<p>I'll be in Chicago Thursday-Sunday. I'm scheduled for an overnight stay and interview. So exciting! Anyway, I'm not sure how to pack. I checked the weather and it said it would be in the 50's but I'm not sure what this feels like with the humidity and such. Sweaters? Long-sleeved shirts? Short-sleeved? Bikini? </p>
<p>I know it seems like a silly question, but hey, I don't want my visit to be ruined because I'm freezing or burning up. Thanks.</p>
<p>Also, if anyone wants to give me any other general advice or pointers, I will surely accept them.</p>
<p>Yesterday was brutally hot, today was gorgeous. Hopefully the good weather is here to stay throughout the week and weekend.</p>
<p>Chicago weather is really unpredictable-- bring everything from shorts and flipflops to a sweatshirt. 50's is good sweatshirt weather... it will probably be a tad windy too.</p>
<p>Just a word about overnight visits, from what I've seen happen last year.... sometimes they aren't the best, because there are a lot of variables at stake (your host, the dorm, the other prospies, etc.) If you're going to be around for a few days, though, you'll have more of a basis on which to determine if the school is right for you.</p>
<p>Another thing: try to talk to as many students as you can. Really. Don't be shy. You'll see that this campus has all kinds of people and personalities on it.</p>
<p>Two days ago it was about 90. The high today was perhaps 70. Thursday night should be just above freezing. So - bring layers. It is nice though, leaves are just starting to fall.</p>
<p>Sit in on multiple classes if you have a chance. Most of the profs are awesome, and there is no standard format for a class.</p>
<p>Definitely talk to students. It's easiest to do this in the dining halls because everyone has a few minutes to chat. Pick a house table (as opposed to an open table--house tables are long and have the name of the house on each end) that has friendly looking students, and don't be afraid to ask questions. People are also really friendly with directions if you ever get lost around campus.</p>
<p>Are you going with your parents? Do you have anything else planned that you would like to do?</p>
<p>I mean, it all depends. To be fair, I think most people have really good visits.</p>
<p>Just be aware that your host might want to dump you in the house lounge and not have much to do with you (not because he or she may hate you, but because that problem set/English paper/significant other/job needs to get done) and if you hang out in the house lounge, you may end up watching somebody play Zelda or Final Fantasy. It's the kind of thing that's not necessarily characteristic of the school, but because you're prospie-ing, you might be forced into a box.</p>
<p>If I were you in that kind of situation, I would try to get out and socialize with people who aren't working (that depends, of course, a lot on if you're a Thursday or Friday overnight-- the admissions website says there are both). Ask somebody what's going on in your house.... Friday you'll probably be able to go to a party if you want to, Thursdays are midnight soccer, so that could be fun. There's always Doc Films.</p>
<p>I actually know both of the people who coordinate the overnight visits, and they're really scary nice. They might give you other suggestions.</p>
<p>I didn't want to scare you.... just let you know that some people who have had mediocre overnights adore the school.</p>
<p>Sounds like I can make the best of anything. I'll be there on Thursday, so I expect a lot of people will probably be studying away. Thanks for the ideas.</p>
<p>People that I know tend to have only one class max on Friday for the most part, so Thursday evening tends not to be full-blown party time, but people can stop and chat.</p>
<p>Language and science classes basically all meet on Fridays. Few hum or sosc classes do. People in both a difficult language and a tough science course will have a lot of work, but it's definitely true that students will likely have more time to hang out and chat for a bit on a Thursday than another day. A number of students don't have any classes on Fridays.</p>
<p>Thursday nights in my house are a lot of fun-- we typically watch The Office, have study break, and do "midnight soccer." (Which used to be later, but the police get angry if we play after 11pm).</p>
<p>Chicago was pretty cold and dreary today, so I'm thinking that a sweatshirt or the next step up might be in order. I actually was happy that we were having characteristically Chicago weather... I'm weird. Whatevs.</p>
<p>A couple of hum and sosc classes meet on Fridays, and they usually meet in the early mornings (ew). Please do sit in on a class, though, or talk to the people you meet about their favorite classes. A class visit solidified the U of C as my first choice, so I think it's really worth it.</p>
<p>You can gain a lot of information from the tour. The tour guides talk about classes, the core, social life, and activities, and the tour also gives you a nice overview of campus and gives you some information that you may not have known before. After the tour, you can go around on your own. The tour may give you ideas of what you'd like to go back and visit on your own.</p>
<p>Yeah, I don't really know how much a tour guide is a "typical student," but they are definitely used to getting questions tossed at them/ speaking candidly about their own experiences with the school.</p>
<p>The tour guide we had at Chicago impressed me as the first guide I've had in 25 college tours who could be heard above the noise of city traffic.</p>