“This weather is crazy and I never know what to wear. It’s cold one minute and hot the next,” said Shannon Lockamy a senior at WCU.
The unpredictable weather this season has many students feeling like this. With morning temperatures being in the 30’s or low 40’s and afternoon temperatures ranging from 60’s to even high 70’s, dressing for the occasion has been difficult this season.
How are students surviving this crazy weather at WCU?
“I’ve learned to wear light jackets over t-shirts or thinner shirts. They are an easy layer to take off when the weather gets warmer,” Lockamy said.
“Sweatshirts are always my go-to in the morning when it’s too cold. I just wear t-shirts underneath and by afternoon I’m fine in the warmer weather,” said Casey Bowman a Senior at WCU.
While some are adapting to the hot one minute, cold the next weather, it is not everyone’s ideal winter season.
“With it being close to Thanksgiving and Christmas, I’m ready for the temperature to just stay cold. I don’t like the cold weather that much, but for the sake of dressing in sweaters and boots and not burning up in the afternoon, I want it to stay cold,” said Mercede Bierwiler a junior at WCU.
Besides new wardrobe options, the winter weather also brings new opportunities. With WCU being surrounded by mountains, it is considered the perfect spot for activities like snowboarding and sledding.
“I like the winter weather. It means snowboarding,” said Lauren Skidmore a junior at WCU.
“I don’t mind the winter weather. I like snowboarding and sledding, but what I really look forward to is basketball, and Super Bowl season,” said Stephen Reneau a senior at WCU.
One popular local ski area is Cataloochee Ski Area in Maggie Valley. They opened for winter operations on Nov. 6, and lift tickets are affordable, ranging from $38-$56. Skis and snowboards are also available for rent on a daily basis. Maggie Valley is up Highway 23 from WCU, so it is very easy to make an afternoon out of a trip to the Cataloochee Ski Area. Another popular winter destination is Hawks Nest Snow Tubing in Hawks Nest, N.C. It offers snow tubing and a zip line for people of all ages. It is open on weekends until Dec. 10, and then is open full time for the rest of the winter season.
Basecamp Cullowhee is also offering a winter getaway. From January 1-8, Basecamp Cullowhee is taking students to Killington, VT. It is a weeklong vacation during the universitie’s winter break, with tickets going from $750-785.
Whether you enjoy the sports, activities, or just the fashion of the winter season, the promise of chillier weather is right around the corner. So turn on your televisions, strap up your snowboards, or put on your new scarf and enjoy the wintery weather.
(Western Carolinian writer Ryan Alexander contributed to this report.)
