<p>HI. I'm from Texas, so I'm just going to ask away, you can judge all you want.
My mother is super worried about me surviving the cold this winter, and is very very concerned about my winter wardrobe (or lack thereof).
Do I need to buy snow boots? (vs. your generic leather boots or rain boots with lots of socks)
And I have a large down jacket that I can layer some jackets underneath (not the highest quality, but still very warm). Should I further invest in other Columbia or Northface jackets with the fancy omni-heat or 'tech' of the sort?
And when would you say it typically starts to snow/ice? Just so I know when I should get everything by?</p>
<p>The first snow or ice storm could arrive before the end of the semester or after. It varies from year to year. It does seem to me that Bloomington typically gets one snow or ice storm in December, but it’s usually not anything major. </p>
<p>Your down coat should be more than sufficient–if not too much. We’ve always found down to be too warm here, but we were used to more frequent snow and cold. Wind/water protection is more important. Water protection is key for boots. DS has snow boots, but never used them on campus last year. The single time he wanted them, they were still at home. Some waterproof or water resistant boots that are warm are ideal. Make sure they have good traction for the ice. I wouldn’t really recommend leather for walking in snow or ice unless you don’t care about how they look. Same thing with Ugg type boots. </p>
<p>The weather varies a lot from year to year. </p>
<p>Tell your mother not to worry. Tens of thousands of students have survived winter in Bloomington. I’m fairly certain you will too.</p>
<p>You’ll be perfectly fine. I managed to survive 4 years with a North Face denali fleece, a scarf, a headband, and some gloves. I also wore uggs, but bought a cheap ‘Ugg-like’ boot for days it was snow/gross so I didn’t ruin my non-water stained ones</p>