What do you think of when you imagine winter in the Midwest – snowdrifts and sub-zero temperatures? This is exactly what I envisioned after I was accepted to U-M. When I decided to move to Michigan for grad school, I began to worry about winter in the Midwest. Granted, I grew up in New England and went to school in New York – so I was very familiar with winter weather – but I really thought that winter in Michigan would be worse. Well, I’m here to tell you that winter here isn’t so bad (at least, not in Southeast Michigan, where U-M is located). Yes, the temperature can get below zero. Yes, there is snow. But with the right preparation, I’ve found winters here to be quite nice, and much preferable to the sweltering hot summer we had last June through August!
I’ve found that the most important thing to have is a good pair of waterproof boots. Much of the snow is shoveled away from sidewalks very quickly, but the major annoyance I encounter on my way to campus is melting snow and slush. I also wear a down coat to keep myself warm, but I often get hot as I’m walking, since I have about a mile to walk from my house to my office. I tend to dress in layers to alleviate this issue – I’ll often wear my outfit for the day, plus a sweater, and then my coat. I just recently bought a waterproof coat for the first time, and I must say that it was a wise investment.
Driving during the winter is actually easy in this part of Michigan. I learned to drive in a place where large snowstorms are quite common, and the terrain is very hilly and mountainous. By contrast, Ann Arbor is very, very flat. It’s much easier to drive in the snow when everything is flat! I don’t drive that much normally, but I’ve never had a problem getting to the grocery store the day after it snows. The best winter driving tip I have is to drive slowly. If it’s windy and snowing outside, take it slow (or just delay your trip until the roads are cleared). It’s really nice that there are some new stores near campus where one can buy basic necessities – there’s a new CVS and a new specialty grocery store called Babo.
One of the things that people always comment on is how grey the winter is here: I didn’t really notice much of a difference (it’s pretty grey in New York during the winter, too). However, I have friends who swear by sun lamps and use the one in the Michigan Union that’s free to students. What I do like is that since Michigan is located in the very western portion of the Eastern Time Zone, it stays light out a bit later than it does on the East Coast.
Finally, I should mention that there are a lot of good things about winter in Michigan! If you like winter sports, there’s plenty to do in the area. I’ve gone ice skating at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube, which is pretty inexpensive and a good way to enjoy the cold weather. The snow can be very pretty, and I often enjoy my walk to campus when there’s a bit of snow covering the ground. Winter is also the perfect time to make lots of soup, and I’m a big soup-eater. Ultimately, I’d say that I enjoy winter in Ann Arbor – but I’m always happy for spring to come along!
Published in: Student Voices
Keywords: resources life health & wellness