Northwestern Class of 2017 Forum

[mirroroferised7]

Hey all! I've lived in Florida and California my entire life, and I know only a few people, who really know how to deal with cold. I'm wondering if you all, my cohort, may be willing to contribute to a list of essential gear and practices I'm compiling for surviving those -30 degree days with my health intact. What do I need to wear to protect myself on a frigid day? What are wise practices to follow if I have to be somewhere across town on a wintry day? I understand that this is amateurish, but I've spent about 12 days of my life in freezing temperatures, and I just wore two jackets and two pairs of jeans. I'd like to upgrade. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

You're AJD, right?

Okay, quick cold-weather (below zero) checklist:

1. Thermals, aka "long underwear". You will be wearing two layers of clothing (at least) from November to February. Have multiple pairs, and make sure they're quality (Under Armour, North Face, REI, type shit.)
2. Scarves. I know, there was a whole debate in the Lounge for a while about men looking like assholes for wearing scarves. You know who looks like an asshole? The guy with permanent skin damage due to windburn/frostbite. Don't fuck with the wind when you're within a mile of the lake.
3. Socks on Socks on Socks Seriously. Layer those bastards. You will need a least two pairs at all times.
4. Well-insulated, Water-proof boots both of those things are important. You get some fucking water-proof rain boot things that aren't insulated enough, no amount of socks will save you. Walk around in shitty Uggs, not only will I judge you on your taste, but your boots will get saturated and you'll end up footless as a punishment for wearing such shitty footwear.
5. Gloves Now, there are two schools of thought on this: You can either get some kind of gloves that give you access to finger tips (either finger-tip less gloves, or gloves that have a a mitten cap thing, whatever other various are floating around out there.), or you can go with one of those "conductor" type gloves. Either way, there will come a time when you will NEED to use your smartphone, and taking off your gloves will mean more pain and misery than you can imagine.
6. A Hat Hoods are cute, especially the kind with the dog-fur around the outside. But they do fuck-all in Chicago wind. If you're superfuckinglucky it will work during those magical times when the wind is at your back. In Chicago, that's about 10% of the time. The other 90% of the time, you need a hat. Make sure it covers your ears, too. Those little shits get frostbite like no other.
7. Coat This is the super obvious one, but it's definitely the most open to interpretation. I have seen fuckers walking around with a hoodie under a fleece and call it a day. I have seen giant fucking puffs of coat that I assume contain humans somewhere in there. You get what works for you. But remember, this is your life raft. It will be with you more often than your motherfucking shadow November through February. Choose wisely.

[Leo]

Hey all! I've lived in Florida and California my entire life, and I know only a few people, who really know how to deal with cold. I'm wondering if you all, my cohort, may be willing to contribute to a list of essential gear and practices I'm compiling for surviving those -30 degree days with my health intact. What do I need to wear to protect myself on a frigid day? What are wise practices to follow if I have to be somewhere across town on a wintry day? I understand that this is amateurish, but I've spent about 12 days of my life in freezing temperatures, and I just wore two jackets and two pairs of jeans. I'd like to upgrade. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

This is going to sound like an obnoxious comment, but in all seriousness, you just have to dress more warmly. Chicago winters seem to be about 15 degrees colder than NYC winters, but I don't think I am any colder than I was in NY, because I dress for colder weather. I'd guess that in the dead of winter, I dress for 10-30 degree weather. So when it's 10 I'm a little cold, and if it's 30 I'll overheat if I run to catch the bus or something. In NY, I would dress for 25-45 degree weather, and it would be the same deal.
Some essentials:
Good coat.
Good hat. <--- This is the one people skip, probably because an appropriate hat for this weather (e.g., fur) seems ridiculous. I had to get one cause I walk my dog and I love it.
If you're not going to be outside for long, you should be okay in almost any Chicago weather with some wool pants. If you're going to be outside for any significant amount of time, you might want to get some snow pants. They're a bit overkill, but you can always take them off.
Boots!
Unless there are great sales going on now. You might want to just wait and see what you will need. Especially if you are not around people who can give you reasonable advice.

Hat, gloves, and scarf are a must. It doesn't matter how warm your coat is when your head, neck, and hands are bare. Some people prefer hoods over hats, but they are not as warm and they block your peripheral vision. Don't be one of those idiots that gets hit by a car or mugged because he has his hood up and headphones in. Boots and wool socks are also necessary in the snow. Pants are less of an issue. I wear the same pants to work in the summer as I do in the winter. Your legs don't really get cold. I wouldn't worry about snow pants unless you're out making snow angels or skiing down one of Chicago's many hills (that was a joke, Chicago is flat). Hope that helps.

[NYC-WVU]

Hey all! I've lived in Florida and California my entire life, and I know only a few people, who really know how to deal with cold. I'm wondering if you all, my cohort, may be willing to contribute to a list of essential gear and practices I'm compiling for surviving those -30 degree days with my health intact. What do I need to wear to protect myself on a frigid day? What are wise practices to follow if I have to be somewhere across town on a wintry day? I understand that this is amateurish, but I've spent about 12 days of my life in freezing temperatures, and I just wore two jackets and two pairs of jeans. I'd like to upgrade. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

You're AJD, right?

Okay, quick cold-weather (below zero) checklist:

1. Thermals, aka "long underwear". You will be wearing two layers of clothing (at least) from November to February. Have multiple pairs, and make sure they're quality (Under Armour, North Face, REI, type shit.)
2. Scarves. I know, there was a whole debate in the Lounge for a while about men looking like assholes for wearing scarves. You know who looks like an asshole? The guy with permanent skin damage due to windburn/frostbite. Don't fuck with the wind when you're within a mile of the lake.
3. Socks on Socks on Socks Seriously. Layer those bastards. You will need a least two pairs at all times.
4. Well-insulated, Water-proof boots both of those things are important. You get some fucking water-proof rain boot things that aren't insulated enough, no amount of socks will save you. Walk around in shitty Uggs, not only will I judge you on your taste, but your boots will get saturated and you'll end up footless as a punishment for wearing such shitty footwear.
5. Gloves Now, there are two schools of thought on this: You can either get some kind of gloves that give you access to finger tips (either finger-tip less gloves, or gloves that have a a mitten cap thing, whatever other various are floating around out there.), or you can go with one of those "conductor" type gloves. Either way, there will come a time when you will NEED to use your smartphone, and taking off your gloves will mean more pain and misery than you can imagine.
6. A Hat Hoods are cute, especially the kind with the dog-fur around the outside. But they do fuck-all in Chicago wind. If you're superfuckinglucky it will work during those magical times when the wind is at your back. In Chicago, that's about 10% of the time. The other 90% of the time, you need a hat. Make sure it covers your ears, too. Those little shits get frostbite like no other.
7. Coat This is the super obvious one, but it's definitely the most open to interpretation. I have seen fuckers walking around with a hoodie under a fleece and call it a day. I have seen giant fucking puffs of coat that I assume contain humans somewhere in there. You get what works for you. But remember, this is your life raft. It will be with you more often than your motherfucking shadow November through February. Choose wisely.

Thinking about this a little more, it's probably a bad year to ask this question, and you should just wait to see what happens next winter. Mirroroferised's checklist is for below zero degrees. This year, which was a record, we had 26 days at or below zero. The previous year we had one day, Feb. 1, that was zero degrees and none that were below zero.
http://www.wunderground.com/history/air ... l#calendar

(Edit - add cite and fix day that was zero)

[whereskyle]

Cohort! Thank you all very much for taking my request seriously and giving great advice. I will do my utmost to dress both warm and stylish, so as not to offend mirror. Even though I know that I'm going to have a miserable first winter, it'll be a certain kind of exciting (soul-crushing?) experience, nonetheless.

[mirroroferised7]

Cohort! Thank you all very much for taking my request seriously and giving great advice. I will do my utmost to dress both warm and stylish, so as not to offend mirror. Even though I know that I'm going to have a miserable first winter, it'll be a certain kind of exciting (soul-crushing?) experience, nonetheless.

We gotta keep the AJD looking classy

And it's true. This was a miserable winter. I knew someone who lived in Chicago for a year and never had to own a pair of boots, period. It just depends on your luck.

[lemons]

.

[kenwash]

I used the reconsideration form. (I didn't find it on their site either.) They responded the next day via email and matched my competing offers. If your other offer is from a school on their list, then I don't see why they wouldn't match. Good luck!

[rinkrat19]

Good winter coat, hat, scarf. And by good winter coat, I mean something with insulation that you would see at a ski resort, not a wool peacoat. Think North Face, Columbia, Mountain Hardwear. I think the really long down coats are A)stupid-looking and B)unnecessary, but a lot of girls like them. Any good winter coat is going to be expensive, but you can look now in the end-of-season sales and find some really good deals. Check Moosejaw.com, altrec.com, dogfunk.com, rei.com/outlet, backcountry.com, sierratradingpost.com
I am a particular fan of the 3-in-1 coats because for just a bit more money, you get coats for multiple conditions.

There generally aren't "special practices" you need to follow beyond just putting on a proper coat. This isn't Antarctica. If you know you're going to be outside for more than 30 minutes or so on a very cold day, you can dress warmer all over and not just a coat. You can wear tights under jeans or get flannel- or fleece-lined jeans, but keeping your head, core, and hands warm is way more useful than worrying about your legs, which don't really cause much heat loss.

I will say that I thought touchscreen-friendly gloves were a flame until living here. I recommend the North Face eTip line. And wearing a scarf can take most coats up a whole level of 'warmness.'

Keep in mind that buildings here are kept very warm, so it's nice to be able to take layers off indoors. I'm particularly sensitive to it, so I spend most of the winter wearing t-shirts and tank tops under my heavy coats. I have never worn multiple socks and I have never layered on a thermal base layer except to run in <40F conditions. (I discovered that my bottom limit for running is 17F.)

Also, I have bigass snowboots and have worn them about 4 times, never out of necessity. Total flame. Of course, I actually own shoes that are meant to be worn outdoors, so, I have several footwear options between "useless cute flats" and "moon boots."

[whereskyle]

Good winter coat, hat, scarf. And by good winter coat, I mean something with insulation that you would see at a ski resort, not a wool peacoat. Think North Face, Columbia, Mountain Hardwear. I think the really long down coats are A)stupid-looking and B)unnecessary, but a lot of girls like them. Any good winter coat is going to be expensive, but you can look now in the end-of-season sales and find some really good deals. Check Moosejaw.com, altrec.com, dogfunk.com, rei.com/outlet, backcountry.com, sierratradingpost.com
I am a particular fan of the 3-in-1 coats because for just a bit more money, you get coats for multiple conditions.

There generally aren't "special practices" you need to follow beyond just putting on a proper coat. This isn't Antarctica. If you know you're going to be outside for more than 30 minutes or so on a very cold day, you can dress warmer all over and not just a coat. You can wear tights under jeans or get flannel- or fleece-lined jeans, but keeping your head, core, and hands warm is way more useful than worrying about your legs, which don't really cause much heat loss.

I will say that I thought touchscreen-friendly gloves were a flame until living here. I recommend the North Face eTip line. And wearing a scarf can take most coats up a whole level of 'warmness.'

Keep in mind that buildings here are kept very warm, so it's nice to be able to take layers off indoors. I'm particularly sensitive to it, so I spend most of the winter wearing t-shirts and tank tops under my heavy coats. I have never worn multiple socks and I have never layered on a thermal base layer except to run in <40F conditions. (I discovered that my bottom limit for running is 17F.)

Also, I have bigass snowboots and have worn them about 4 times, never out of necessity. Total flame. Of course, I actually own shoes that are meant to be worn outdoors, so, I have several footwear options between "useless cute flats" and "moon boots."

Awesome! Thank you so much for this. I do have a wool peacoat. Is the peacoat ineffective in severe temperatures, or is it that the elements (wind and rain) demand the ski-resort style coat?

[rinkrat19]

Good winter coat, hat, scarf. And by good winter coat, I mean something with insulation that you would see at a ski resort, not a wool peacoat. Think North Face, Columbia, Mountain Hardwear. I think the really long down coats are A)stupid-looking and B)unnecessary, but a lot of girls like them. Any good winter coat is going to be expensive, but you can look now in the end-of-season sales and find some really good deals. Check Moosejaw.com, altrec.com, dogfunk.com, rei.com/outlet, backcountry.com, sierratradingpost.com
I am a particular fan of the 3-in-1 coats because for just a bit more money, you get coats for multiple conditions.

There generally aren't "special practices" you need to follow beyond just putting on a proper coat. This isn't Antarctica. If you know you're going to be outside for more than 30 minutes or so on a very cold day, you can dress warmer all over and not just a coat. You can wear tights under jeans or get flannel- or fleece-lined jeans, but keeping your head, core, and hands warm is way more useful than worrying about your legs, which don't really cause much heat loss.

I will say that I thought touchscreen-friendly gloves were a flame until living here. I recommend the North Face eTip line. And wearing a scarf can take most coats up a whole level of 'warmness.'

Keep in mind that buildings here are kept very warm, so it's nice to be able to take layers off indoors. I'm particularly sensitive to it, so I spend most of the winter wearing t-shirts and tank tops under my heavy coats. I have never worn multiple socks and I have never layered on a thermal base layer except to run in <40F conditions. (I discovered that my bottom limit for running is 17F.)

Also, I have bigass snowboots and have worn them about 4 times, never out of necessity. Total flame. Of course, I actually own shoes that are meant to be worn outdoors, so, I have several footwear options between "useless cute flats" and "moon boots."

Awesome! Thank you so much for this. I do have a wool peacoat. Is the peacoat ineffective in severe temperatures, or is it that the elements (wind and rain) demand the ski-resort style coat?

Both.
A peacoat+scarf+hat+gloves+sweater underneath can be ok in pretty chilly weather (I'll wear hoody+down vest down to freezing if it's not super windy), but not the extremes. And definitely not for a person from Florida who's going to think 50 degrees is cold.

Plus having something that will keep wind and melting snow off is better.

[whereskyle]

Good winter coat, hat, scarf. And by good winter coat, I mean something with insulation that you would see at a ski resort, not a wool peacoat. Think North Face, Columbia, Mountain Hardwear. I think the really long down coats are A)stupid-looking and B)unnecessary, but a lot of girls like them. Any good winter coat is going to be expensive, but you can look now in the end-of-season sales and find some really good deals. Check Moosejaw.com, altrec.com, dogfunk.com, rei.com/outlet, backcountry.com, sierratradingpost.com
I am a particular fan of the 3-in-1 coats because for just a bit more money, you get coats for multiple conditions.

There generally aren't "special practices" you need to follow beyond just putting on a proper coat. This isn't Antarctica. If you know you're going to be outside for more than 30 minutes or so on a very cold day, you can dress warmer all over and not just a coat. You can wear tights under jeans or get flannel- or fleece-lined jeans, but keeping your head, core, and hands warm is way more useful than worrying about your legs, which don't really cause much heat loss.

I will say that I thought touchscreen-friendly gloves were a flame until living here. I recommend the North Face eTip line. And wearing a scarf can take most coats up a whole level of 'warmness.'

Keep in mind that buildings here are kept very warm, so it's nice to be able to take layers off indoors. I'm particularly sensitive to it, so I spend most of the winter wearing t-shirts and tank tops under my heavy coats. I have never worn multiple socks and I have never layered on a thermal base layer except to run in <40F conditions. (I discovered that my bottom limit for running is 17F.)

Also, I have bigass snowboots and have worn them about 4 times, never out of necessity. Total flame. Of course, I actually own shoes that are meant to be worn outdoors, so, I have several footwear options between "useless cute flats" and "moon boots."

Awesome! Thank you so much for this. I do have a wool peacoat. Is the peacoat ineffective in severe temperatures, or is it that the elements (wind and rain) demand the ski-resort style coat?

Both.
A peacoat+scarf+hat+gloves+sweater underneath can be ok in pretty chilly weather (I'll wear hoody+down vest down to freezing if it's not super windy), but not the extremes. And definitely not for a person from Florida who's going to think 50 degrees is cold.

Plus having something that will keep wind and melting snow off is better.

You're dead on with the sub 60 = chilly estimation.

[rinkrat19]

Good winter coat, hat, scarf. And by good winter coat, I mean something with insulation that you would see at a ski resort, not a wool peacoat. Think North Face, Columbia, Mountain Hardwear. I think the really long down coats are A)stupid-looking and B)unnecessary, but a lot of girls like them. Any good winter coat is going to be expensive, but you can look now in the end-of-season sales and find some really good deals. Check Moosejaw.com, altrec.com, dogfunk.com, rei.com/outlet, backcountry.com, sierratradingpost.com
I am a particular fan of the 3-in-1 coats because for just a bit more money, you get coats for multiple conditions.

There generally aren't "special practices" you need to follow beyond just putting on a proper coat. This isn't Antarctica. If you know you're going to be outside for more than 30 minutes or so on a very cold day, you can dress warmer all over and not just a coat. You can wear tights under jeans or get flannel- or fleece-lined jeans, but keeping your head, core, and hands warm is way more useful than worrying about your legs, which don't really cause much heat loss.

I will say that I thought touchscreen-friendly gloves were a flame until living here. I recommend the North Face eTip line. And wearing a scarf can take most coats up a whole level of 'warmness.'

Keep in mind that buildings here are kept very warm, so it's nice to be able to take layers off indoors. I'm particularly sensitive to it, so I spend most of the winter wearing t-shirts and tank tops under my heavy coats. I have never worn multiple socks and I have never layered on a thermal base layer except to run in <40F conditions. (I discovered that my bottom limit for running is 17F.)

Also, I have bigass snowboots and have worn them about 4 times, never out of necessity. Total flame. Of course, I actually own shoes that are meant to be worn outdoors, so, I have several footwear options between "useless cute flats" and "moon boots."

Awesome! Thank you so much for this. I do have a wool peacoat. Is the peacoat ineffective in severe temperatures, or is it that the elements (wind and rain) demand the ski-resort style coat?

Both.
A peacoat+scarf+hat+gloves+sweater underneath can be ok in pretty chilly weather (I'll wear hoody+down vest down to freezing if it's not super windy), but not the extremes. And definitely not for a person from Florida who's going to think 50 degrees is cold.

Plus having something that will keep wind and melting snow off is better.

You're dead on with the sub 60 = chilly estimation.

I literally do not even have to bother with long sleeves until it's sub 50. Put on a light coat around 45...peacoat around 40, snowboard jacket at freezing.

[whereskyle]

gosh, i'm going to look a fool preparing to exit the atrium during 1L.

[rinkrat19]

gosh, i'm going to look a fool preparing to exit the atrium during 1L.

Nah, there's plenty of people who wear their down jackets from October to May. I don't understand it, but there they are.

[franklyscarlet]

gosh, i'm going to look a fool preparing to exit the atrium during 1L.

Plenty of us like to dress for the cold. You won't look silly at all.

ET give a little more reassurance: I'll wear gloves until it's pretty warm out. Poor circulation, cold hands, not a fuck given about looking too cool for winter gear. I've never gotten strange looks.

[lemons]

I used the reconsideration form. (I didn't find it on their site either.) They responded the next day via email and matched my competing offers. If your other offer is from a school on their list, then I don't see why they wouldn't match. Good luck!

Thank you! I went ahead and used the reconsideration form. Crossing my fingers that it works! NU really is my top choice and I hope they realize that if they just match my other offer I would have no niggling feelings about attending!

[NYC-WVU]

Anyone know when orientation starts? Trying to book a vacation. Can't find anything official.

[gimmedanger]

I posted this in the "ask a law student" forum as well:

anybody live in Pilsen? Is the commute crappy? I commuted about 45 min to undergrad because i loved my neighborhood, but i also didn't spend much time on campus beyond going to class.

[rinkrat19]

Anyone know when orientation starts? Trying to book a vacation. Can't find anything official.

Should be the full M-F week before school starts on Sept 2.

[Leo]

I posted this in the "ask a law student" forum as well:

anybody live in Pilsen? Is the commute crappy? I commuted about 45 min to undergrad because i loved my neighborhood, but i also didn't spend much time on campus beyond going to class.

What about Pilsen appeals to you? I ask because there are similar neighborhoods closer to NU's campus.

[gimmedanger]

I have just been reading about neighborhoods but have no knowledge at all of chicago. the apartments on craigslist there seemed large and affordable - but i would love to know what neighborhoods have a similar vibe that are closer!

[Leo]

I have just been reading about neighborhoods but have no knowledge at all of chicago. the apartments on craigslist there seemed large and affordable - but i would love to know what neighborhoods have a similar vibe that are closer!

Check out this list of Chicago neighborhood stereotypes. It's surprisingly not as exaggerated as you might think.

Regarding the commute, finding parking in Streeterville is a real bitch. If you're lucky enough to find street parking, there is usually a 2-hr time limit. Garage parking is easy but expensive (> $20/hr, or $200/mo if you find monthly parking). Public transportation is TCR, but getting from Pilsen to Streeterville via public transportation will require a few transfers.

[NYC-WVU]

Anyone know when orientation starts? Trying to book a vacation. Can't find anything official.

Should be the full M-F week before school starts on Sept 2.

Thanks rinkrat

[lsprospect2013]

Quick question: Does anyone know how difficult it is to find employment in NYC from Northwestern? Is there a list of what NYC firms generally come for OCI anywhere? Thanks.

[rinkrat19]

Quick question: Does anyone know how difficult it is to find employment in NYC from Northwestern? Is there a list of what NYC firms generally come for OCI anywhere? Thanks.

Lots of NYC firms come to OCI. Lots of people from NU are going to NYC to work.

Go do a NALP search and put in New York for the city and Northwestern for the campus visit and you'll get a list of firms that reported to NALP that they come to OCI.