By Alexa Low

Coats, jackets, scarves, hats, ear muffs and gloves are all essentials to survive outside with record low winter temperatures.

All of these essentials can be found in the Student Success Center (SSC) for those students who are not prepared for the cold.

“I wasn’t really ready to embrace this cold weather. I’m just trying to stay warm,” Demetrius Houston, student, said.

Houston is a senior at Quincy who came to the SSC to grab a hat to stay warm. Like many students at QU, Houston lives in the south and has never experienced weather quite like this.

“This is not something I have experienced before. We barely get any cold and if it snows the whole city shuts down,” Houston said explaining his time in Alabama.

Students, faculty and staff donated winter clothing of all sizes to QU students in need.

Quincy closed school for January 30, 2019 because of a winter weather advisory where people can get frostbite within five minutes of being outside if skin is not properly covered. The school sent students an email advising them to :

• Dress in layers and keep all parts of their skin covered
• Wear a hat and keep ears fully covered at all times
• Keep a hat, gloves and blanket in their vehicles in case of emergency

When the weather is gets this cold, older cars may not start. The Chicago Tribune suggests that at least a half-tank of gas should be in your car at all times during the cold to prevent a fuel line freeze. To accommodate those students whose car does not start or they do not wish to drive to class, QU brought in vans to assist students, faculty and staff with transportation on campus.

Maintenance closely watched of all the heating units in the buildings on campus and they’re offering space heaters to those who would like to borrow one.

When deciding if the campus is going to close, many different things go into consideration. After keeping close watch on the meteorologists reports, security tests out the sidewalks to see if they are safe for students. President Phil Conover is the final decision maker.

“We have to look at the temperatures, the safety of the campus, the safety of our commuters and employees traveling to go to school or work as our main factors. Ultimately the safety for the QU community is what is most important,” Dean of Students Christine Tracy said.

The cold weather has affected not just students but athletes as well.

“It has been kinda hard. Coach has been accommodating with the weather and having us run inside the Health and Fitness Center on the upstairs track. It’s hard to run inside and share the track with other sports,” Ashton Leslie, Track & Field athlete, said.

Practices were held for sports that are in season such as basketball and volleyball. Coaches advised their players to drive to practice and not walk to the gym from their dorms.