Budget Breakdown: How I Survived -5°C in Frostburg on Student Funds
just got back from frostburg where my student ID number 5897884 somehow became more useful than my actual student ID. let me tell you, when they say it's -5 degrees outside, they ain't kidding. i just checked and it's...there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. the weather feels exactly like what the thermometer says, which is either a scientific marvel or just confirmation that cold is cold, no matter how you try to dress it up.
so yeah, frostburg. where my friend's dorm room number somehow aligns with 1124786959 in some weird cosmic student id lottery. the pressure up here is 1029, which according to the internet means 'stable weather' but let's be real, nothing's stable when it's this cold. the humidity's at 74%, which explains why my breath clouds up like i'm some kind of dragon when i walk to class.
if you get bored, kingston and bathurst are just a short drive away. apparently those places have 'real' winter or something, not like this amateur hour frostburg experience. i heard someone say that the local diner serves soup so hot it'll melt your face off, but then again, i also heard that a local warned me about the same place giving food poisoning last month. can't win 'em all, i guess.
spent most of my time bundled up like i'm preparing for antarctica, which might actually be warmer, idk. checked out the local campus hangout, campus coffee, which someone told me has the best hot chocolate this side of the mississippi. then i tried to study at library corner, but the heating was so inconsistent i kept moving my laptop to follow the warm spots like some kind of heat-seeking missile.
bought a winter coat from thrift treasures that smelled like someone's grandma's attic, but hey, it was 5 bucks and it works. someone told me that the owner of that place used to be a famous fashion designer in toronto before becoming a thrift store mogul. not sure if that's true or just something a local warned me about to make me feel better about wearing secondhand clothes.
the whole trip was basically a lesson in 'how to be broke and cold but somehow still have fun.' survived on instant noodles and hope, discovered that my phone battery dies faster than my motivation in this cold weather, and learned that wearing three pairs of socks is both necessary and a recipe for some serious swamp foot.
anyway, if you're a budget student like me and you're looking for a place where your money doesn't go far but the winter experiences are memorable, frostburg might be your thing. just remember to pack more than you think you need, and maybe invest in some hand warmers before you go. your future self will thank you when you're not typing with frozen fingers at 2 am because you forgot gloves again.
i heard that the campus library has secret passages that lead to hidden study nooks where the wifi is actually decent. tried to find them but just ended up looking like a confused raccoon in the stacks.
someone told me that the professor in the east wing gives extra credit if you bring him homemade cookies. attempted this with instant cookie dough from the vending machine. he politely declined.
local gossip says there's an ice rink behind the old science building where students go to skate at night. didn't find it, but did find a frozen pond that looked promising until i realized i didn't know how to ice skate and also didn't want to die.
You might also be interested in:
- https://votoris.com/post/best-suburbs-in-tasikmalaya-for-families-and-young-professionals-dont-ask-me-why-im-up-at-3-am
- https://votoris.com/post/cebu-city-unfiltered
- https://votoris.com/post/bangui-budget-brawl-the-real-cost-of-staying-alive
- https://votoris.com/post/montevideo-madness-sweat-samba-and-seriously-strange-vibes
- https://votoris.com/post/fort-worth-eats-a-drummers-take-on-what-locals-actually-stuff-in-their-faces