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[theinevitable]

so, I am moving someplace where it gets colder than 20F. I have not lived someplace like that in a while. I need a good quality jacket-- better than the awesomely stylish jacket I have now, which is essentially 1 layer of canvas-style material. However, I have a deep aversion to the "Gore-Tex" and "Simulo-Flex" and "Pseudo-Pyrotex" crap which is all over jackets nowadays. I want a basic cloth-ish jacket which will not make me look like some Skiing Asshole. I am basically like Pat about this. My Mom has informed me that I will not be able to find a jacket of this description which is warm enough. In your opinion, is this true?  I plan on wearing many layers, obviously. And utilizing the tiniest amount of southern accent which Bi-Lo has allowed me to perfect (ie: when talking about how damn cold it is.)
Am I being a dick about this? Part of the problem is that my parents are being all "goddamnit, why do you want to pretend you can't afford a nice jacket?" They do not understand my deep hatred of the "North Face" brand, which is what they have offered me.

What i really want is a surplus army jacket. but I realize that my parents have a point when they tell me that that is probably not very warm at all.

so, do you have a jacket which is nice? do you have a suggestion? should I give up and buy some kind of snow-FX whatevershedoozy jacket?

secondary question: are there any non-obvious things which you find it is necessary to have when packing for the College Experience? Right now my checklist is down to: buy ethernet cable, buy the aforementioned jacket, and getting my iPod fixed.

[misterqueue]

Army Surplus Navy Peacoats are warm as hell and that's basically one of the coats I use here in the winter.  They're wool.

[theinevitable]

I really love that that is the exact jacket which I saw and wanted. And you live in the exact place I am moving to.

my favorite moment:

mom: "daniel, it's OK, I understand... you want to see what the other kids are wearing when you get there, so you'll fit in."
my brother: "mum... this is my brother, Daniel. have you two met before?"

[Lister]

Army Surplus Navy Peacoats are warm as hell and that's basically one of the coats I use here in the winter.  They're wool.

Wouldn't that be a Navy surplus peacoat?

Anyway... last August I found a leather or leather-like jacket with very nice polarfleece insulation for about $60 at a department store on sale.  Though I dislike people who wear polarfleece in public, this is just a liner and therefore does not have an ego projection power.  It is quite warm, and does not make me look like someone who can say "The powder is fresh" without giggling helplessly.

[jough]

I have a thick leather jacket with a nice lining that is so warm I sweat in it if I button it up in the dead of winter.

I highly recommend animal hide jackets.

[misterqueue]

Wouldn't that be a Navy surplus peacoat?

Man my head hurts today, let's not squabble over miscellany you pedant. 

[smick]

When I was reading your needs, I too will have to go with the peacoat.

They're usually a 3/4s style coat.   They come in a nice drab blue.   Like Q said, they're wool.   You can get soaked with water, and it will still retain its insulating properties.

Plus, you run the chance of looking like this fellow.  A dapper fellow indeed.



edit: oh man, so many posts while finding and creating a picture of Wayne in a p-coat.

[Hobot]

Am I being a dick about this? Part of the problem is that my parents are being all "goddamnit, why do you want to pretend you can't afford a nice jacket?" They do not understand my deep hatred of the "North Face" brand, which is what they have offered me.

I hated North Face too, until I moved to Massachusetts.  The waterproof down-lined coat I have from them is so warm that it occasionally makes me perspire ever so slightly on winter days that are not below 10ºF.  And since I'm planning on studying in Russia, it is perfect for me.

However, you will be in St. Louis, and do not need something that warm, so your aversion is understandable.

EDIT: Proof that you don't have to look like an asshole in a North Face jacket.

[CortJstr]

secondary question: are there any non-obvious things which you find it is necessary to have when packing for the College Experience? Right now my checklist is down to: buy ethernet cable, buy the aforementioned jacket, and getting my iPod fixed.

A small toolkit and/or Leatherman. Nobody realizes how often they need a screwdriver until there are none to be found.

Coax. You probably already arranged for the cable TV in the room to be turned on when you get there but they don't supply the cable. My first couple of nights at college I was the most popular guy in the building because nobody else thought to bring this.

Depending on the climate duck boots are totally useless or indespensable. At my school everybody had a pair because it rained a lot.

Insulated coffee mug with a carabiner handles were popular and convenient in my day.

[jough]

Do you have a cell phone?  You'll need a cell phone.  You'll also need to turn it off while you're in class.

You can get a prepaid deal for pretty cheap.  If you put $100 into a T-Mobile prepaid phone the minutes don't expire for a whole year.

I found a PDA really helped with keeping track of classes and schedules and things.  I didn't have one until my last semester of college, though, and it was like, the very first Palm Pilot.

Otherwise I'd just recommend you bring the things that you use often while at home, and maybe some things you don't use often at home, like condoms and lube and stuff for when your roommate is feeling frisky.

[AugustWest]

Here's my winter coat.

[theinevitable]

Hobot-- see, I'm not a small and adorable girl, so it's different for me.

Yes, Wayne looks great in that coat. I'm sold.

Yes, I have a cellphone. I am debating whether to change it to a St Louis number or not.

I am not planning on having a TV. There is a TV on my floor, I think. All I use TVs for is watching movies, and I have a DVD drive on my laptop.

I bought some nice boots. They are fun and very comfortable. and warm.

[Reni]

you're moving to St. Louis and worried about the cold? Oh my, don't stress and a peacoat will work just fine.....from the way it sounded I thought you were moving to Northern Minnesota or something!!

I lived most of my life in STL and survived with no real winter coat for years just layered hoodies and jean jackets, etc.......not that I don't reccommend having a coat, but a peacoat or a nice Land's End down coat will do you well......

I actually hadn't owned a proper winter coat until I moved to Chicago, and yes....I needed it. It is significantly colder here. Damn lake.

[V-Adore]

Remember, when buying an ethernet cable, buy the longest fucker you can find. Like, buy a comedically long ethernet cable. If your dorm experience is anything like mine, the ethernet connection will inevitably be somewhere totally nonintuitive, as far as possible from your desk as humanly possible, and you will relish every foot of your novelty mega-cable as soon as you realize how much more freedom it gives you.

Also, get a lot of the basic necessities -- tape, glue, scissors, sticky notes, pens... After a certain amount of time at college, nobody has these anymore, and being the guy on the hall who has Scotch tape or stamps will make you a tiny god.

[Lister]

If you want to be a real geek god (See what I did there?), buy a modular crimping tool and a large bulk ethernet cable.  They are usually available at home stores.  It is not that hard to learn how to make your own ethernet cables, and being able to supply them cut to order might be a good thing.  At any rate I found a 100m bulk cable + tool cost exactly the same as a 10m pre-made cable at CompUSA.

You will want to have a trash can or two.  If you have room a thing that you can sit on and also store things in will come in handy, but you probably won't have room for such a device.  Do you have a rain mitigation device/garment?  You will probably want a few toys of the type that everyone will want to pick up and play with, such as a rubik's cube or Al Roker.

All in all, you will wind up taking more stuff up there than you need, and leaving behind something vital.  This is the way of dorm rooms.  Do not be afraid to cull, but do not be overzealous!

Roomates often stink.  Take something to help mitigate that.  You won't be allowed to have scented candles, but air fresheners and Febreze will help.  Febreze is not a substitute for a shower, and neither is aftershave.  Teach this to everyone you know.

If you haven't chosen classes yet, it's vital that you keep each day as similar as possible.  Try not to have more than a one hour difference in start times through the week.  The only classes I was consistently late to were the ones that started three hours or more before the classes on alternate days did.

Learn to handle your drink, should you decide to partake.  Vomiting is not a good thing, especially in a dorm room or on clothes that you can not wash immediately.

I should shut up now.  I feel like Jor-El or something.