<p>I know there's been a lot of talk about how bad the winter is, and as a 13 year resident of Rockford, IL, I can definitely attest to how winters are here. I learn something new every year, but here's some practical stuff I would suggest: </p>
<p>Make sure your jeans fit well. If you're like me and can't find the right length, find a length that's shorter because slush is so bad on city streets that if you're jeans cover too much of your shoe you're going to have to cut them (like I did today) because of how dirty they'll get from the snow.</p>
<p>It's easy to complain about how cold the winter is, but I've always found the cold weather more comfortable than the hot. It may be my general hate for sweating, but once you get used to it cold weather is fine as long as you have a coat and gloves. </p>
<p>Make sure you have durable shoes too. I have a pair of Adidas Sambas that have lasted me a year and a half that only cost 40 bucks while a pair of k-swiss I bought for too much money wore out because of the winter in about 3 months of the Northern Illinois winter. </p>
<p>I know there's a lot of focus on the winter, but let me say that even though winters can be brutal out here between late January and February, the spring, summer and fall in Madison is beautiful. I make the drive up to Madison as much as I can during the summertime just to experience the city--it truly is the most beautiful city in the Midwest in the springtime and summertime.</p>
<p>I think you'll find that even though hard winters are a new experience(living in California would be a new experience for me...imagine living all your life with snow on the ground between December and March!), Madison is a great place with great people. Other than Chicago, it's my favorite place on Earth and I think anyone, regardless of what kind of weather you're used to, can have a good time there.</p>
<p>And yes, smart people definitely have jeans that have been ruined by salt for those extra sloppy days, or just tuck them into the boots, really well.</p>
<p>Ya the forecast cast was the exact same for where I live and Madison today. Bay Area 47 degrees with rain, same /w Madison. Seems bit warm for UW, but pretty chilly for where I am.</p>
<p>I'm at work where they turn off the heat on weekends. It's about 63 in here. Thank god I have an illegal space heater and my office is a toasty 72. The other guys working today are freezing.</p>
<p>More snow coming today ... though not the 'right kind' for a a record snowball fight attempt. Should be the light/fluffy type with the colder temps.</p>
<p>If you go to the UW website and keep refreshing (this is what I do when I get bored), you'll see that there are kids that sled down Bascom Hill on lunchtrays! I don't care if you're from California or the rainforest or Alaska...that sounds like a ton of fun!</p>
<p>^I don't think that's Bascom Hill. ;] As far as I know, you can get in big trouble if you sled down that particular hill. Heck, one of my friends said that his friend was given a ticket for a suicide attempt for doing it. :O</p>
<p>Plus, while it would be awesome to sled down Bascom in a straight shot, there's all the ropes and poles on it and the walking paths. The hill on Observatory is pretty nice, though. ;]</p>
<p>This snow storm has lots of people nervous here in Wisconsin. My son's high school has the last of the semester finals tomorrow (and it is the last day before Christmas break), so they are scrambling to figure out what to do if school has to be canceled. This has been a weird weather year...even by Wisconsin standards!</p>