The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

The Heat is On and It Won’t Go Off

How many times have you fallen asleep in class? I lost track a long time ago. However, falling asleep in class is not uncommon among college students, especially here at St. John’s.

Is it because we party too much, or, as our professors would be pleased to think, do we stay up all night studying for exams? Sleep deprivation is one of the reasons we sleep in class. However, as the cold weather is upon us, I’ve noticed that the classrooms here at St. John’s are rather warm. Okay, they are more than warm.

Anyone who has a class in Bent Hall or Marillac knows that those classrooms are a nice place to curl up in the corner and fall asleep. It’s quite easy in Bent Hall because of the auditorium style seating. If a professor shows a movie in one of the rooms, once the lights go out the majority of the students are probably asleep.

The heat in the classrooms in Bent Hall or Marrilac is unbearable. In the morning, I find myself at a loss when deciding what to wear. I know that it will be freezing cold outside, but boiling hot in my classes.

The heat is an inconvenience not only to students, but to professors as well. Professors do not like teaching a class when half the students have passed out. Not only that, but some professors work up a sweat during lectures regardless of the temperature because they want to keep the students awake.

Many of the classrooms in Marillac are so small and crowded that not only is the heater cooking the room, there is body heat from over 25 students. One of my professors constantly jokes about coming to class and losing weight by sweating it off.

So what’s the solution? The heat cannot just be turned off from day to day. Maintainence does what they can,, but several of my professors still have to open the windows. But by opening the windows, they let in a breeze that is not a breeze but freezing cold air. Then the students complain that the room gets too cold.

I would so much rather put on a jacket when too cold than strip off layers of clothing because of the heat. There is only so much we can do before we become indecent.

When opening the windows,students are interrupted by outside noises like car alarms and garbage trucks. We don’t need to add any more distractions to lectures. We have enough already with cell phones and beepers going off.

Summer is my favorite season, and I love Florida as much as the next person, but I really don’t need to re-create the heat in my classes. I understand that the heat may not be able to be turned off, but at least give the professors some more control over how much heat is on in their rooms.

If not, let’s just all wear bathing suits to class. We can start a trend.

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