<p>D is in snowbelt country and refuses to buy warm boots or a real cold-weather jacket, at least so far. I sent her a link to pick something out and I will pay for it and she sent me a link to not warm but quite stylish boots. Oy! Maybe when the temperature hits the teens tomorrow night, she’ll relent.</p>
<p>Not only does DS have a super warm coat and LL Bean boots, but I sent him sheepskin liners for those boots in his last care package and he has been using them. He also took two hats with him but DH took him out shopping when he saw him this weekend and got him yet another hat plus a couple of scarves. The boy knew what Cleveland was going to be like!</p>
<p>@oldmom4896 I live in snow country and the only boots I own are ski boots. I also never wear a “real cold-weather” jacket, I layer fleece under a shell, even for skiing. Your D will be fine. If she’s bothered by the cold, she’ll ask for warm boots and a seriously insulated coat. </p>
<p>Lightweight down coats are very popular now in every age group. They’re a great compromise as they are not too warm to wear inside and they are perfect as a light coat and for layering. <a href=“http://www.rei.com/product/878094/rei-co-op-down-jacket-womens”>http://www.rei.com/product/878094/rei-co-op-down-jacket-womens</a></p>
<p>My Florida DD is in Nashville. We took her shopping when we were there in September for parents weekend and got her a Northface jacket. She loves it. It has layers and she has used the shell on rainy days (plenty of those). Now it is cold so she is using the liner as well. Expensive for $200 but seems well worth it … stylish AND practical!</p>
<p>Oh, and don’t forget to check in 24 hours in advance for the flights on Southwest. I know my DD will forget so I will do that for her. She can just print the boarding pass before she goes to the airport or get it there … or better yet, just bring it up on her phone.</p>
<p>Got the kid Bean boots and an L.L. Bean coat with a liner. Mailed him a scarf and a hat. He grew up in the desert and has no clue what he is in for. </p>
<p>My son has a nice jacket for cooler weather, but he is probably wearing a sweater or sweatshirt underneath, because he told me that the jacket is good for temps 45 and up. It is 22 this morning at college! When he comes home in eight days, he will find a new winter coat here that he can take back. I had bought him a new jacket when everything was on clearance, and he liked it. But, he walks the campus a lot at night, and I was a little concerned that the jacket was very dark in color and drivers may not see him. So I got something else on sale last week that I think is better for him. </p>
<p>He told me that his finals already have started. Had one in physics lab last night. One class does not a a final, but a project, so he’s happy. </p>
<p>We got D North Face fleece jacket and down coat and LL Bean winter boats when we dropped her. We are from SoCal so we don’t have that much knowledge about winter clothes. But we researched and I think somebody recommended these brands on this thread. They were a little bit expensive for my taste but hopefully they’ll last longer than inexpensive ones. I texted her yesterday if they are warm enough for her and surprisingly she said that it wasn’t really cold for her yet to bundle and layer up (high yesterday is about 35). She’ll probably feel it in the next few days (forecast highs will be in the low 20’s).</p>
<p>My SoCal boy hasn’t been interested in boots so far, we’ll see if he changes his mind after this week. It doesn’t seem to be as cold in Boston as in some other places, but for him, it’s very cold. He did get some help from his classmates on a couple warm jackets. He comes home in a week! We’re all excited to see him.</p>
<p>My recently Florida girl (although she has lived in colder climates) is in Laramie. Wyoming. It was -20 last week, and she claimed to be wearing all the clothes she brought with her. My mother is convinced she’s freezing and has loaded her up with sweaters, coats and scarves. I did bring her new warm boots and she’s grateful for them. This week it’s back up to the 20’s and 30’s and she’s back to one layer.</p>
<p>My other is in Florida, but it has been so ‘cold’ she’s had to wear real shoes and not flip flops.</p>
<p>D texted tonight to say she needs “for real” snowboots. Apparently, walking around a campus (as opposed to from the parking lot to the one very large hs budding). Requires shoes with ice-worthy tread. D’s about 4 hours straight east of home. She knows very well what winters are like here. We’ve had single digit lows, snow, double digit below zero wind chills this week. It’s more like January weather, but still, the kid should know how to cope. Guess hs with it’s one building and snow days was just too cushy. </p>
<p>DS will be home for his 6 week winter break on Thursday! He posted on FB that he “can’t wait to be home but also can’t wait to come back” and see all his new friends again. It has been a bit of a rocky term, in some ways, but a tremendous growing experience. He’s happy with his school, and is really looking forward to next quarter. He had one class this term that was really hard for him, but he powered it out and will probably end up with a B. Next term he’ll be back in the right track and he also has a better schedule. (He’d tried an honors course that he didn’t realize was twice as fast as the regular track, and was meant for kids with a bit more experience than he had. Now he will get back into the regular track, repeating the last half of the accelerated course to be sure he has confidence before going on.)</p>
<p>I don’t get all the details, but enough to know there has been “some drama” in his social life, which I think he’s now sorted out. He did make one friend who has stuck with him, so that has helped, I’m sure. Maybe when he’s home I’ll learn more about some of the other ups and downs that have been alluded to (and maybe not).</p>
<p>He’s held down a 10-hr/wk job and seems to be learning the ropes there, too. Might even be learning to save a little money, we’ll see how that’s going - he was supposed to save enough for his winter term books.</p>
<p>He sought out counseling a few weeks ago, for some personal issues that he’s finally realized he could use help with, and that seems to be going well. </p>
<p>Overall I couldn’t be happier with how he has stepped up and taken on the logistics and practicalities of the real world, along with the challenges of college and being a semi-independent adult. He even got to some stores and bought himself some warmer clothes, though he’ll definitely need more. I sent some gloves a few weeks ago, but we’ll have to see what he wants to do about boots, if his winter jacket is warm enough, and whether he needs more sweaters, socks, etc. We didn’t expect these frigid temps before Thanksgiving!</p>
<p>Right now, I just can’t wait until he’s here. Though he seems to be so mature when we talk that I sometimes think my son has been replaced by an alien, it seems to be a very nice alien!</p>
<p>The boots aren’t as crucial if there isn’t precipitation. But walking through snow and ice in sneakers is no fun, and could be treacherous. </p>
<p>Something I noticed from my older son when he came home was that his vocabulary and verbal skills really improved at college. He’s always had a huge vocabulary, but I noticed he spoke “smarter”. I think it was from being in a school surrounded by highly intelligent kids. Even the goofy talk was more sophisticated - lol </p>
<p>As for my freshman, she’s counting down the minutes to come home. Loves her school, she needs a break. Then it’s only a week more of classes, then a week of finals and she’s home again. </p>
<p>eyemamom, I noticed something similar in my S to what you had noticed in yours. He always had a very good vocabulary for his age, but when I spoke to him recently the ideas he expressed and the words he used to express them reminded me more of my professional colleagues at work than of the high school kid he was last year. I can tell that his experiences at his school are having a significant impact on him.</p>
<p>Visited my two last weekend for parent’s weekend. We had a grande time. </p>
<p>Both girls are very happy where they are. They are working a ton, saying that 1:00 a.m. is the earliest they get to bed. Aaah to be young again. We went to seminars for premed and also theater. Was great to see the learning environment they are in. </p>
<p>We won’t see them for Thanksgiving, but both were excited that it’s only 4 weeks until they are home. </p>
<p>Congrats, @sweetbeet – sounds like your son is maturing splendidly (as are everyone else’s, but holding down a job and seeking counseling AND telling you about it, those are all really impressive!) </p>
<p>Tomorrow morning is the appointment for my son to sign up for his classes for next term, and as far as I can tell he’s not prepared. So hard to not butt in! I’m sure it will be fine but he might not get the sections or professors he wants (who am I kidding, he hasn’t prepped so he probably hasn’t even thought about optimizing these!).</p>
<p>My daughter registered yesterday, and there are still plenty of spots left in the classes she signed up for, and there are plenty more classes she needs to fill core requirements, so if she needs to make some changes she can. That’s the joy of being a freshman - you need everything! Her adviser wants her to sketch out a 4 year plan, but she really can’t think that far. She’s just taking the core classes and those in her major as suggested. She is leaving all the math and science until the end because there is no use suffering through them if she flunks out anyway, right?</p>
<p>I am so thankful Vanderbilt has the whole week of Thanksgiving off. They started a little earlier than some schools (August 20) and didn’t get Labor Day, Veterans Day or any of the Jewish holidays off. They only had a mid semester break of two days in October. It makes for cheaper air travel being able to come home tomorrow rather than next week. So excited that she will be home for 8 days! It’s too bad most schools don’t do this.</p>
<p>I wish DS had a whole week off for Thanksgiving, especially since he leaves early to start training for his sport. But then again, I’ve seen him 5 times since he left, and DH has seen him 5 times as well despite DS not being able to come home for fall break so I really can’t complain. I’m not sure what I’ll do in the spring when I don’t have his athletic activities as an excuse to see him! </p>
<p>He registers for spring semester classes tomorrow and doesn’t anticipate any problem getting the classes he wants. Hopefully that will work out. I know he met with his freshman adviser last week to get sign off on his schedule, and DS did go in with a 4 year plan which his adviser also ok’d. It’s so regimented for engineers though, that you have to make sure you take all your courses in sequence, and even more so in his case because he’s trying to double major.</p>