Since the beginning of January, students have found it difficult to adjust to the cold weather during the winter season. Every morning they walk out the door temperatures can be as low as 30-degrees with little to no sun. This has made students grow impatient as the wait time for the bus increases by the minute. Along with the strong winds, the frost on the ground is enough to make them tap-dance like Mumble in Happy Feet. Although snow is a rare sight in Georgia there is one important question people are asking: Why is Atlanta so cold? 

In true Atlanta fashion, many students forget to layer their clothes with the change of the season. Some have wasted no time at all to switch out their go-to fleece for a big coat with deeper pockets. Depending on how far they have to walk affects their sense of urgency and time spent outside. As a result, students have taken the risk of missing the bus by leaving home later. “I get really anxious going to school because I want to leave home later but I worry my bus driver will come earlier,” said junior Zuri Arceneaux-Drayton.    

By the time they get to the bus stop, the timer starts to see how long their bus driver will take to arrive. For most of the time, they watch the cars go by one after another hoping to see their bus in the line-up. Even though hot Atlanta isn’t everyone’s cup of tea they can be seen with one in hand or a coffee minus the ice. “I usually drink a caramel macchiato with extra caramel drizzle while I wait for my bus to pick me up,” said  Dario Benitez Garcia. “I usually drink green tea with extra sugar but recently the cold weather has made me switch to coffee”

Fortunately, by using their coats to bundle up the cold air stays out as they try to preserve their body heat. This has helped them for the most part but some students still find these conditions unbearable. Standing in one spot for so long has weighed heavy on their bodies and has caused them to freeze in place. “I can feel the freezing wind on my face and hands so I keep them in my pockets as long as possible,” said senior Deotille Hommeril. “My legs start to feel numb as my feet as trapped to the ground because of the cold.” 

Having the heat on during the ride has prevented them from returning to the comfort of their beds. Even though this makes students more comfortable there are a few that enjoy the windows being down. There is not much pushback for those who desire a hot and cold ride but it does cause riders to sit near the aisle. “My advice for students is to wear a big jacket on the bus because the cool breeze from the windows outshines the heat,” said senior Evencio Garcia.

As the seasons’ change, so will the effects Atlanta weather will have on North Atlanta Warriors. While students patiently wait for the bus they might daydream about summer wishing it would come faster. In the meantime, the best thing to do is to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.