What to Send with Your Adult Child as They Go Off to College in a Cold Climate!
So your grown-up kiddo is off to college – what an adventure awaits! Lots of mixed emotions are sprinkled into the excitement of it all.
Whether living in a dorm or off campus, if your teen or young adult child is heading off to college in a cold climate, you want to make sure they stay toasty warm, indoors and out.
Some states are particularly well-known for their brutal winters - Minnesota, North Dakota, Michigan, and Wisconsin - just to name a few. The right winter gear for out-of-doors and inside will keep them warm and allow them to enjoy their college experience to the fullest.
Before charging off too quickly to buy off-the-rack winter wear, keep these three things in mind:
1. If they’re moving into a dorm room, remember the rooms can be super small. So choose items that can be used in different ways.2. Send just one week or two of clothing with them with the idea that they will do laundry every week. But send two weeks of underwear in case they get in a bind one week and can’t do laundry.
3. Layering clothing pieces can help keep the body warm in cold climates, but heated apparel can be significantly better at conserving body heat.
Before tackling the out-of-doors gear your forever kid will need, here are some items that’ll keep them living comfortably indoors when the temperature outside is dropping, snow is falling, or an ice storm is creating icicles around campus.
Download our checklist at the end of this post!
Indoor Warmth and Comfort
1. Pack flannel!Flannel sheets are an invitation to snuggle into warmth after trudging from class to class in the bitter cold. Consider sending your college student two sets of sheets so they have a set in reserve while the other is being washed. For warmer months in a cold climate, a set of cotton or cotton blend sheets are ideal.
Please be sure to check ahead of time to make sure you have the correct bed dimensions. Beware… dorm beds can be even smaller than a regular twin-sized bed.
2. Pack even more flannel!
Slipping into cotton flannel pajamas is a treat for warming up for bedtime. Flannel allows the body and skin to breathe at night. Fleece or other microfibers are also popular options that provide for a warm night’s sleep, but don’t offer the skin the chance to breathe.
3. Curling up in warmth!
Comforters that combine more quality materials, such as outer cotton fabric and natural down fill, are more expensive, but are well worth the investment. Be sure to shop for responsibly-sourced down fill.
But if your budget doesn’t allow for this, then two or three heavy fleece blankets will do. Even if you buy a down comforter, consider getting a warm throw so your adult child can cuddle under it while reading or studying in bed.
For a more indulgent option, invest in our Heated Dual Control Poncho Blanket that they can use indoors or outdoors when temperatures drop.
4. Cozy toes!
Warm shearling or fleece-lined slippers and soft, fuzzy socks provide both comfort and warmth, especially when living in cold climates. These investments are oh, so cozy to your toes whether staying indoors on chilly days or on cold nights inside the dorm. Another option? Check out our “Mojave” Heated Socks 3.0 - Unisex!
5. Snuggle in!
Make sure your adult kiddo has plenty of hot cocoa or specialty teas or coffee for indulging on cold days and nights. Warming their hands around a hot mug can be soothing and help heat their body.
Gear for the Great Outdoors!
Now for the items your college student will need to enjoy campus life outside their dorm room or apartment… below are some items that will ensure warmth and comfort no matter where they are, on- and off-campus.
This outdoor gear will help them enjoy their college experience to the fullest.
1. Trap and retain upper body heat, no matter the temperature outside!
Because dorm rooms are small, select one or two heated upper body items to help your adult child keep warm. ororo offers many heated options for jackets and vests. Consider our Classic Heated Jacket (Women’s or Men’s) for moderately cold climates and our Heated Down Jacket (Women’s or Men’s) for super cold climates. Search our website for different colors if the classic black color is not their style. Our down jacket is also available in a mid-length (below the knees) with our “SOHO” Women’s Heated Down Parka Jacket.
ororo also has many heated vest options that are perfect for wearing alone when temperatures are milder and/or under a jacket when temperatures dip.
2. Regulate body temperature in comfort!
Hoodies are a great piece of apparel that your grown-up kiddo can wear in the classroom if it’s chilly and outdoors when the weather is milder. Or they can layer with a warm sweater or underneath a jacket for colder temperatures. ororo’s Unisex Heated Fleece Hoodie is breathable and can be worn with batteries during the cold months or without batteries when the days are not so cold.
Other options to consider are wool blend sweaters which work well for wicking away the moisture and allowing the skin to breathe. Regular fleece hoodies and microfiber sweaters are other possibilities, but they limit the skin’s breathability.
3. The right socks can save the day!
Cold climates demand that feet stay just as warm as the rest of our body. High-quality wool socks or ororo Heated Socks are perfect for enjoying the outdoors when it's bitterly cold. Check them out for on-demand warmth in seconds.
Another great investment is merino wool socks. While they are pricey, some have a lifetime warranty. If your college student has wide calves, the shorter above-the-ankle styles are ideal as opposed to the knee-highs.
4. Wrap their neck in warmth!
Scarves are taken-for-granted winter accessories but they conserve much-needed warmth when outdoors in the cold. Many scarves are made of acrylic and don’t offer much protection, so consider a wool or alpaca scarf, a thick fleece scarf, or a Unisex Heated Scarf from ororo. Some ororo customers were hesitant about getting our heated scarves before buying, but when they tried them, they became lifetime lovers!
5. The debate - gloves or mittens?
They both win in cold climates. Most people usually have a strong preference for either mittens or gloves in the winter. Some prefer mittens because their fingers can warm each other up inside. But others prefer the dexterity of gloves.
At ororo, we offer “Fargo” Heated Flip Top Mittens that give you the benefits of mittens with a flip top that comes off for tasks that require manual dexterity. Another option is our “Buffalo” Heated Gloves. Regardless of which you choose, you’ll love our gloves and mittens!
6. Walking in warmth and comfort!Insulation in super warm snow boots will keep your kiddo comfortable while walking to class, attending an outdoor event, or just playing in the snow.
They’ll thank you again and again for a pair of fleece-lined (or shearling), fur snow boots. Great places to shop are REI, Scheels, L.L. Bean, Eddie Bauer and Dicks Sporting Goods.
7. Looking sharp starting at the top!A good wool blend hat will keep your student’s head warm on a crisp day, and keep heat from escaping their body. Pairing a sharp-looking hat with a vest or jacket is an excellent way to help moderate the body temperature.
8. The ears have it!On brutally cold, windy days, earmuffs or a stylish headband will keep the biting cold off your teen’s ears and forehead. This small investment can make all the difference in the world.
9. Warmth from the inside out!They’re not your grandfather’s long johns anymore… today’s long underwear is lighter weight and more stylish, but incredibly helpful in keeping the body warm and comfortable, even when just lounging around inside. You’ll ideally want a wool blend or silk blend (both of which wick away the moisture) to keep your young adult the driest and warmest in the winter.
10. Tushies stay warm!Most students enjoy watching their favorite college team and cheering their athletes on, even on the coldest days and nights. Consider the ororo Heated Stadium Seat for Stadium Sports as a surprise gift for them so they can enjoy a toasty warm cushion on cold bleachers. They’ll be cheering for you, too!
11. Cozy, warm hand protection!
Another great extra is a cozy hand warmer. The ororo “Queen City” Heated Hand Warmer is an indulgence that’ll be a cherished cold-weather companion when your young adult child is walking around campus or hanging out with friends at an outdoor event.
Good to Go!
Seeing your kid go off to college can be filled with mixed emotions. The excitement is there, often along with anxiety and sadness for all of you. Planning ahead alleviates some of this stress and prepares your adult child for the cold winter months ahead. Help them live life to its fullest with the right gear when they head off to school! ororo has your back!
