<p>Hi everyone,</p>
<p>I am thinking of applying to Cornell. I know it is a great university; however, I am worried I might not be happy here. I'm a huge weather person, and I want to know how the weather in Ithaca is like. How happy are the students? Is there a lot of stress and pressure? </p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>Can’t lie, the weather here is pretty ****ty during the winter, especially the first half of second semester.</p>
<p>It’s been really sunny this week and last though, and every seems way happier when the sun is out, at least I am.</p>
<p>I’m a huge weather person too (originally wanted to go to california for college), but i really think the weather is what you make of it. Its beautiful during the fall with all the leaves turning colors, and now its getting sunny and beautiful again. I do agree that the weather can be pretty depressing at the beginning of spring semester. But, its really only a few weeks from what i have seen that its depressingly cold and cloudy. Also, snow can make the cold a littler more fun. And there’s tons of opportunities for hiking, skiing, etc to appreciate the outdoors! as for whether people are friendly and happy or competitive, you can really find both. But it you want to find friendly, they seem to be the majority :)</p>
<p>i love the snow here. rain, not so much. but when it snows i get really happy actually haha but i guess you have to be into that. it’s gorgeous when everything is covered in fresh snow. it looks like a winter wonderland for real 
again, the rain sucks. but it’s starting to get nice out and that’s also enjoyable. if you can, i’d say visit during the winter to see cornell at its “worst” and then come in the summer to see what it’s like when it’s nice out</p>
<p>Yea, its really pretty during the fall, its like a big white blanket is laid across the campus.
Right in the beginning of the 2nd semester I feel like is the worst too. But thats just for me bc I live in west campus and the slope is impossible if theres no maintenance.
But the sun’s cool too I guess…i just c way too much of it at home already :)</p>
<p>how about the happy part of the question? all I can think to say is that there are lots of people and lots of sad people. there’s just a lot of people! (that is the only way to give an honest response, at least from my perspective.)</p>
<p>how big of a weather person are you? meaning, how far up your list of important attributes is weather?</p>
<p>i must admit, i didn’t think much of weather when i was applying, but it is huge. if warm/sunny/dry weather is one of your top 2-3 concerns, ithaca is not the place for you. you will arrive here in the fall and find it to be pleasant for a couple of months. during my sophomore and junior years, i could probably count the number of sunny days between october and april on my fingers and toes. </p>
<p>but the weather does eventually get good again, just in time… for us to leave campus for the summer. </p>
<p>I don’t completely understand your question. Are you asking about the weather or about the stress and/or pressure? two totally different sides of the coin.</p>
<p>If you need sun and warm, Cornell is not the place. If you like the seasons, and enjoy playing in the snow or a disquieting rainfall every once in a while, interspersed with some of the most beautiful sunsets you will ever see, Cornell is the place.</p>
<p>There’s a decent amount of stress and pressure for engineers, architects, and pre-med students. For other majors, notsomuch.</p>
<p>I think he is asking about both. Seperatly and then whether they are inter-realated. Can’t help, sorry, but I am applying there so am interested…</p>
<p>I think I’m one of the few, like ironicallyunsure over here(hi emine lol), that really likes cornell’s weather. I LOVE the snow AND rain too, it’s so fun and peaceful. I’ve been in Cali my whole life so the sunny days aren’t anything new.</p>
<p>Winter wonderland FTW!!</p>
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<p>And you don’t even need to worry about mud slides when it rains. Rock on!</p>
<p>WEATHER:
The winters are long and cold. You often need to walk 1-2 miles a day through this weather. It gets to me, and I’m native New Englander who doesn’t pay much heed to the weather. </p>
<p>HAPPY ATMOSPHERE:
Cornell is a very large decentralized, diverse school. The environment that you find at Cornell depends on who you choose your friends to be, what groups you choose to join and how much of your time you dedicate to your studies. Some people are happy, others are stressed.</p>
<p>Okay-- thank you guys so much for your replies. They were very informative and gave me a glance at Cornell. </p>
<p>I am still going to apply as it seems like the weather, while not perfect (and I’ll probably have to adapt to it, coming from CA), can be bearable.</p>
<p>this is Spring break so the students are mostly not in Ithaca, but next week go to the Cornell website and click on “LiveViews” on the left hand side to see for yourself what the days look like.</p>
<p>Weather:
In the Fall it rains a lot. A real lot. but, like another poster above, I actually liked the NY area fall rain; I like it as a downstater too.
But the main thing about the fall is that- in between raindrops perhaps- it is absolutely spectacular looking there, with the changing of the seasons, the trees, the gorges. The visuals as you walk to class can be inspiring. This is aided by the feel of the cold crisp fresh air in your lungs, you can actually feel it. And it feels good.</p>
<p>Winter is cold, and there is often snow or slush around. When I attended most of the big snowfalls seemed to happen when we were on winter break, thankfully. But we always got an additional couple blasts during the first half of the spring semester. As well as one during finals week of Fall semester. I wish I went skiing more when I was up there, that’s something all you people should do. as long as you’re going to have snow you might as well use it to your advantage.</p>
<p>What I decided some other time this came up is: the winter weather is not much different there than much of the rest of the Northeast. But what’s different is, here you actually have to deal with it, because you are out walking in it so much, not driving from garage to garage. So what do you do, you get the right clothing,bundle up, and you deal with it. And after a while there it becomes, while never pleasant, an unremarkable and expected part of your life. The experience toughened me up so that I could subsequently survive and thrive in Chicago weather. which I found to be much worse.</p>
<p>Spring is beautiful there, as the colors emerge as all the plants start budding.</p>
<p>Summer is great there as well, it doesn’t get as hot as some other places. Suggest you stay a summer or two, I did and I really enjoyed it. Get out on the lake, etc.</p>
<p>Happiness- depends on what is going on in your lfe, and how well it’s going. Both socially and academically. Obviously this varies, even within the same individuals at different times.</p>
<p>Stress/ pressure- academically I would say generally yes, with the actual extent depending a lot on one’s specific program of studies. But IMO the level is probably commensurate with what one would experience at comparable academic institutions.</p>
<p>ditto ^^ on Chicago having worse weather!</p>