Bundle Up, JD! No Heat for You!

Don't you just love a runny nose, frozen ears, and colds that seem to never end? Well, have no fear because wintertime in Central New York is here.

It's only the beginning of November and there have already been record low temperatures in Syracuse, and in the hallways of Jamesville-DeWitt High School.

The time has come to accept the fact that we are all going to be cold until June. So, are students here at J-DHS planning to grin and bear it this winter, or do they have specific plans in mind to keep warm?

"I wear scarves and gloves," says senior Shayna DeMari. "It's all about layering. Today, I'm wearing two beaters, a thermal and a zip-up!" These are the extreme measures students at J-DHS have to resort to in order to stay warm, even in school.

Frigid temperatures are being reported throughout J-DHS, causing a school wide panic. Take one step into the large cafeteria and the cold air will bring tears to your eyes. "I contemplate bringing a blanket to school," says senior Kyrsten Schreiber. "The vents just blow out cold air." Many students have also started to wear winter coats throughout the day in attempt to stay warm.

Another area of school with severe weather is the Blue Hallway. Walk through this hallway and you are immediately frozen from head to toe. Some students have even reported seeing their breath while walking to class. "There should be heating in this school," says senior Elisa Iribarne. "It distracts me in class. God forbid you sit next to a window!"

Clearly students at J-DHS are going to need to come up with new ways to keep warm in these extreme conditions. For those students looking for a more natural way to keep warm, they can use their own body to fight off the cold. " I just keep my hair down to keep warm," says senior Melissa Oberferst. "The long mane keeps me from getting cold." Who knew long hair could be so beneficial?

Students at J-DHS, who weren't blessed with genes for thick and long hair, could try investing in a hat. A lot of body heat is lost through a person's head; therefore, keeping your head covered could mean keeping the rest of your body warm. Though this sounds like a great idea, the hats will have to be used outside of J-DHS because the dress code doesn't allow students to wear them. So, what other options are available at J-DHS?

In the lunchroom, students can turn to food and drinks such as hot tea or coffee to fight off the winter chills. "I like to drink hot chocolate," says junior Diana Casinella. "It's an easy way to stay warm, and it tastes good."

Undoubtedly, many students get excited to go to gym class during the winter because they believe this will keep them nice and warm. It seems like a logical theory; playing sports and working up a sweat should shut down those cold fears. This idea is defeated, however, once a student takes a step out of the tropical paradise of gym class, and into the Antarctic hallways of J-DHS.

Obviously, winter isn't going anywhere fast. So, be prepared, wear extra layers, grab some hot chocolate, and pray that Punxsutawney Phil doesn't see his shadow come Feb. 2.