How to beat the unbearable heat

By Sydney Stone, Editor-in-Chief

October 19, 2015

A river freezes in Vail, Colo. One thing that might be helpful when trying to cool off at school is to imagine a scene like this in the cold. Photographer: Syd Stone ’16.

The beginning of fall can be brutal at Archer. Even though our historic building is a gorgeous place to go to school, its 1930s architecture is not the best for 100 degree days in October. Here are some suggestions for how to beat the heat while staying cool in school.

Ava-Rose Beech '16 works on college applications while sitting at Le Pain Quotidian in the Brentwood Village. Many upperclassmen like to take their work across the street, especially in the hotter months. Photographer: Syd Stone '16 — Ava-Rose Beech ’16 works on college applications while sitting at Le Pain Quotidien in the Brentwood Village. Many upperclassmen like to take their work across the street, especially in the hotter months. Photographer: Syd Stone ’16

1. Work across the street during your free periods.

Juniors and seniors — take advantage of your ability to go across the street and do work. Almost all of the places in the Brentwood Village are air conditioned and you can order a cold drink to cool off. You might even find that you are more productive when you work across the street when you are away from all of the Archer distractions.

2. Carry around a portable fan.

Take it from someone who has been doing this for years — your teachers and peers WILL make fun of you, but only because they are jealous. Little battery powered fans are cheap and ensure that you stay cool in class. I guarantee everyone will beg to borrow it within minutes.

3. Drink plenty of water.

This should be a no-brainer. We have convenient — not to mention COLD — water fountains in almost every hallway, so make use of them!

4. Stay inside.

It might seem small, but only walking inside the building to get from class to class might keep you cooler. Even if it takes a bit longer to go through the hallways than it would to cut through the courtyard, the time you spend hiding from the hot sun will be well worth it.

Robotics Team captains Ari Brown '16, Sofia Garrick '16 and Reanna Wauer '16 pose with their semi-completed robot before a competition. The team meets in the Sabaan IDEA Lab on Wednesdays at lunch. Photographer: Syd Stone '16. — Robotics Team captains Ari Brown ’16, Sofia Garrick ’16 and Reanna Wauer ’16 pose with their semi-completed robot before a competition. The team meets in the Saban IDEA Lab on Wednesdays at lunch. Photographer: Syd Stone ’16.

5. Spend your lunches in an air conditioned room.

Although the courtyard is the most scenic place to eat lunch on campus, many clubs meet at lunch in air conditioned classrooms. Not only will you be able to spend 45 blissful minutes in the cold, you will also get to participate in a new activity and perhaps discover a passion of yours.

6. Relax.

It is really easy to get caught up in the stress of the day, but this only contributes to the heat. If you take a minute to slow down and just breathe, your body temperature will lower and you will feel much better.

About the Contributor

Sydney Stone, Editor-in-Chief

Syd Stone graduated in 2016. She became the Voices Editor and the Social Media Manager during the 2013-2014 school year and continued in that position in 2014-2015. She served as the Co-Editor-In-Chief of the Oracle with Sarah Wagner during her senior year. She played cello in the Upper School Orchestra, was a member of the Honor Education Council and was the senior chair of the Ambassador Leadership Team. She attended the journalism institute for high school seniors at Northwestern University, where she went on to pursue a journalism major in college.

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