From Texas to Tennessee and now on to Minneapolis, MN!!!! (Roseville: best neighborhoods, apartment)

[texantennessean]

Can anyone give me any tips as to how to adjust to Minneapolis weather. I'm originally from Texas but I'm now living in Nashville, TN. I just got used to having four seasons. My husband just got into University of Minneapolis Twin Cities and we are moving to Minneapolis. Now I have to get used to cold I've never experienced in my life. We went up there to visit when it was 10 degrees. I have a feeling that this is not abnormal. What do I need to do to prepare? We have a small son whose one yrs old, and we need to be very careful about everything from preparing for the weather to choosing the right neighborhoods. What is the best neighborhoods to live? Low crime, good education etc. Which one's better, Minneapolis or St Paul? Also, anyone ever lived in on-campus family housing? How is that like? And shoveling snow....how is that like and how often will I encounter this task?

Please help me..any tips will be greatly appreciated.

Oh yeah...and what [type of foods] do people eat in Minneapolis?

[Minnehahapolitan]

This was a cold December, but 10 is not abnormal. Dress in layers, have a good pair of boots. Long johns are good. I wear a wool coat; but if you can't pronounce the name of a fabric, it is warmer. Cars are weather-hardy nowdays.
What does your husband plan on majoring in? It can indicate whether he will be on the West Bank, East Bank or in Saint Paul. The West Bank can be edgy for children, but anywhere on the East Bank or around the Saint Paul campus are good. Suburban Falcon Heights and Roseville are good areas also.
The only on-campus housing for families is in Saint Paul, and I was never impressed by driving by. It isn't bad, but I'm sure you could do better.
You don't have to shovel much if you don't have a long driveway; and not at all if in an apartment. Shovel whenever it snows, snow days can be abundant or rare. Get a wide shovel, and take it slowly if it is heavy snow (if it can make a good snowball, it is wet).
Minnesotans eat food, I think.

[texantennessean]

He ha! Thank you for your reply. Minnesotans eat food...that's really funny...I meant..what TYPE of food lol! I'm sure it's different from the creole and southern foods I'm used too.

My husband got into the PharmD program.

How does Saint Paul compare to Minneapolis as far as the crime rate? I tried to look that up and it seems that the crime rate in Minnesota is like Sunday school compared to where I'm from lol! I just wanted to make sure that was accurate before I get too relaxed.

Wide shovel....adding that to my list.

This is going to be quite an adventure.

[Sarimn00]

1. Make sure your car has at least half a tank of gas in it in the winter, so hopefully the lines won't freeze.
2. Make sure you have a good battery, a proper oil change and decent tires by early November to get ready for winter.
3. For your child, make sure he has snowpants, winter coat, hat, gloves, boots...
4. If you plan on being outside a lot in the winter, you might want to buy some long johns.
5. Have a shovel handy, and not a crappy plastic one that breaks. And have a winter kit in your car if it breaks down, this could come in handy.
6. January is usually the coldest month with temps frequenting below zero. December isn't usually as cold as it has been. We've had pretty mild winters the last few years.
7. Umm, it seems weird to actually post this, but if shoveling, make sure you use your knees, not your back, or you can hurt yourself. Bend from your knees--that's coming from someone that had back surgery. As for what it's like, not exactly fun.
8. Minnesota has a pretty good education system, especially compared to a lot of states. Usually one of the top ranked in the country.

I don't live in the Twin Cities area, so I can't really say much about what it is like. Hotdishes seem to be a staple, and I don't know too many people that eat very spicy food. You frequently hear the joke that Minnesotans think ketchup is a spice...but I am sure in the Cities with all the diversity you can find plenty of excellent cuisine.

Anyway, good luck with the move. I am sure you will love it. It will take some getting used to, but it is a pretty nice place to live. Try skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, ice fishing, or ice skating and try going to a lot of the ice festivals they have in the Twin Cities.

[Minnehahapolitan]

I'm pretty sure that a Pharmacy program would be near the medical complexes on the East Bank, but there is a slim chance that it would be in Saint Paul...so don't hold me to either. Any place on the east side of the river is perfectly safe if it is anywhere near the University. Anything within walking distance to campus is basically a student ghetto. They may be somewhat loud, but they pose no danger to anyone. Saint Paul is more safe overall, but you should really consider the neighborhood instead of the city.
Minnesota is the 4th of July / diner fare type place. Meats, potatoes, et cetera. Hotdishes are less common than anyone would have you believe. Fish is pretty common. Things like Wild Rice Soup are exclusive to the state. You can find most any type of food here, though.

[Oberon476]

Quick translation - "hotdish" is Minnesotan for "casserole"