What to expect when coming from the South

Colleges and Universities A-Z Boston University
1

<p>I have recently paid my deposit and am really excited!! </p>

<p>However, I’m from the Texas coast and have never been snowed on/never seen more than an inch of snow. I know this is a minor issue, but I would still like to know what to bring to prepare myself while everything is at off season prices! The only jacket I own is my letterman, so I obviously need to get shopping! Although UGG boots are not the cutest, are they practical? Would an electric blanket be over kill?! haha I know the Northwestern dorms in Chicago kept warm, but I haven’t heard about the Boston ones.</p>

<p>any advice from current students or anyone who understands the cold would be greatly appreciated! :)</p>

2

<p>Mona, I am a parent from Texas. I can’t speak for BU’s dorms, but I always find that the buildings and trains in Boston are WAY overheated during the winter. It’s weird because I find myself walking into a building and peeling off my jacket/scarf pronto. The trains/subways are even worse. It’s obviously cold outside, but every hotel or museum we’ve entered in Boston blasts out too much heat. (Probably much like Texas blasts out too much AC in the summer.)</p>

<p>If it were my child, I would recommend one good all-weather coat, a hat, scarves, gloves, etc. along with stuff that you can layer.</p>

<p>Good luck and congratulations!</p>

3

<p>Bring real rubber rainboots. There are always huge puddles along the sidewalks when it rains (which is more often than it snows, because BU is along the water). Rainboots will allow you to walk anywhere and still have dry feet. Also are helpful when it snows. I know that UGGs can be waterproofed, but they can’t go through puddles, which you will need to. For example, one time it snowed, then rained causing massive flooding. One puddle alone was about a foot deep and due to the large snow mounds there was no way around it.</p>

<p>With heat, most places are overheated, especially CAS. Also many dorms have radiator heat, which can’t really be controlled (its either high or off) which means rooms can get hot too. I would actually open my window to cool my room down in the middle of the winter sometimes (but its really nice in january when its windchill in the negatives outside).</p>

4

<p>One little caveat-- don’t bring an electric blanket: they’re not allowed in the dorms for safety reasons.</p>

<p>Do bring things that will cover your neck and the top of your head when walking.</p>

5

<p>I second the rubber boots. We recently visited Boston and it rained the entire time and the boots were a lifesaver! We are from the South also and I disliked the cold rain, gray skies and wind intensely, but my daughter was less concerned.</p>

6

<p>Hi Mona from Texas,</p>

<p>I’m from Vermont and my daughter is a freshman at BU now. If you’re looking for winter clothes, here’s the minimum you should have for walking to/from classes, some which will be blocks apart, so you will also experience wind blowing you down the sidewalk. You don’t need this full list on the first month of classes, but by the end of October you will want to have acquired some of these items for survival (and for looking good while surviving):</p>

<p>1) Warm coat that covers part of your legs. If I assume you’re female because of the Mona in your name, I would invest in a stylish knee-length coat, preferably wool with a liner, or a knee length down puffy coat. Boston is stylish more than Vermont, so my daughter’s Boston coat is much nicer than a warm coat she would have bought in Vermont. You could have a hood on it for extra cold emergencies, and to protect you from unexpected flurries or rain. (At this point, cold rain, warmth is more important than looking good.)</p>

<p>2) A hat that is warm but looks good and doesn’t smash your hair too badly. Remember, you’ll be in Boston … many people have really good looking hats, others let their hair blow all over the place and they look out-of-control, like I did in December when I went to pick my daughter up for break and had to kill 4 hours. That’s the day I bought a nice Boston hat.</p>

<p>3) Scarf that wraps around your neck a few times (loosely, to trap heat), but it must look good of course. (My daughter tells me it’s inappropriate to have matchy-matchy hat/scarf/gloves, FYI.) You will eventually want a few different types of scarves to change your same old look inexpensively.</p>

<p>4) Gloves or mittens that can keep your hands warm while you’re holding onto a purse or backpack or opening a door that has a metal handle. Unless you plan on skiing to class, you don’t need thick or high tech things to cover your hands. You’ll want to stuff them in your pockets without creating a bulky pocket.</p>

<p>5) Warm boots that also are water resistant or water proof and look good. While a heel looks good, when there’s ice on the sidewalk after they shovel the snow, you’ll want to be able to stay upright. A low head is as high as I would go with a skid-proof-rubber sole. When the snow starts to melt, it’s still cold and water puddles are everywhere. Wet, cold feet are distracting when you’re sitting in class trying to learn. You’ll also want beautiful rain boots for when it’s warmer. </p>

<p>6) An umbrella that folds up and could fit in your bag, but also doesn’t turn inside-out too easily, because on a windy day you see lots of umbrellas that died and are stuffed into trash cans, having failed their owners.</p>

<p>7) Optional: thermal underwear that you could wear under your clothes on super cold days. A high tech fabric can be thinner than traditional fabrics, and you can find good deals on line.</p>

<p>That should do it … of course if you plan to go skiing or sledding, this list is not the one you want.</p>

7

<p>thanks so much, all of you have been so helpful! Haha I figured the electric blanket was overkill… I have never seen one, idk if they are even used anymore! I’m building up a shopping list as we speak :D</p>

<p>thankfully I already have rainboots / small umbrellas, but I’m going to get cuter stuff for the fall and bulky warm pieces for when it’s so cold that I don’t care about looks!</p>

<p>I hope to see yall/yall’s children in the fall! :)</p>

8

<p>There is shopping in Boston. Around BU are a the whole gamut, from various kinds of thrift stores to TJ Maxx (and Marshall’s and Filene’s Basement, etc.) to REI to Armani and Prada. You should be able to find clothes that fit the weather.</p>

9

<p>Heeey, I’m from Texas too (Dallas). I agree with everyone. </p>

<ol>
<li><p>Bring real rubber rain boots. You’re going to need them. The puddles can get real deep sometimes and since you’re walking around, it’ll get the bottom of your pants and your shoes wet if you’re not wearing rain boots. </p></li>
<li><p>If you’re going to bring a coat, bring a down feather coat. Make sure the coat is marked as down feather. I’d check out Burlington Coat Factory if you’re looking for a cheap coat. I got a real nice one for $50.</p></li>
<li><p>Hat. You would not believe how vital a hat is. Make sure it’s the kind that will cover your ears. Nothing is worse than cold ears!</p></li>
</ol>

<p><a href=“http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41YTFxbJTXL._SS400_.jpg[/url]”>http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41YTFxbJTXL._SS400_.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>This type of hat is the one I find the best. I got one at American Eagle. Shop during the summer because that’s when winter clothes are really on sale.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Sometimes it gets really cold outside and your legs can get really cold. I’d bring something to wear under your pants. Maybe leggings or thermal underwear. I found some at the Gap. It’s not often it gets that bitter cold but it does happen.</p></li>
<li><p>Scarf and gloves. Those are essential.</p></li>
<li><p>Umbrella. When it rains, it pours. Bring a sturdy umbrella because it can also get windy and it might break your umbrella.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>The buildings can get very war so you end up sweating when you go inside. It’s really inconvenient because you have to take everything off and then put it back on when you go outside. And sometimes you feel like a marshmallow.</p>

10

<p>Bumping this thread. Since winter is coming along, it’s best to prepare.</p>

11

<ul>
<li>Get nice rainboots (Hunter is good)</li>
<li>Get an umbrella (the winds tend to break them so get a sturdy one or a cheap one you dont mind breaking)</li>
<li>Get a rain coat (the Barnes and Nobles on campus has some nice BU raincoats)</li>
<li>just get a heavy blanket, a heated one is overkill imo</li>
<li>get a northface fleece: everyone has them btu so worth itt</li>
<li>uggs: not worth it… keeps your warm but they dont keep you dry</li>
</ul>

<p>gloves, hats, scarves are nice too. if you’re in warren you wont really need them since walking to class is 2 minutes-ish (for most classes) and the dining hall/everything you will really need is in Warren itself. Just my opinion. But getting cheap gloves, hats , scarves are helpful i guess. Better safe than sorry?</p>

12

<p>I have lived in Boston and Chicago. (and Houston)</p>

<p>Both Boston and Chicago were incredibly and unimaginably cold, and I am a native New Yorker.</p>

<p>(hence, I now live in Florida)</p>

<p>But with a heavy winter parka, a ski hat, heavy sweaters, and a scarf, you will survive.</p>

<p>Cut through buildings, or stop and take a “heat” break, at a Starbucks as you walk around the city. I would actually take a hot cup of coffee with me in the morning when I ventured out. </p>

<p>Our ancestors lived there in 1776, after all, in even tougher conditions.</p>

<p>Boston is a GREAT town. </p>

<p>Also, check out Charlestown. I love going to the Bunker Hill Monument, at Monument Square, on a beautiful day.</p>

<p>And also check out Louisberg Square in Beacon Hill, where the elite, such as John Kerry, live.</p>

<p>And of course, Fanuel Hall.</p>

<p>And the Public Gardens and the Boston Commons.</p>

<p>You made a good choice.</p>

13

<p>i second xhomefryy on the Hunter rain boots… or any kind of rainboot. i’ve been living in ny and new england my whole life and i’d say rain boots are a necessity. they’re good for the rain and the snow. (last school year, it snowed like a foot or two every day for the whole week x_x)</p>

<p>also fleece jackets and a lot of clothes to layer when its cold. </p>

<p>uggs are not a necessity but they’re nice to have when its cold but not raining or snowing because they’re warm and comfy… its more for comfort than looks :)</p>

14

<p>This is an older thread, but in case anyone is still wondering-
Can’t go wrong with a Northface fleece. Heavy college sweatshirts are good. My kids, also in school in NE, have Northface down parkas from Backcountry.com (discounter) instead of longer coats. But, if you’re not experienced with the cold, longer is worth considering. UGGs are still popular. Do get them waterproofed. Make sure at least one set of gloves is heavy duty and waterproof. For the longest walks and any playing outside.</p>

<p>*Now is when winter jkts and coats come out here- start looking now. I always find the selections are just not as great closer to winter.</p>

<p>Also, winter is not always awful here. Some are rather mild until late January/Feb. Each of mine only has a regular comforter and a fleece throw. You might want to look at flannel sheets.</p>

15

<p>I would definitely say rainboots and an umbrella(maybe a raincoat, but it’s not completely necessary)
A winter coat (make sure it fits over sweaters!) scarves, a hat, and GLOVES! The cold can be extremely awful on your hands. I usually wear boots during the winter, occasionally uggs but usually suede or leather (make sure to treat them to prevent marks due to salt) good luck to anyone heading up here to the northeast!:)</p>

16

<p>A lot of people cut through the CAS building for heat or AC, so it is really convenient.</p>