At John Carroll, there is a diverse population of students from all across the world. From Cleveland to Buffalo, some students are used to below freezing temperatures but how are students from warmer climates facing the cold?
During the week of Jan. 20, temperatures in Cleveland were consistently below zero degrees, prompting John Carroll to close for two and a half days until the temperatures were bearable. While campus was mostly closed, apart from the necessary operations, students were trying to make it through the freezing temperatures. However, many students have never experienced such frigid temperatures, so how did they deal with the cold on campus?
Angelina Urbina ‘25, who is from Belize, stated that “This is probably the coldest it’s ever been since I started going to school here. If I don’t have to leave my dorm, I stay in. This past weekend I didn’t leave my dorm for four days straight.” Many students like Urbina treated the days off as a “staycation” and remained safe in their dorm rooms or in off-campus housing to combat the cold.
For other students, the dorms did not provide as much of an escape from the cold as they would have wished. Emma Taylor ‘27 was surprised to find that “when I looked at my dorm windows, I noticed frost on the inside and could feel cold air coming in.” Her roommate Anna Schneider ‘27 braved the cold, after not finding too much relief inside, and said “I got headaches from how cold it was and my ears were throbbing.”
If students like Schneider needed to leave the comfort of their warm rooms, they also made sure to wear cozy clothing. Abigaïl Chappuy ‘25 is native to France and explained that she “handle[s] the cold by dressing warmly (I always wear tights and leggings under my jeans) and keeping hot drinks close by. It’s quite a change from France, where heavy snow is rare.” Urbina uses the same tactic and when she reluctantly leaves her dorm, “I’m bundled up! Everyone tells me I look so cozy when they see me around campus.”
Students who are not from Cleveland are not used to the level of snow that the city is known for. However, they seem to enjoy the change of scenery. Urbina noted that “it’s really beautiful weather to enjoy from indoors, by my bedside window with a cup of hot coffee or a comforting bowl of soup.” Chappuy reminisced about her last experience with heavy snowfall. “The last time I saw heavy snow like this, I was in elementary school, and we had about 14 inches. Still, I find it nostalgic and exciting, even if locals might take it for granted.”
Despite the freezing temperatures and snow, JCU students from across the world were able to stay warm on campus during virtual classes. Most students tried to remain inside, even if that proved to be somewhat unsuccessful. If they needed to walk across campus, they did so safely by dressing warmly. If you are experiencing negative temperatures in your area, bundle up when heading outside or choose to stay inside to avoid frostbite.
