Despite the weirdness around COVID-19 and all of the unknowns related to going back to school, here you are ready to start school in Colorado. But, between every website, blog and Facebook group, you aren’t sure what you need specifically for Colorado life.
As a Colorado native, I can guarantee that Colorado has insane weather patterns, rapid temperature changes, and lowkey a lot of wind! So here is a list of things you DEFINITELY will need to bring with you when starting school and life in Colorado (and my favorite brands that I personally use).
- A good winter coat with a hood.
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Even though Colorado has over 300 days of sunshine, you’ll wake up some Thursday in fall to below freezing temperatures. While there is a chance this coat will stay in your closet more than being worn in the fall, it’s better to have it and not freeze throughout your day on campus. Also, you’ll think you don’t need a hood until you need a hood and don’t have one. It’s not fun walking into class looking like a snowman.
- A happy mix between cute boots and rain boots.
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By this I mean basically a durable rain boot that is warm, waterproof, and comfortable. I personally love my duck boots because I can wear them comfortably all day, they keep my feet dry in light snow or rain, they’re cute and they’re lightweight.
- A lightweight snow boot.
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When we have our first big snow, it’s going to be gross if you don’t have a lightweight snow boot. You definitely don’t want the big chunky boots that your parents would buy you as a kid (if you live somewhere with snow), but you’ll need a cute and lightweight one to wear all day.
- Sneakers you can walk in and don’t mind getting dirty.
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In Colorado, we love hiking. It’s like a cornerstone of Colorado activities, and realistically your friends will ask you to go hiking but you won’t have a hiking shoe. So, get a pair of good sneakers that you can hike in, but don’t mind getting dirty.
If you want hiking shoes, I recommend the brand Merrell. I’ve used their hiking boots since I could walk.
- Clothes you can layer!
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In the fall and late spring, you will often wake up to frigid temperatures but will leave classes in the afternoon to 70 degree weather. If you’re comfortable freezing/burning up, more power to you, but I recommend having layerable clothes for varying temperatures throughout the day.
For example, a tank top or T-shirt, a cardigan or a hoodie and a jacket.
- A good reusable water bottle.
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In Colorado, a lot of people (especially on college campuses) are going to be environmentally conscious. It is so easy to get a good reusable water bottle and reduce your waste, save the fishies, and grow way too attached to it.
While this isn’t everything you’ll need for college in Colorado, these are common things I have seen my out-of-state friends forget, so hopefully this will help you all out. Good luck in the next academic year, and please follow public health guidelines for COVID-19 while on campus and around Colorado!