“Brrrrrr….Baby, It’s Cold Outside!”

Well what a better way to start this off than saying, “It’s COLD out there!!” As all of you know it has been in the negative degree weather here in Rochester, MN for the past couple of days. Just this morning it hit a nice frost biting -22° F. I know this is a hot topic right now…but I am not accustomed to this weather and don't even think half of you from here are either. I have now been a Rochesterian for almost three years now and it is still something to get used to.

This is where my Mexican South Texas Self comes out and hollers, “What are you doing in Rochester!! Your toes almost fell off yesterday and you can’t even feel your nose!” I also have been getting non-stop calls from family and friends who are wondering if I am still alive. Let this be evidence for my living existence to the world :). Fortunately, I just think of how great it will be to get my doctorate degree from Mayo and how honored and proud I will be to have lasted in Rochester for so long. I also am currently very jealous of the students and friends I have at the Mayo Scottsdale and Jacksonville sites.

So what do I do to keep myself warm and “healthy”? Well you need to actually go out there and DO something. For example, today I am getting dinner and going to a movie with my friend Monica (this of course is an inside activity). I am also in a winter volleyball league that keeps me warm and do my best to keep up my exercise routine at the awesome Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center. Soon I will be learning how to snow board with my “lab mates” and hope I won’t break any bones.

The point of this blog is to allow you to scratch off the worry about coming to Mayo Clinic for graduate or medical school in Rochester due to weather living concerns. If I can survive coming from living in San Antonio’s summer’s 100°F weather, you can survive here too.  I think there are many other important reasons to apply or choose Mayo as your school of higher education!!! (Also don’t forget there are two other sites you may choose from also.)

So as a request for all other foreigners, minorities, ethnicity’s, and thin blooded people out there, let me know what you do to keep warm during these dreadful times………………

Watch:  Winter in Minnesota video.

Jess