DS going to Aberdeen uni from soft south of England - how cold is it?

[buckingfrolicks]

I took my DS to look at the university at Aberdeen last October and he loved it from the moment he clapped eyes on the city, the sea, and the beautiful campus - and this week he has - hurrah - been accepted to study there.

When we went, we had glorious weather! but now, I'm not sure whether to encourage him to take nothing but huge jumpers, winter boots and a big furry hat. Or is that overkill?

[buckingfrolicks]

sorry - just remembered my other question is, will he be 'mocked gently' or indeed ribbed nastily, about being English? I don't imagine so - but he's a little anxious I think.

[Pacific]

No. Not overkill. That.s the minimum. It is FREEZING when the wind howls along Union Street.

[BikeRunSki]

I have to say I was a little surprised by how cold the east coast can be when I went to Newcastle Uni from London. And Aberdeen is a whole lot further north! On the plus side, it's quite dry. I'd advise a down jacket (check out Alpkit).

[PickleSarnie]

The weather in Aberdeen doesn't actually generally get the extremes of weather the rest of the country is often subject to. It's definitely nowhere near as wet as the rest of Scotland (in particular the west coast). It is quite often grey. And fairly miserable. Get it on a good day however and it's a bloody beautiful place. Especially the countryside around it which is awesome.

The hardest thing to get used to i think ishe not the weather but the lack of daylight during the winter. It's really miserable. On the flip side however, in summer it barely gets dark. Many a time I went into a club at 10pm and it was still daylight and stumbled out at 2am and it was still daylight. V weird.

[prettybird]

I'm from the west Coast (Glasgow) but went to St Andrews - East Coast but a lot further South than Aberdeen.

Let's just say we used to laugh at the 1st years who began complaining in November about how cold it was. "Just wait until February" we used to cackle. those bloody cold East Coast winds

I left St Andrews with a fantastic collection of heavy hand knit jumpers (my mum was a great knitter)

Unless of course you're from Newcastle as they seem to wear Tshirts whatever the weather

[OhFuds]

My DD is starting at Aberdeen too, I've been reading the halls are pretty cold so take a warm duvet and a extra blanket. When we went for a visit it poured the whole day, the heavens opened just as we were walking thru Seaton Park (I think it was called that) so had no shelter and had to spend the rest of the day liked drowned rats.

[Veterinari]

I'm in Scotland. The east coast is COLD but much nicer and drier than the west!

[Meowlster]

You were unlucky with the rain! It doesn't rain much in Aberdeen; I never owned a brolly until I moved to the West coast.
A decent fleece-type jacket, and woolly hat would be good.
I always found the halls roasting, but I did go over 20 years ago!
Being English was never a problem, like you predict a bit of gentle ribbing but nothing worse.
Good luck - it's a cracking uni, I loved my time there.

[Coffeethrowtrampbitch]

Definitely warm clothes. I moved from Glasgow to north of Aberdeen when I was 12, and got a chest infection every year until I left at 17!

It is more cold and windy than rainy, so as long as he is well wrapped up and has plenty of jumpers he will be fine. My dh is from Bedfordshire and was freezing when we went up one Easter, but felt much better the following year when he took warmer clothes.

Wouldn't worry about him being English, dh has had no problems really in 18 years, and there are a lot of English people in Aberdeen. So he'd be very unlucky to encounter someone who had an issue with his nationality.

Good luck to your ds, and wrap up warm!

[LtGreggs]

Layers work well for warmth - couple of long sleeved t-shirts under a jumper. Warm hat and thick socks make a big difference for outdoor warmth - and windproof coat can be more effective than a really fat coat.

My DH is from Aberdeen - we would visit a few times a year and it was about 5 years until I saw Aberdeen in the sunshine :-)

[GinandJag]

Baltic!

But nothing decent clothes can't handle.

[Libra]

Let's put it this way OP - our heating went on automatically this morning.

Have lived up here for over 20 years but still have an English accent and have never had any problems.

Yes, yes to warm jumpers, long-sleeved shirts, warm socks and hats. It's the wind more than the rain most days. We live outside the city and do get a bit of snow - although not much for the last two years.
But people just get on with things. There is little cancelling of events because it won't be sunny - think BBQs or sports days etc.

Beautiful views all over the place and fantastic beaches to walk on. But I haven't really used many of my 'summer clothes' here - they just come out for the two-week summer holiday. When we first came up here we had lots of plans to travel around Scotlnd every summer, but after the first winter I just wanted to see some sun!

[MrsJayy]

It has always been dry and cold in Aberdeen we call it nippy where im from and the wind would cut you in 2 he wont need artic gear though 😂just a jumper and jacket

[prettybird]

Agree about the lack of rain: despite being a West Coaster, after 6 years long story at St Andrews, followed by 2 years in Welwyn Garden City, I got out of the habit of carrying an umbrella/wearing a mac.

When I was then moved to Darwen (Lancashire), I got soaked a few times before remembering that you need to carry an umbrella or a mac with a hood at all times

[readsalotgirl63]

Agree - as a Glaswegian now living in Aberdeenshire it is much drier here but it is cold so it tends to be a dry, bracing cold and not the damp cold you get on the west coast. I like it here as in summer the days are almost endless but they are pretty short in winter which can be gloomy. As others have said nothing that decent clothing can't cope with.

As for being English - because of the oil industry and the university there are a fairly wide variety of nationalities in the city and surrounding area - 4 of dd's group of 6 friends have parents who are not Scots.

Hope your ds has a great time.

[MrsHulk]

It's definitely an adjustment if he's used to warmer southern weather - worth investing in some warm clothes (good idea to try camping shops and ask about wind proof jackets and hats - it's more the wind than the general cold)

Also you might want to consider a daylight lamp - Google for lamps for sad (seasonal affective disorder) - a lot of people get really affected when they move to a darker place

[PotteringAlong]

Coats, hats, heavy jumpers...

He will need the lot

[WyldFyre]

As an east coaster (albeit a bit further south) I'll echo the Scandinavian saying - there is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing.
Also remember, skin is waterproof

[MissMargie]

Down filled anorak.
Hoods on all jackets/coats.

I moved from north Aberdeenshire to Home Counties. I bought my first smart raincoat and an umbrella ( faaaaaar too windy for that in the NE) and a summer dress.

Tie up hoods required. And longer jackets if possible rather than short skiing ones.

[prettybird]

Spoke to my niece today (just going into her 2nd year of Marine Biology): she confirmed the cold wind and also said that there was no issues with English accents as so many of the students are English themselves.

[buckingfrolicks]

oh wow that is so helpful, thank you everyone! Really helpful.

SAD lamp is a great idea; and I'm off to look at tie-up hooded down-filled anoraks, wind-proof boxers, and ultimate warmth duvets!

He loves scotland for the fact it isn't England - a whole other thread but think "Tory government" and you're about in the ball park!

[buckingfrolicks]

OhFuds where is your DD staying? we're having a nightmare with the accommodation choices...

[LookWhatTheCatDraggedIn]

Halls are freezing. Hillhead especially so. Where are you considering for halls?

[OhFuds]

Bucking She got allocated Wavell House, we were hoping for Adam Smith or Grant Court.

[rogueantimatter]

Wow - what a blast from the past! Wavell house! I lived there in my first year. I'd forgotten it's name.

I rejoiced in the mild Aberdeen weather! But then, I'm from the north isles. My English tutor once got me to entertain the tutor group, which comprised Scottish, English and other European students with my pronunciation of certain words and 'charming' intonation! Patronising git.

Well done to your DS. What will he study?