DURHAM, N.C.—The crisp mornings and the advent of dusk as the clock approaches 6:00 pm is a clear sign that fall is upon us. Thinking back to the glory days of mid-September, I realize that I took for granted the luxury of lounging on the main quad and meandering through the lush Duke Gardens. Arriving at Duke in 90ºF weather and extreme humidity may not have been pleasant, but as I stumble and shiver from class to class, I find myself reminiscing about those warmer days.
As a native southern Californian, I never really thought about the weather much growing up. The fact that the weather outside would be the same as the day before and as every day before had allowed me to wear shorts and short-sleeved shirts daily.
I was under the impression that attending Duke University in the southern state of North Carolina would enable me to maintain a similar lack of concern about clothing choices; however, I have been rudely awakened by this latest string of frigid temperatures.
It is not even as if I desperately wish to return to the daily routine of sporting a pair of shorts, but I just wish that the weather was less penetrating. The sun offers a temporary respite, but on cloudy days, there is no such interlude from the relentless chill.
No matter how many layers I pile on, the sub-50ºF temperatures seem to pass right through me. It is unfair to expect anyone to be outside in this weather. In the end, the only path forward I see is for Duke to install heated pathways to accommodate those of us who feel personally victimized by the low temperatures.