Photo courtesy of camera obscura via Unsplash License.
UTampa students share mixed reactions to the unexpected cold weather that Florida brings this holiday season.
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By Sade Reyes
TAMPA, Fla. – As the semester begins to wind down and we approach winter break, holiday spirit begins to set in — but cooler temperatures have come. For many University of Tampa students, the holiday season means returning to northern temperatures, for some of the very temperatures they came to Tampa to escape. UTampa students respond differently to the northern-esque lows.
On Tuesday, Nov. 11, Tampa hit a record low of 39 degrees. According to US Climate Data, average temperatures in Tampa during Nov. are about 79 degrees and a low of 61. While this is still a large increase from northern averages, this week has brought far cooler temps than some students were expecting.
According to College Factual, about 32.6% of students from the northern Tri-State
area (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut) calls the University of Tampa home. Many
came to Tampa for the warm weather year-round. However, this week’s warmth has
not been a consistent experience.
Hailey Ward, a UTampa sophomore, said she was not a fan of the cold weather.
“I hate to be cold,” she said. “I can be okay with being hot because I came to Tampa and I knew what I was in for, but when it’s cold, I just don’t like it.”
Born in New York, Ward is no stranger to subzero temperatures. However, she said the weather was a major factor in her college decision. For her, the weather plays a big role in her happiness during the school year.
“When it’s warmer out, I go outside more,” she said, explaining that being able to go outside helped her avoid seasonal depression. For her, being at a school with warm weather all year long was essential.
Ward said the cold only frustrates her when she expects it to be warm.
“It definitely frustrates me during November and October because it’s still supposed to be hot,” Ward said.
Grace White, a sophomore at UTampa, said that cooler temperatures are welcoming for her.
“I’m not sweating walking between classes,” she said, appreciating the milder temperatures. “I live in Florida year-round, so I’m a bit tired of the hot weather.”
White said that in her opinion, the heat of Tampa compared to her milder home near
Jacksonville, Florida, is more of an annoyance.
“It’s much warmer here than Jacksonville, which is a bummer,” White said.
White said she waits for the colder temperatures all year to wear her more layered, winter-ready outfits.
Cooler temperatures also bring some fun events to Tampa. During the holiday season, Busch Gardens hosts Christmas Town from Nov. 14 to Jan. 5. Even closer to UTampa, the winter season brings Winter Village to Curtis Hixon Park across the river.
“I like the ice skating they do across the river, the Winter Village,” Ward said. “It’s cute.”
Ward added that the cold temperatures aren’t all bad, as long as she’s prepared. She said one of the perks of the chilly weather is getting to dress down in comfy sweats.
One big positive for Ward about the cold weather is how it makes her feel, especially when getting into the holiday spirit and spending time with family back in North Carolina.
“It reminds me of home,” Ward said.
As cooler temperatures begin to set in throughout Tampa and the greater Florida area, they are bringing lows that many students came to avoid. However, with these temperature drops also come holiday events, new outfits, and even a sense of home.