I’ve lived in Maine my whole life (except for college in Boston). It’s cold. Yesterday, we had a big snowstorm that dropped a foot of snow. I also have hip issues. I’m not sure what joints you’re referring to but if you’re talking knees or hips, winter can be tough not just because of the cold but because you will find yourself climbing through snow and slipping on ice. All of this said, there’s a reason that I stay here. Maine is beautiful and safe. You just need to have appropriate gear for the cold weather and take it slow when there’s snow and ice on the ground.
If you lived in Florida, you’d spend summers going from air conditioned space to air conditioned space. In Maine, we spend winters going from heated space to heated space.
In my experience, people adapt pretty quickly, especially at your age. I personally think it is fun to experience conditions–whether the size of a city, rural/urban, or weather–that I am not used to. My daughter, who grew up in Florida, is planning to apply to the Maine LACs if she isn’t accepted at her ED choice, and is excited about potentially going to school up there. I think she is also excited about having the opportunity to buy a whole new wardrobe!
My son loves Colby and really enjoys the cold weather. In fact, he never wears a coat anymore! He just layers up and enjoys the short walks to class. You will be fine! Buy the proper clothing and study hard! Colby is an amazing school with many great opportunities!
All of the Northeast and MidAtlantic region is very cold in the winter. For my money, if you’re going to be cold anyway, might as well be cold in Maine. It’s much prettier there in the winter and there is easy access to reliable ice skating, skiing and snowboarding.
My daughter attends college in Maine. Her friends are literally from Florida, Morocco, Tunisia, and Hawaii. You will be warm if you have the right gear. Your joint issues are best discussed with your doctor.
Yep, both will be cold. PA can get fierce winds. The difference is, if you’re picking with constraints in mind, neither will be comfy cold.
We all get by with warm clothes. Dorm rooms are usually warm, some colleges minimize how far you walk in the raw weather, to get to classes (eg, corridors or slipping though buildings along the way.) But neither is a better choice, if you’re sensitive. Some winters are better, but you can’t predict.
My kids never complained abou the weather in Maine. But they were used to it.
Right now in New England, btw, it’s so cold that when you’re out and someone opens a neaby door (eg, coat off, in a restaurant or waiting in a lobby,) we all feel it.
The program I used to teach in at the University of North Dakota had lots of students from warm countries. They learned to handle the weather, and ended up loving their university. So yes, you can get used to a big climate change like that.
However, I would also advise checking out the joint issue.
“Are we allowed to bring in heaters in to our dorms?”
I am originally from a cold climate (colder than Waterville), and now consider Maine winters to be pretty normal. Therefore I might be biased.
However, in cold climates people heat their buildings well. Also, whoever owns the buildings saves a bundle of money by having the buildings be well insulated and free of drafts. As such typically when you are inside the temperatures will be warm. You are very unlikely to need a heater in your dorm.
You will need good boots, a good coat, a warm hat, and good mittens. All of these can relatively easily be purchased in Maine.
We are from the US but my daughter is currently studying in Canada. As such she has met some international students who are from warm climates. They purchase winter gear, and they get used to it.
There are a few things to be careful about. One is not to try to walk home alone really late at night if you are very, very drunk. I have heard of a few cases of very drunk people falling asleep outside in the coldest part of winter which is a very bad idea. Another is do not kiss or lick metal outside in the winter. Be a bit cautious about slipping on ice. Another common mistake is to take off your gloves and hat when you go inside, and then lose them. If you have a backpack to carry your books or laptop you can throw your gloves and hat into the backpack.
I am pretty sure that you will get used to it. Personally I like the winter. It is one of my favorite parts of the year.
You will have to check each school individually to see if space heaters are allowed. I would guess that at most schools the answer is no. But, most dorm rooms have thermostats. Assuming your roommate doesn’t mind, you can set the temperature to something you find comfortable.
I think youd contact the school you choose and ask about an accommodation or room that def has a thermostat (some just adjust the blower.)
Sure, no one knows cold weather better than the colleges that get a lot of it. But you’ll want to check.
In the right room, the issue isn’t the room. It’s common areas or heading off to the bathroom. Like, some kid left the window open. Or walking to the dining hall.
I went to Colby a long time ago. I can’t speak to your joint pains, but don’t fear the Maine winter. You’d be surprised how your body adjusts to it. I still live in northern New England, and let me tell you there’s nothing like that first day in March where you go outside and say to yourself “hey, it’s warm”, and the thermometer says 45F. The Colby campus is fairly compact, and pretty much everyone lives on campus, so you won’t need to worry about driving (or shoveling snow), which is really the most painful part of winter. Freeport and Kittery have all the winter clothing supplies you will ever need. And get boots with good traction.
@DexterTom ,
You should find out for sure from your doctor whether or not your chronic joint pain condition could be aggravated by cold weather.
I’ve lived in MA (between Maine and PA) for 3 decades, I still do not like the winter here. To me, it is cold from Nov - March, 5 months a year. Snow in April is not unheard of, either.
In a higher latitude, besides being colder, it gets dark earlier, too. In the winter here, it gets dark by 4 pm. Living in an area with prolonged cold and less sunlight could lead to some people suffer winter blues or a seasonal affective disorder.
You may adjust well, love snow and enjoy skiing. Or, you hate those long cold winters every year as long as you study there.
By the way, most, if not all dorms probably will not allow a space heater for safety reasons. Learn to dress in layers and learn about thermal underwear. You will need them.
The below video represents a satirical perspective. Nonetheless, students likely to be naturally inspired by a northern climate might react to it with, “Yeah, I want that.”
My close relative lives in Pennsylvania. He went golfing yesterday. This definitely would not have been possible in Maine, where the ground is now covered in several inches of snow and high temperatures were in the 20s. So, it would be worth considering that the cold and snow season will last significantly longer and run deeper in Maine.
These trips are popular with Colby students. Unfortunately Colby financial aid does not cover travel/lodging costs for off-campus Jan Plan courses, so if that’s a consideration for you you should be aware that you may not have as many options for Jan Plan travel as you’d like.