Winter is coming.

It’s only October, but Iowa natives know what’s heading this way. Temperatures 30 below zero and 6 inches of snow are as standard to Midwesterners as Christmas cookies and hot chocolate. But for some, these Iowa winter realities could resemble a scene from The Day After Tomorrow.
Today at noon, the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine will host a panel discussion titled “How to Survive an Iowa Winter” at the Medical Education & Research Facility. Janet Niebuhr, programs coordinator, said the event was originally designed six years ago to inform the out-of-state students how to handle what often seems like Iowa’s longest season.

“A lot of it is how to drive and how to dress, how to walk on the ice, self-care, that sort of stuff,” she said. “It’s fun, but it’s informational.”

There is a lot of knowledge that comes second nature to Midwesterners, Niebuhr said, but may not be as obvious for visiting students.

UI freshman Kathryn Stone grew up in Brownsville, Texas. Because the town only sees snow once every 100 years, Stone said, she is grateful to the Iowa natives who have helped her prepare for the upcoming tundra.

“Before, coats were coats, fleece was fleece, and all I knew about was sweaters and rain jackets,” she said. “I’m learning a lot of new things like what is ‘down’ and what is a ‘shell.’ Or if the stitching in a beanie is smaller it’s going to keep you warmer than one with more open stitching. I have gotten a beanie, a headband, I’m looking to buy snow boots, a pair of cotton gloves, and a pair with grip because I’ve been told I’m going to want to hold on to railings, which didn’t make me feel too safe.”

Despite the endless warnings she has received from Midwesterners scarred by winter, Stone said she is still thrilled about the upcoming season; she hopes to celebrate the experience rather than merely survive.

“I have heard sledding is really fun, and there are so many hills here in Iowa. Whoever said Iowa is flat is a liar,” she said. “I feel like my inner child is going to come out because I’ve never been able to make a snow angel or have a snowball fight.”

UI sophomore Hallee Haygood felt similarly last year during her first winter in Iowa, she said. Haygood is from Temecula, California, where she said people would “freak out” if the weather ever dipped to 50 degrees. Haygood said she was looking forward to having seasons, but Iowa gave her an entirely new appreciation for warm weather.

“Before winter started, I felt totally fine about it. I remember during fall I thought that the temperature would never really drop that much, but I was completely wrong,” she said. “The way that I pictured winter in my mind was very mild, with a little bit of cold weather and lots of snow. But as the temperature started to plummet I finally realized what I had gotten myself into.”

WORDS
What: How to Survive an Iowa Winter Panel
When: Noon today
Where: 1117 Medical Education & Research Facility