I know many visualize all Floridians living at the beach and running around in shorts and flip-flops year-round, and guess what, moving into your apartment near USF will be precisely like many envision.
Enjoy the Sea Breeze
Like most of Florida, it is hot most of the year, but you will find there is a sea breeze at your student apartment in Tampa. Although with Florida's humidity, it may be hard to notice any breeze but soon you may appreciate it more, especially if you travel to other parts of inland Florida where a sea breeze is lacking. Per the U.S. Climate Data website, you will notice not a lot of variation throughout the year. November through March the average high is in the seventies with the low in the fifties. The rest of the year feels like summer with highs in the eighties and nineties, lows in the sixties and seventies and usually just once the sun goes down.
Survive the Summer
You may be asking yourself how we Floridians survive the long summer months? It is easy, water and air conditioning are our top two must-haves here in Tampa. Spending time at your University of South Florida apartment's pool, the local beach, or trips to the springs is necessary. So definitely bring your swimsuits, coverups, dresses, shorts, tank tops, and all the lightweight clothing. You will soon appreciate and see a need for different fabrics that breathe a little during the hot summer months. Sun protection is a must, so don't forget the sunscreen and accessories such as sunglasses, hats, SPF coverups or shirts found at most sportswear stores, and of course, you won't be a true Floridian without flip-flops.
Is Winter Coming?
Depending on where you are moving from, you may find the wintertime is almost non-existent while attending the University of South Florida. Still, after a while, we are sure you will notice the slight temperature change and appreciate any cooler weather we are lucky enough to get. Most years, you may not even find a use for a jacket and although it is very rare you may be surprised to learn it has actually snowed a few times in the Tampa area. Although the temperatures are usually very mild, you may still want a part of sweats, sweaters, leggings, and jeans.
You Never Know
When one moves to Florida, the biggest surprise may be how often the temperature can change. You may find in some seasons jumping between your USF freshman apartment heat and air conditioning, sometimes even on the same day. It could be freezing in the morning but a nice 70's degrees with full sunshine by the afternoon. So, think layers, especially during the winter months.
Some years and some months, it feels like it just rains non-stop or the notorious afternoon showers popping up out of nowhere during the summer months. You may find you want a pair of rain boots, rain jacket or poncho for your USF off-campus housing. Maybe something that easily fits in your backpack that you can throw on last minute would be helpful.
In conclusion, it seems every year is different here in Florida. To prepare your clothing for your USF apartment, we suggest you bring a little of everything for clothing but especially your summer and beach favorites. We hope you enjoy the weather at your new apartment, many love the Florida weather because of the mild winters and accessibility to outdoor activities and recreation year-round, and we couldn't agree more!