Sneakylong
Two winters ago my daughter was considering transferring to either Northeastern or Boston University. Now understand - I value a quality education, and I know the schools up there are terrific. But at the same time, they're also much more expensive, especially considering there would be no scholarship offerings like she enjoys down at UGA. But... if that's where she felt she needed to be - obviously the wife and I would make necessary sacrifices to see it through.
We went up there over a 4-day break she had in February. She flew into Philly, we picked her up, came home and spent the night, then the next morning we drove up to Boston. It was miserably cold... there wasn't much snow on the ground but still it wasn't like you wanted to spend any amount of time outside if you could avoid it.
Compared to Athens, GA - it may as well have been Siberia. On the way home she said, "beautiful city, but there's no way I'm cut out to deal with that weather. I saw what I needed to see - I think I'll be happier in Athens."
To say that I was elated to hear her say that would be an understatement. I don't like it that she's 13 hours away, but at the same time I know she enjoys the warmer weather, not to mention that she enjoys having her car with her and traveling when she gets the chance. Just from the standpoint of her not being forced to drive in serious winter weather alone is a huge burden off of my shoulders, not to mention the $40k more per year in tuition that I would've had to assume.
