Moving to Valdez, AK from South Florida (Anchorage, College: for sale, apartment)

[nicoleb425]

So this coming fall ill be moving up to Valdez, Alaska to start college. This is gonna be a DRASTIC change as far as temperature is concerned so i really have no clue how to prepare myself with clothing and other items to keep my warm so i don't go into complete shock. I've looked at checklists online but nothing really went into detail about what to get. I wanted to get everything down here first then just ship it up there. So can someone please help me with this? I really have no idea how to prepare myself for this in 8 months.

[heathen]

Just out of curiosity, what sort of college work will you be doing in Valdez? I know there's Prince William Sound Community College, but I didn't know they had any programs that would attract out of staters.

There's a regular poster on here in Valdez, who's also from the south, so I'll shut up and let her chime in.

[nicoleb425]

Well actually i was going up there as of right now to PWSCC to get my AA. I have so many career choices in mind but I'm not sure on what i want to do. It's a big risk I'm taking because I've never been up there before and i wont be able to go in advance.

[tigre79]

Originally Posted by nicoleb425

Well actually i was going up there as of right now to PWSCC to get my AA. I have so many career choices in mind but I'm not sure on what i want to do. It's a big risk I'm taking because I've never been up there before and i wont be able to go in advance.

What program are you going to be in? I was assuming that you were going to be doing the Outdoor Leadership program, which is drawing some students from outside the state now. If not, are you just wanting to come up here to experience a different place?

At any rate, there are a few things to prepare for. For a little perspective, I grew up in North Texas and spent five years in Tampa before moving here.

First, it precipitates a lot, year-round, and is a lot colder than you're used to. Summer and fall can be very cloudy and drizzly. Our summers are quite a bit cooler than your "winters." A 70F day is really warm here. In the winter it's usually in the teens to around 30F, and is often humid and can be windy, especially early in the winter. If you're going to be in an apartment or student housing you probably won't have to worry too much about shoveling snow. If I were you, I'd get a few synthetic thermal tops, a couple of light fleece shirts, a mid-weight fleece shirt/jacket, and a sturdy rain jacket that you can wear year-round. Maybe a synthetic "puffy" jacket (I wouldn't wear down here, but some people do). Get some thermal bottoms as well, and some reasonably-priced snow pants. A pair of flannel or fleece-lined jeans are nice to have, too. Oh, and a wind-proof hat and a scarf or neck warmer. Land's End and Columbia have serviceable stuff for good prices. Also check out Sierra Trading Post, Campmor, REI Outlet, and even Amazon for more technical outdoor gear. Oh, and it's pretty dark in the early part of winter. Take vitamin D supplements and look into a "happy light" if you start feeling really funky.

Second, it's more expensive than you're used to, and there's a lot less available to buy. Expect grocery prices to be about 30% higher here than where you're at (though Anchorage prices are closer to what you're used to), and higher than that in the produce department. Get a Safeway card and look for sales and clearance items. Restaurant entrees run $15-25. If you're bringing a car, gas is $4.10 at the station in town right now. Everything in town is within walking distance: grocery store, sporting goods, hardware store, health food store, office supplies, post office, and a few hiking trails. There's a bike path that goes all the way around the bay, too. I'd want a car to be able to go up to Thompson Pass, over to the other side of the bay, and other parts of the state on weekends, though.

Third, it's awesome here. You can't always see the mountains, but when you can it's amazing. Get out as much as you can. You can rent XC skis and snowshoes for free through the college, and there are groomed trails in Mineral Creek, just behind town. I think you can get a hiking trail map on the city's website. Carry bear spray spring through fall. There are lots of them around, but serious incidents are vanishingly rare in this area. They mostly want to get in your trash can. This place has its challenges, but it's a ton of fun, and full of friendly, helpful people. Try to make friends with locals (especially people with boats!). There are some really interesting people here, who can tell some great stories and give you a lot of information about the area.

[nicoleb425]

Thank you so much for going into detail about everything, I really appreciate it and yea I've actually always wanted to move to Alaska for some reason maybe from all the missed winters in Florida or also because i want to get as far away from here as I can lol. When I found a community college with no out-of-state tuition and student housing it just sucked me in. The only problem is my career choices, as of right now I have my sights set on becoming a police officer. But after doing some research I found out I have to be at least 21 years old and I'll be 19 going into college next fall so that would give me enough time to get my AA just for general studies and if I did choose a different choice down the road for a bachelors maybe then it would be great. I just don't want it to be a waste of time and money.

[starlite9]

If you don't mind the constant drizzle, all of southeast is outstanding!

Lived in Valdez and Cordova and loved both places. Learned to fly in Valdez and I thought a 2500 foot ceiling was a normal thing for flying in Alaska at the time.

[GaGal12]

I just want to know if the OP ever made it, and if so, are you still there? Fill me in, please!