What the winter weather means for Cornell students

The Canada Goose migrates to campus for the winter

Far above Cayuga’s (frozen) waters, the general consensus we hold is that our beloved Ithaca is not only an isolated college town, but that it is absolutely frigid. We only get a few short weeks of nice weather. Otherwise, it’ll either be raining or snowing with a wind chill at least ten degrees below whatever the snapchat weather filter says.

Campus changes once the flurries start to fall.

Saying goodbye to human interaction

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You will not find people willingly staying outside for any reason except to quartercard on Ho Plaza. People won’t be playing pick up sports on the arts quad or tanning on the slope. Instead, they’ll probably all be inside the libraries as prelim season hits.

Ignoring the ‘No Winter Maintenance’ signs

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If the bus is coming and the most direct route means sliding down the ice covered stairs, then so be it. Rules were meant to be broken and signs were made to be ignored. Any and all slippery shortcuts must be taken to avoid the cold.

The flock of the Canada Gooseimage-1

It might be a gaggle of 60 girls lined up outside sorority houses during recruitment. It could also be a smaller group spanning across the entire path to class in front of you. Either way, the Canada Goose jacket appears to be a recently introduced and quickly multiplying invasive species on campus.

Finishing off the year with less outerwear than you came with

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It’s not just the stray gloves you lend to an acquaintance and never get back or the Cornell hat that you leave behind in class. Winter in Ithaca can mean having a winter coat taken by someone else at a party. No one knows how you’re going to stay warm getting home, but you wouldn’t sink to the level of coat stealing.

Struggling on Libe Slope

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Climbing, you huff and puff below freezing air into your lungs, trying not to sniffle. Suddenly, you’ve nearly reached to top, but your body is sweating from all of the layers you have on. These are only minor issues compared to those times when the walkway hasn’t been plowed. If you end up heading back without some solid boots, you might as well sled down.

Instagram-worthy pics 24/7

Everything looks better covered in snow. This is especially true if you’re from California and your friends at the UCs have never even seen the real thing before. Bonus points for some weird Frozen pun.

Using low power mode like nobody’s business

When the temps drop fast, so does a phone’s battery power. Good luck getting home warm when your phone decides it’s too cold to figure out which TCAT route to take.

Missing your good health

It’s been months since the sun shined. Every lecture hall is filled with a chorus of coughs. You may have even forgotten what it’s like to have clear nasal passages. At least you know you’re not alone.

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