Posted: 8/13/2025 5:39:26 PM EDT
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My kid decides fed he’s had enough of Las Vegas summers and has decided for college he wants to go to South Dakota State in Brookings. I have to say it’s kinda funny to me since I was taking to him about what the winters are going to look like and he doesn’t even know what his car defroster is for. I suppose he’s never needed one here in Southern Nevada. Anyone have any tips for someone moving to South Dakota? I’m mostly concerned with things I never considered. For whatever it’s worth we’ll be driving up next week. |
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Yeah, you really have no idea about winters. He will need a shovel in the car to get out of the lots, the warmest, thickest coat you can afford, warm hat, kickass gloves, thick, warm, wool socks and maybe insulated, but definitely waterproof boots. Tell him not to walk on the sidewalks if it sleets or snows. They are often pure ice when they clear snow. Make sure he pays attention to the weather and doesn't park on the street if there's going to be over 2" of snow: car will get towed. He can take shortcuts through buildings going to and from class to keep warmer. Tell him to get used to walking because he's not going to be able to drive to class and park anywhere. A lot of it is just common sense. No one's frozen to death in quite some time. Any other concerns or mostly just the winter? |
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He only wears sweat pants and t shirts. I’ve been telling him that isn’t going to work in South Dakota but like most kids his age he’s kinda hard headed. His dorm is pretty centrally located and the campus isn’t really that big so he shouldn’t have to be out and about too much. We went and visited there in January to see what it was like and the highs were around 5 degrees but there was no wind. He said it wasn’t cold but that wind makes a huge difference but he’ll have to figure it out on his own. I think probably most importantly the only shoes he wears here are his stupid crocs. If he wears those he’s going to lose some toes to frostbite. I tried to get him to consider a pair of gore Tex boots but he’s never really warmed up to that notion yet. For his car he has a Subaru Outback. I got him that because it’s safe and all wheel drive. I doubt he’ll do too much driving anyway since everything is right there on campus. Some kids have to learn lessons the hard way and he’s one of them. |
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tell him not to panic when his nostrils freeze shut. sufficient car. put a good battery in it. don't let someone else hook up the jumper cables high centered is a thing. chains are dangerous, tow ropes not so much. have an emergency kit and stay with the car if stranded in a blizzard . (yes I have used the coffecan with the roll of toilet paper in it.)  Avoid stupid people at stupid times in stupid places. He'll be fine. |
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This winter when it gets about -20F to -30F, tell him to take a large container of boiling water outside and throw it up in the air, it will instantly atomize and make snow. What happens when you throw boiling water into the air in sub-zero temperatures CY6 Greg Sullivan "Sully" WeaponsArmorer SLR15 Rifles Defensive Edge Training (763) 712-0123 |
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Originally Posted By pokey074: Yeah, you really have no idea about winters. He will need a shovel in the car to get out of the lots, the warmest, thickest coat you can afford, warm hat, kickass gloves, thick, warm, wool socks and maybe insulated, but definitely waterproof boots. Tell him not to walk on the sidewalks if it sleets or snows. They are often pure ice when they clear snow. Make sure he pays attention to the weather and doesn't park on the street if there's going to be over 2" of snow: car will get towed. He can take shortcuts through buildings going to and from class to keep warmer. Tell him to get used to walking because he's not going to be able to drive to class and park anywhere. A lot of it is just common sense. No one's frozen to death in quite some time. Any other concerns or mostly just the winter? Wrong. Layers, my man. Layers. And test that system out beforehand to make sure everything works together well. Winter-specific survival stuff in the car. Shovel, windshield scraper. Yak Trax work well for additional traction. In a pinch, floor mats work to provide additional traction should a wheel spin. I've been thinking about an electric tumbler kept in the cab. Keep drinks warm on long trips, but, more importantly, thaw frozen water. |
"What is socialism? The most difficult and tortuous way to progress from capitalism to capitalism." -Stated at an intel conference, East Berlin, Oct. 1988
"Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods." -H.L. Mencken
"Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods." -H.L. Mencken
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Originally Posted By lew: Wrong. Layers, my man. Layers. And test that system out beforehand to make sure everything works together well. Winter-specific survival stuff in the car. Shovel, windshield scraper. Yak Trax work well for additional traction. In a pinch, floor mats work to provide additional traction should a wheel spin. I've been thinking about an electric tumbler kept in the cab. Keep drinks warm on long trips, but, more importantly, thaw frozen water. Originally Posted By lew: Originally Posted By pokey074: Yeah, you really have no idea about winters. He will need a shovel in the car to get out of the lots, the warmest, thickest coat you can afford, warm hat, kickass gloves, thick, warm, wool socks and maybe insulated, but definitely waterproof boots. Tell him not to walk on the sidewalks if it sleets or snows. They are often pure ice when they clear snow. Make sure he pays attention to the weather and doesn't park on the street if there's going to be over 2" of snow: car will get towed. He can take shortcuts through buildings going to and from class to keep warmer. Tell him to get used to walking because he's not going to be able to drive to class and park anywhere. A lot of it is just common sense. No one's frozen to death in quite some time. Any other concerns or mostly just the winter? Wrong. Layers, my man. Layers. And test that system out beforehand to make sure everything works together well. Winter-specific survival stuff in the car. Shovel, windshield scraper. Yak Trax work well for additional traction. In a pinch, floor mats work to provide additional traction should a wheel spin. I've been thinking about an electric tumbler kept in the cab. Keep drinks warm on long trips, but, more importantly, thaw frozen water. |
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Originally Posted By pokey074: Not wrong. The warmest, thickest coat you can afford PLUS layers. So, you just described layering.  I'd focus on something windproof- insulated or otherwise- for the outer layer. Wind's just as bad in SD as it is here and something to block it from the insulating layers underneath makes all the difference. |
"What is socialism? The most difficult and tortuous way to progress from capitalism to capitalism." -Stated at an intel conference, East Berlin, Oct. 1988
"Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods." -H.L. Mencken
"Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods." -H.L. Mencken
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Once he gets used to winter, a good thick flannel button up shirt with pockets is good down to 15 degrees, and a old tan tattered up grease stained carhart jacket is good down to -30 or so. Despite having a good Subaru, it's advisable to get a 1989 Buick Century as a winter beater. He'll figure out the rest soon enough. |
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“I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way.”
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“I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way.”
John Paul Jones
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Originally Posted By meltdown: I'd bet a pmag a college kid from NV will not bother to properly layer up but they WILL grab a $700 coat. until it's stolen. Heck, if the high schoolers in SD are any indication, they won't layer up either. They may not even properly dress themselves. The typical teenage boy, regardless of age will wear sweat pants or shorts, a hoody, flannel, or a fleece with a t-shirt, a pair of tennis shoes or Birkenstock sliders regardless of how cold it gets. So I would just get your son a down jacket with a hood and call it good. The stocking cap will most likely get lost as will one of the gloves because they won't get worn. He should just keep them in the car along with a pair of insulated boots and a sleeping bag. They are projecting this winter to be colder and snowier than usual though so maybe a decent pair of gore-tex hiking boots and a hardshell to pair with a down jacket might be handy. |
I can’t stand it to think my life is going so fast and I’m not really living it.
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Originally Posted By meltdown: tell him not to panic when his nostrils freeze shut. sufficient car. put a good battery in it. don't let someone else hook up the jumper cables high centered is a thing. chains are dangerous, tow ropes not so much. have an emergency kit and stay with the car if stranded in a blizzard . (yes I have used the coffecan with the roll of toilet paper in it.) Avoid stupid people at stupid times in stupid places. He'll be fine. Oh and this is solid 
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Originally Posted By LVJD: My kid decides fed he’s had enough of Las Vegas summers and has decided for college he wants to go to South Dakota State in Brookings. I have to say it’s kinda funny to me since I was taking to him about what the winters are going to look like and he doesn’t even know what his car defroster is for. I suppose he’s never needed one here in Southern Nevada. Anyone have any tips for someone moving to South Dakota? I’m mostly concerned with things I never considered. For whatever it’s worth we’ll be driving up next week. Is he really sure he wants to be a Wabbit?
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Originally Posted By LVJD: We’ve been in Brookings since Monday and I have to say it’s pretty nice. Certainly nicer than that shot hole Las Vegas where I live. People here are super friendly. Remember Mr Maddogs advice, nice people or not.. ‘Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet. Just sayin..
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Harley owner in the Church of J. M. Browning
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Originally Posted By LVJD: We've been in Brookings since Monday and I have to say it's pretty nice. Certainly nicer than that shot hole Las Vegas where I live. People here are super friendly. 
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Originally Posted By meltdown: He'd get the one finger off the steering wheel wave from people and think WTF?  Unfortunately, RC is the EPICENTER of shitty driving west of the Mississippi. I’m in SF and everywhere else in the state and beyond, and it doesn’t get any worse than here. I do miss the days of traveling during the covids.  |