Should I be scared about winter in Minnesota…? I’m really excited about everything I hear and see about UMN, but after telling my teachers and friends I’ve been accepted to UMN and that it is definitely at the top of my list at the moment, they all react the same way: “it’s sO COLD THERE THOUGH”
See, I’ve never been to Minnesota (or any of the states near Minnesota), so I can’t put into perspective how cold this place really is…??? I’m also from the Midwest, so I’ve had my experiences with winter too. I actually even prefer winter from summer but I’m afraid Minneapolis/St.Paul winter would be on a scale I couldn’t have even imagined.
I guess what I’m asking for is what people usually wear during the winter time so I can make sure I take enough coats, jackets, gloves, ect. with me if I decide to enroll. What are the stuff you can’t live without in order to survive Minnesota winter and honestly, is the winter really that bad? Thanks in advance.
It does get cold but it is not -30 below for months on end! I usually wear a warm winter ski jacket and gloves. When it falls below10 degrees I add a hat and scarf. The U has underground tunnels that you can use so that you may not even have to go outside. I only used them once when I attended. With proper winter clothes it isn’t a problem. I recommend that if you find your coat isn’t keeping you warm once you get here that you shop locally for a warm winter coat.
When I was growing up my dad used to joke that the cold weather kept out the riff raff.
Most days it really is not so bad, Yes you need a winter coat, hat, gloves and boots, but there are many days that the natives dont even worry about gloves( pockets work well for short trips outdoors…) The tunnels reduce the need to go outdoors. Honestly, this year it was MUCH nicer , in terms of weather, to be at IMN-TC than to be at any of the NE schools. Probably a lot of those kids in Cambridge MA were shocked by the weather they had.
@doremifa can I ask where in the Midwest you’re from? My guess is that you won’t see much of a difference from where you live. One big difference from, say Missouri, is Minnesota doesn’t get the big ice storms that Missouri can get. There will be icy days, but not the storms that take out power lines.
The other thing you’ll find is that those really cold days aren’t all that bad. (Don’t tell anyone- We like to pretend we’re tougher up here). There will be nights when only the brave go outside for playing, but they are rare.
Must haves- warm jacket (and anyone from the Midwest already should have that), hat and a couple of sweaters/sweatshirts for an added layer.