Hampshire College
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If snow is a novelty to you, brace yourself. New England is notorious for its winters, with freezing temperatures and biting winds. It’s not all bad, though—the Valley undergoes picturesque seasonal changes, with autumn ushering in a rich blend of colors and cool breezes, winter covering everything under a thick white blanket, and spring bringing a blush of blooming flowers. During the cold spells, some students suffer from dark moods caused by the weather, and many students opt to extend their winter breaks during the optional January term. These dark moods may be symptoms of Seasonal Affect Disorder (SAD), a biochemical reaction to the loss of sunlight, and the Community Health Center’s light-box therapy might remedy it.

To prepare for the demands of winter, it is advisable to pack, at minimum, a heavy water-repellant jacket, gloves, a scarf, a hat, and a good pair of water-resistant boots. The cold can get so bad that it’ll feel like it’s piercing your skin if you don’t protect yourself properly. You also might consider activity-specific gear if you plan to participate in winter sports. Students can borrow equipment like skis for free (some days you might wake up to see your friends doing cross-country skiing by your building), and there are also a number of organized trips for things like ice climbing.

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Weather at Hampshire College

arsinyk

Animation, Video Graphics and Special Effects '13

3.5

B

Typical New England Weather

Weather in New England is notoriously unpredictable. Fall is generally great: The temperature's nice and the leaves are all changing colors. In the winter, it usually snows at least a couple times. Classes are occasionally cancelled due to snow, but only if it's really bad--and even if your Hampshire classes are cancelled, your 5 college classes still might not be. The snow itself isn't so bad IMO, but the ice can get pretty treacherous. The spring is pretty nice too. By the end of the year, everyone's studying on the grass outside.

Dec 27, 2011

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Weather at Hampshire College

ellisbell10

Chinese Language and Literature '14

3.5

B

Snow

Recently, this winter it has snowed frequently and classes are cancelled as necessary. Hampshire College is part of a Five College Colloquium, so it is annoying when some of the five colleges close, while other don't.

Feb 02, 2011

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Weather at Hampshire College

rivlarwriter

School Counseling '13

4.6

A

Beautiful to Watch, Reluctant to Travel During Winter

I'm a bit of an exception. A lot of my class comes from California and wasn't ready for the New England winter. I thought it was a little easier than the winters in Wisconsin. The fall is GORGEOUS. You get to see all the trees on the mountainside slowly reach vivid colors in their peak. While it's great to see the seasons change in this countryside, it's also a pain to travel to your courses off-campus in the winter...at least we HAVE a bus.

Aug 04, 2010

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