The weather in Durham Region has been tame for students for most of the winter term but that changed drastically over the weekend and to start this school week.
Down jackets and scarves were a requirement to attend class, as an extreme cold weather warning gripped the area with wind chills making it feel like -30 C.
Despite the cold, once they arrive on campus, students can find ways to navigate their way around and stay warm, said Tom Lynch, director of campus safety for Durham College and UOIT.
“The school is a little bit like a maze but there aren’t many places you can’t traverse to while staying indoors,” he said.
Lynch also shared DRT buses stop close to several entrances providing less time outside for students and staff.
With extreme cold weather, students waiting for buses have chosen to stay inside the doors slowing down traffic going in and out of the campus, according to Lynch.
“Usually I love the cold weather but this year it has been too cold,” said Tarik Talhouk, 19, who attends Durham’s Whitby campus and is enrolled in Architecture Technology.
“Since I’m usually a fan of the cold to prepare I just grabbed my heaviest jacket and I’m not a fan of toques,” added Talhouk.
Some students, like Jin Gao, 22, in the Marketing program at UOIT, shared he’s not impressed with the cold weather.
According to an archive of monthly weather, the temperature on Jan. 21, 2018 was only -4 C, thats a -26 degree difference. While the mercury is expected to rise soon with a high of -3 C Tuesday, we’ll get more relief Wednesday with a high of 4 C.
The chilly weather doesn’t only affect commutes to and from campus but it can also affect food sales.
Cold weather can improve sales if it starts later in the day once students are already on campus, but if it [extreme cold] begins before classes, it can affect them negatively due to less students showing up, according to Todd McKinnon, director of food services.
Once on campus students can warm up by going where warm beverages and snacks are served, such as Tim Hortons and The Grillhouse.
Although sales at Tims are pretty consistent, said McKinnon.
“No matter the weather Tim Hortons is Tim Hortons, it (weather) doesn’t have a crazy affect,” he said.
