Bring lots of heavy coats and sweatpants. You won’t wear them, but you can always sell them on eBay for extra spending money during the semester. The unofficial University of Miami uniform for guys is basically cargo shorts, sandals, a hat or visor, and a T-shirt from an overrated band or beer company. Girls’ tastes are, of course, more eclectic, but a typical wardrobe would be made up mostly of jeans, shorts, tank tops, and T-shirts, along with a few nice outfits for going out at night. Most students also suggest bringing umbrellas and rain ponchos, but you’ll probably forget these in your room most of the time anyway.
The weather in Miami is beautiful throughout most of the year, but as soon as it dips below 70, people bring out the hooded sweatshirts and jeans. Students who grew up with snow and hail are reduced to shivering in between sips of steaming hot coffee after living in Miami for only a few months. But even on the coldest days of the year, when the temperature might drop into the high 40s, students refuse to lose the sandals, as if they’re taking some kind of stand against the bitter cold. The biggest negative about Miami’s weather is that there are always threats of hurricanes every season. Sometimes, there may be more than one hurricane heading toward South Florida! Despite the recent surge in watches and warnings, Miami has sustained very little damage. The University is very prepared for these storms. Hurricanes can be a good thing, especially if school is canceled because of an approaching storm. If a direct storm does directly hit UM, despite the precautions taken, serious damage could occur. In daily life, though, the only problem with the weather in South Florida is the unpredictable showers and the stifling heat. Fortunately, most of this irritating weather occurs in the summer when most of the students go home.