8A KULTURE
THE UNIVERSITY DARY KANAN
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2006
Patrons wait in line outside a very crowded It's Brothers, 1105 Massachusetts St., on a Saturday night despite the cool weather. Colder temperatures dissuade some, but not all, students from waiting outside in line to get into bars.
Mindy Ricketts/KANSAN
Coming in from the cold
KU students adapt to winter weather try to stay warm
BY JENNIFER MOHWINKLE
The changing weather affects more than just the clothes students wear and their electric bills. The increasing chill also affects the academic and social lives of students. From getting to class to deciding where to spend a night out, the cold weather breeds necessary adjustments in a student's mode of operations.
GETTING TO CLASS:
Many students simply avoid the uncomfortable weather and don't attend class. "Whenever I start thinking whether I should go or not, I just don't," Kristen Watkins, Lenexa sophomore, said.
However, students who brave the cold and head for campus become resourceful in terms of transportation. Watkins said she received more rides from friends as weather became
more unpleasant.
The KU on Wheels bus system is also a popular option for students, especially during the colder months.
Mark Burghart, Topeka sophomore, said,
"The buses are packed in the winter, but I'll still take them."
Jessica Mortinger, transportation coordinator for KU on Wheels, agreed. "As weather gets colder and wetter, we see more ridership," she said.
According to KU on Wheels records, the average number of passengers carried in February 2006 was 9,108, while October averaged only 6,903 passengers.
GOING OUT:
Parties and bars alike sometimes leave students out in the cold.
Kelly McReynalds, Santa Fe, N.M., sophomore, said, "If I go to a party and it's packed so I can't get inside, I'm not going to stay there on the porch."
Bars can also subject chilly patrons to lengthy, slow-moving lines.
Maris Rogers, Topeka junior, said the maximum time she waited outside in line was 20 minutes, while Juntack Oh, Seoul, South
Korea, freshman, said, "I wouldn't wait even 10 minutes."
Fortunately for freezing bar-goers, some establishments are prepared.
Patrik Craven, a manager at The Hawk, said. "We have excellent winter attendance because of the heaters on the patio"
The Hawk, 1340 Ohio St., is just one of several bars for KU students equipped with heated outside areas. Other bars that have outside heaters include Quinton's, The Cadillac Ranch and Louise's Downtown.
GETTING HOME;
By the end of a night out, not all KU students find themselves in the condition to drive home.
"I know I don't want to walk home and freeze, so I use my head more when I go out," Burghart said.
Not all KU students have the same reasoning, especially on special occasions. Mortinger said the busiest nights for SafeRide are game-
days and holidays, such as Halloween and New Year's Eve. This past Halloween, SafeRide assisted 135 passengers, whereas only 36 passengers rode Oct. 30.
The frosty conditions affect students like McReynalds and Burghart who agree that, rather than walking, they enlist the help of SafeRide more frequently during winter months. When asked how many times she has walked home in the cold, McReynalds easily said "Zero."
Whether it's venturing outdoors or rushing back indoors, the decreasing temperature will soon affect class attendance, bus ridership and a student's ability to trudge by foot to various campus locations. KU students have options though, such as KU on Wheels, SafeRide and heavy winter clothing to make it to another spring.
Kansan correspondent Jennifer Mohinkwine can be contacted at editor@kansan.com.
Edited by Brett Bottom
what is the best clothing for cold weather?
- a hat
- a scarf or knit mask to cover face and mouth.
- sleeves that are snug at the wrist
- mittens (they are warmer than
  water-resistant coat and shoes
- water-resistant coat and shoes
- several layers of loose-mitting clothing
- put the outer layer of your clothing on
- be sure the outer layer of your clothing is tightly woven, preferably wind resistant, to reduce body-heat loss caused by wind.
of clothing will hold more body heat than cotton.
- Stay dry—wet clothing chills the body, rapidly. Excess perspiration will increase heat loss, so remove extra layers of clothing whenever you feel too warm.
- Wool, silk, or polypropylene inner layers
- Avoid getting gasoline or alcohol on your skin whilede-icing and fueling your car or using a snow blower. These materials in contact with the skin greatly increase heat loss from the body.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Mindy Ricketts/KANSAN
Students crowd onto a bus bound for McCollum Hall on Monday afternoon. SafeRide and KU buses see more use as the weather cools.
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