<p>In another thread talking about what to do before sending your child off to college it was mentioned that if the child is heading to California teach them earthquake preparations and what to do if caught in a riptide. Being a life long Californian, that peaked my interest, as we were taught that at a very young age.</p>
<p>However, my Californian is off to Vermont. What types of environmental things should I warn her about for that area? (Other than snow, which I tried to show her, but on our Feb visit to New England it was balmy...)</p>
<p>My Colorado kiddo didn’t “get” east coast humidity.
Was amazed how important it was to keep the cereal box closed. Or how long it took to dry clothes in the dryer. She found towels especially frustrating, so over Christmas break she bought quick-dry backpacking towels and left the fluffy thick cotton ones at home.</p>
<p>She was also amazed that in the east, rubber boots was something you can wear year-round. In our parched climate, she never owned any.</p>
<p>She already packed her rubber boots (in an early box to be taken to my uncle’s Vermont house for summer storage.) She certainly won’t need them here this summer. I’ll have to make sure she has her passport. For awhile she was considering college in Canada. Loves the country, and is pretty good at French.</p>
<p>The deer, not that surprising. She dodges deer daily on her way to the barn.</p>
<p>And yes, the 94% white will be an eye opener. She mentioned she’s required to take a class in diversity. And chuckled.</p>
<p>I remember chatting with an student at the med school at Stanford. He was from California, and studying away in the 4th week of school. Meanwhile, his buddies were still spending their afternoons playing frisbee. He asked if they ever buckled down and studied. They answered sure, as soon as it started to get too cold for frisbee. He informed them it was never too cold for frisbee in California. So for those waiting for the cold to start to buckle down and study in California, give it up, it’s not coming.</p>
<p>If your student is moving from an area that gets lots of snow/ice in winter to one that gets less, teach them that if it does snow/ice then they can’t react like they’re at home. Salting/sanding/plowing happens on a different time frame/scale in areas that get less winter weather. Other drivers aren’t as familiar with driving in those conditions. If the TV says Stay Home, then do it, even if it would be a joke where you grew up.</p>
<p>Buy her the warmest/lightweight coat you can find. Lands End has good sales. It’s going to be a big transition so be sure she has the requisite gloves, scarves, boots, etc. I also recommend long underwear and good socks.</p>
<p>Keep your feet and neck warm and dry in the winter if you don’t want to get sick. The stuff in the LLBean catalog is there for a reason. The current popularity of pashminas is a good thing for females in the northeast. Wish I’d had them years ago.</p>
<p>People’s driving in VT and NH can look a little funny in the summer. They take their corners wide and slow. She will find out why by November if she is driving.</p>
<p>The roads tend to have wide shoulders, to leave somewhere to put the snow, and in the warmer months it can be really nice for bicycling.</p>
<p>Another regional thing is the level of outgoing friendliness expected. Take cues from the natives. Some places will expect a hearty greeting from strangers others are fine if you just glower at them.</p>
<p>There are places that expect “Yes ma’am” and “Yes sir” others that don’t and you would be considered weird using those phrases.</p>
<p>In tornado areas, don’t worry too much about tornado watches - they issue them often, just whenever conditions are right to possible lead to a tornado. But take tornado warnings seriously - it means one has actually been spotted.</p>
<p>For the Vermont-bound girl: keep the faith during mud season. It really is awful but it really will end. And then it will be gorgeous. Also-- be careful if you live somewhere (once you go off campus) with woodstove heat, which a lot of people use. Several people succumb to carbon monoxide poisoning every winter. Ventilation!! </p>
<p>For those going south: learn patience. When I moved from the upper Midwest to Cincinnati/northern Kentucky for residency I had to rein in my impatience til I learned to wait for people to finish talking. I looked like a jerk til I did. And use “y’all”. It’s the best general pronoun EVER.</p>
<p>A down coat (covering the hips) with a snorkel hood will get anyone through the winter, and insulated hiking boots (with room for heavy socks) handle 90% of the winter weather, with a set of gaiters for deep snow. You don’t need packs unless you are doing ice fishing, snowmobiling, or outdoor camping. Vermont is warmer than North Dakota! Many Vermonters love the LL Bean rubber bottomed boots, especially for mud season but the socks must be really absorbent so feet don’t sweat and get cold for winter use. Dress in layers, because you will be warm from walking to class, then depending on the class room, cold to hot! Corduroy jeans are warmer than denim jeans, but you can put light weight wind pants over either and be even warmer. For the rare days when it is icy and she has to get around anyway, there are stretch-on steel studded grippers she can put on over any boot or shoe. Fleece layers and a roomy rain parka take anyone through most of the rest of the year. After my first November at UVM, I told my parents the only thing I wanted for Christmas was a hooded down coat!</p>
<p>I think just teaching about any weather that is different than where you live is a good thing. I should have discussed hurricanes more with my midwestern D before she went to New Orleans last fall. And, I know that D’s friends parents never figured they would need to talk about earthquakes with their Washington, DC bound daughter, but she experienced one her first week at college.</p>
<p>Nothing except experience will prepare anyone 100%, but discussing emergency plans can help</p>
<p>On a lighter note, when your college kid is dying for a sandwich of cold cuts and cheese on a long roll, in order to avoid ridicule and achieve the desired result, it’s important to determine whether the local lingo calls it a hoagie, sub, torpedo, hero, wedge or grinder.</p>