Students often post on social media about the cold weather at Montclair State.
Photo Credit: Jennifer Leon
An anonymous user received 42 “up” votes on Yik Yak when venting about the current weather on Montclair State University’s campus. “Walking through campus like,” the student wrote and inserted a photo of SpongeBob SquarePants and Squidward struggling to walk. Students replied with the comments: “so accurate” and “so accurate that it hurts.”
Students across campus can now be seen shrinking into the collars of their coats as they rapidly try to get to and from class.
Montclair State student Aaron Dudek, a Business Marketing major, said, “ It has been crazy cold out, so I can see why the person decided to compare the walk to classes to that hilarious scene in SpongeBob.”
“It’s so relatable, it just makes you laugh because it is so true,” he said as he cupped his two hands together for warmth.
“I get cold easily because I am really thin. Getting out of my car and being hit with a gust of wind doesn’t feel all that great,” continued Dudek. “I walk into class like if I just got out of a boxing match. The wind always wins.”
Students bundle up and huddle over as they face the cold.
Photo Credit: Jennifer Leon
Commuter student Sasha Sierra, a Justice Studies major, pointed at her black converse sneakers as she said, “I can’t feel my toes. Even though my commute is only 25 minutes, I still do what I can to prepare [for the cold weather].”
Sierra admits that even though it is cold, it is nothing compared to other years at Montclair State.
While some commuter students fear the winter commute, Mike Purcell, 22, is not phased by the current weather conditions. Purcell said, “I have been living in Jersey all my life. It gets cold, but some days you just have to get up and do it.”
Winter attire is in full swing now that the temperatures have dropped.
Photo Credit: Jennifer Leon
“I only come to campus two nights out of the week. I know it’s always colder at night but I’m prepared for the winter,” said Purcell as he unlocked his iPhone to check his schedule. “Most of my classes are online, so I’m good.”
Freshman Micheal Prachthauser said, “The wind is absolutely crazy and the cold weather makes it 10 times worse.”
“At Blanton [Hall], you can control the temperature of your personal dorm. But the walk anywhere on campus can get hectic,” said Prachthauser, warning that 6 to 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. are the worst times to be out on campus.
Montclair State’s Parking Services said that the university tries to best plan according to the weather, demonstrated in the university’s recent closure for Winter Storm Jonas.
Until the weather warms up in the spring, though, Montclair State students will likely spend many more days feeling the effects of the freezing temperatures.
