Although this winter saw less severe weather than previous years, many out-of-state students said this winter was the most severe they had experienced. Initially shocked by the cold, many quickly found ways to adapt and fall in love with the snowfall and low temperatures. 

Maya Sompalli hails from Fremont, California, a city set between San Jose and San Francisco. Weather in Fremont rarely gets below 43 degrees in the winter, and Sompalli said she has never experienced snow there. Snow, coincidentally, was a prominent concern for her coming to the University.

“The one thing I was worried about is getting to class on time. That’s the biggest concern,” Sompalli said. “I didn’t know how it was going to be like walking in the snow, but after your first time walking through the snow, it’s totally fine.” 

Sompalli came to Minnesota full of optimism for what the new weather could bring and a light puffer jacket. She found out that the winter demands a ski jacket, gloves and a scarf.

Still, her optimism showed through, and she found ways to make the most of her new dress code.

“I have a matching pink scarf, glove, ski jacket combo, a green and black combo as well,” Sompalli said. “If I had ugly clothes, I would not want to be outside.”

Sompalli said the matching outfits encouraged her to go outside and face the weather. Much in the same way, Henry Neff, a freshman from St. Louis, Missouri, found himself encouraged to embrace the cold by participating in winter activities. 

This past February, Neff and many other students from his dorm built a 13-foot snowman in front of Northrop Mall. The snowman building culminated in a heroic seven-man human pyramid to place the head on top. 

“There’s no way I’d be able to do that, like anywhere near St. Louis,” Neff said. 

Ari Blacher comes from Mill Valley, California. Mill Valley’s temperature, like Fremont’s, rarely drops below 43º. 

Blacher embraced the Minnesota Swim Club and the Minnesota Triathlon Club as activities to keep himself busy during the winter. 

“[Exercise] is what makes me feel better at the end of the day, after hard school and then gross weather,” Blacher said. 

Previous proximity to the Minnesota cold did not seem to affect how much this past winter affected students. McKenna Mason comes from Hudson, Wisconsin, a city just across the river from Minnesota, about a half hour east of campus.

She correctly predicted that walking in frigid temps would make the winter much more miserable than it had been growing up in Hudson.

“The only big thing was that I would have to transport myself, like walking to school and stuff, so that’s the only thing that I’ve experienced that has made it seem colder than when I was living in Hudson,” Mason said. 

Mason found ways to adapt, and the light rail became a staple in her daily commute to the Carlson School of Management. 

“I mean, I take the train, but it’s a lot,” Mason said. “I stand outside for the train, but that made me experience how cold it was.”

While the winter proved difficult for many out-of-state students, many agreed it should not be a real consideration in whether students enroll here. 

Forever optimistic, Sompalli revels in the beauty of the fall colors and frozen lakes that Minnesota revealed to her.

“I think that if people are coming from a place that’s warm like California, for example, you should be excited to try something new,” Sompalli said. “There’s like so much of the U.S. that isn’t like California.” 

Sompalli said her only regret was not doing more activities outside in the snow. Independent of Maya’s opinion, Neff agreed.

“I mean, I really love [winter],” Neff said. “It’s kind of fun ’cause everyone kind of gets through it.” 

Blacher shares in the school and state spirit. He had previously narrowed his options down to either here or Oregon State University.

“I’m perfectly fine with where I’m at,” Blacher said. “It’s super cool here.”