Biting Cold on Campus

When I wake up the first thing I do is check the weather. On Monday the ninth it was 29 degrees, which is on the colder side, but isn’t that bad for a Manhattan morning. What I didn’t look at was the windchill… which was 11 degrees. I took one step outside my dorm and was already regretting getting out of bed. I started my 10 minute journey with a text to my roommates that promptly said “it’s cold and smells like cow poop.” I was told by a teacher that when the winds start to come from the North when it gets colder, the campus will start to smell stinky. They were right on with that statement. What made me forget about the stench in the air was the crazy wind. It was blowing my hair into my face, my hood onto my head, and it blew my earbuds right out of my ears. It was so cold I thought I was going to have to stop in Weber Hall to let my face unthaw for a minute, but I decided against it and kept on my merry way. I would have sworn to you that tip of my ears and nose were going to fall right off.

Earlier that morning my friends and I woke up early to go workout. We were running a bit behind, so when I left for class I was still a little warm. I think that was the weirdest sensation I have ever felt of being hot and cold at the same time. When I sat down in class I wasn’t sure if I needed to take my jacket and hat off, or but a scarf and gloves on. After watching some great presentations I knew I had to face the wind again. It was just as bad, but I just walked extra fast so I could return to the comfort of my room.

Days like these are the times I take being outdoors for granted. Just because it was cold I didn’t take any time to take in what was around me. I think a lot of people do this, and don’t take advantage of the fact that we have a beautiful campus that allows us to be able to walk almost anywhere we need to be. Sometimes the most beautiful times are happening when we aren’t paying attention, or there is something that is distracting us (like the smell of manure). It is important that we look around even in these times of slight pain, and take in the amazing world that we are surrounded by.