy the winter with fun activities such as sledding, skiing, and getting in a snowball fight :). And there is nothing as enjoyable as the first warm days of spring after you have made it through the winter. Good luck!</p>
<p>Bean boots (the fuzzy ones) will be your saviour. They are so warm (good to about -20 degrees F) and comfortable. They’re really expensive (~$200 full price), and might not be your “style,” but I do recommend them. And they have a lifetime guarantee - a friend of mine said that after six years one part on his started to come unattached, and he went into the store and within five minutes he had a completely new pair for free.</p>
<p>Definitely layers. Make sure that you get a good jacket, too - and remember that warmth is more important than style with those.</p>
<p>If you are pretty sure you will be going to school in a cold climate, don’t see anything wrong with your parents shopping the online sales after winter is over. My daughter went from Georgia to MA for UG and now is in third year of med school in NH, so I know a bit about buying winter clothing by now, mostly off season. What I have found is that it is good to have different jackets…maybe a north face type when the evenings start getting cold, then a down jacket for really cold, and a pea coat is always good as well. Are you a girl or a guy? Also watch for sales on Under Armour or the Nike equivalent.</p>
<p>It also depends where you will be attending college. How far north are you going??</p>
<p>Winters in NH are far more brutal than winters in CT. We live in CT and DD was comfortable wearing a North Face fleece last winter. Then again, she was never out in the elements much because she was always able to hop into a warm car. She visited Dartmouth in January and said that the bitter cold made her bones cry. </p>
<p>I’ve been in the negatives all the way to 20F when I lived in Michigan and I can tell you that it’s painful. All you really need is a good coat, not a North Face; they’ll get you through a windy night, but not a blizzard.</p>
<p>I hope you have a good pair of boots. Nothing worse than a pair of wet, cold, soggy feet! </p>
<p>@collegeappstory I would also recommend the Helly Hanson, Lands End, Patagonia & Columbia websites. It just occurred to me, you have probably never owned a winter coat! </p>
<p>@NewHavenCTmom , no boots for me…just bought D a pair of Aldo knee length and some a short ones from nordstom she needs a new compjter…her Mac book pro from her gates scholarship ssummer of 2008 about to die…prob todayi</p>
<p>Oh no! What we mothers will do to ensure the well being of our daughters! Lands End is having a sale right now. I also saw snow boots at Zappos at a decent price. You WILL be miserable if it snows and you don’t have a proper pair of boots. </p>
<p>I moved from Texas to Maine. Now THAT was a change! I love snow, so this is the right place for me. My biggest surprised was that it doesn’t snow every day, or even every week! That disappointed me.</p>
<p>The only real negative is ICE. Nobody ever warned me about the ice. Ice on the windshield, ice on the front porch steps, ice on the ENTIRE driveway so that I can’t even walk to your mailbox for a couple of months! It’s probably a good thing I didn’t know about that before I moved here.</p>
<p>Oh boy. I live in Michigan and let me tell you, winters are brutal. Last year we had over a month-long period where we didn’t even get above zero degrees. Less than 1/4 mile visibility, 6 feet of snow on the ground, -30° or below wind chills… so fun. NOT. This winter is supposed to be even worse around here.
My best advice from growing up with these conditions is to invest in some good outerwear. I know college makes everyone poor but it is so worth the extra money. Buy a few pairs of wool socks, some hefty boots, a nice down coat, and maybe spring for some snow pants — they’re a miracle worker for blocking the wind. Also, there’s a thing called cuddle duds. My parents bought me some every year growing up. They’re lightweight and thin but boy do they keep you warm. They aren’t too expensive either. Well worth it.</p>
<p>Good luck and drive safe, icy roads and wind are a kicker!</p>
<p>Try not to skimp on winter jackets, etc. It is worth paying for quality and the first thing to look for is a jacket that will block the wind. The ski shops will have really good quality jackets that will fit well and protect against the cold and the wind. If you can wait a bit and buy late in the season most of the shops will have things on sale. The selection might not be as great, but the prices will be better. A good coat will last for years so it is worth making the up front investment. Also invest in good hat and gloves, and some type of winter hiking boot that you can walk in. </p>