Many of us have had to adjust our lives due to this crazy winter weather we’ve been experiencing. I was curious how other students have felt about this weather so I asked a few WSU students some questions about this bitterly cold winter we’ve been having.
1. What has been your favorite thing to do on campus this winter?
Julia Hanson, currently a freshman majoring in Education, said, “I like participating in the many clubs offered on campus, it helps me stay busy! Some of my favorites are orchestra and tennis club.”
Tori Kmett, a senior Public Health major, said, “My favorite thing that I’ve been able to participate in the past few months is promoting suicide prevention through putting up flyers around different locations on campus.”
Another senior, Megan Lind, pursuing a major in Exercise Science, said, “I call myself lucky to have access to an indoor gym without having to pay extra for it. I like that it’s built right into my tuition.”
Faith Young, a freshman Accounting major, said “I live in the dorms, specifically in the Richard’s section of the Quad. There are many places in the Quad that you can get together with friends and hang out. They even have a ping pong table and lounge areas with couches and a TV which I enjoy using.”
2. How does the set-up of WSU campus help you stay out of the cold as much as possible?
“The size of campus is small so everything is really close together. Often times I cut through buildings to get to class so I don’t have to walk outside as much.” – Julia
“I like that professors have the discretion to cancel class if they feel it’s not safe to come in, rather than relying on the whole campus to make that decision.” – Tori
3. What is your favorite outdoor activity to do in the town of Winona?
“My favorite thing to do in this type of weather is go ice skating on the lake right here in Winona through the Lake Lodge Recreation Center. It’s super affordable for college students too, an annual membership to do many different types of things on the lake in the summer or winter is only $20!” – Julia
“I like going on walks around town when the weather permits. One of my favorite things is seeing the gazebo on campus lit up!” – Tori
“I like playing hockey on the ice at Lake Lodge Recreation Center.” – Megan
“Before Christmas break, I took a trolley ride around the town of Winona to tour all of the Christmas lights people had hung outside. That’s probably been my favorite outdoor activity I’ve done so far while being here.” – Faith
4. How has Winona made transportation easier in this cold weather?
“The campus does a nice job of making sure all the sidewalks are shoveled which makes it a lot easier to walk to class and get around campus.” – Julia
“I use Lyft a lot in the winter. It’s nice that such a small town offers an affordable transportation service.” – Tori
“I like that Winona does alternate side parking so that all of the snow gets removed before I even wake up!” – Megan
“I didn’t bring a car with me to college, so I have to walk everywhere. It’s nice that the sidewalks are always shoveled. I also appreciate that WSU sends out emails letting me know when their transportation services won’t be running due to weather conditions.” – Faith
All this snow can be a blast for different sports and outdoor activities, but for a many it’s more of a burden. It’s comforting to know that WSU attempts to keep its student’s safe beyond the lengths of what most people would expect.
I hope students understand that WSU truly does care about their safety and goes out of their way to ensure students are smart and safe during this especially cold winter! Remember to stay safe and find ways to embrace this season, Warriors! There’s beauty in every season.