It’s cold. In case anyone missed this, just step outside without a jacket on, and you will know it instantly. With the unpredictable weather patterns of Ohio, students must learn to be prepared for any and all kinds of weather on any given day. During the winter months, that can get pretty complicated for commuter students and staff. Whether they drive 20 minutes or more than an hour, commuters have to prepare even more.

When the FlashAlert went out Monday morning closing campus until noon, many commuter students and staff were probably awake and preparing to leave — if they hadn’t left their homes already. Take into account that commuters must face the inevitable parking lot Olympics of finding a space, and the white-out weather that often accompanies the cold, that 20 minute commute turns into an hour. Then it’s the treacherous walk across campus.

In the grand scheme of things, these are minor inconveniences for the students at Kent State. We all chose to attend university here in wonderful Ohio. To face the cold, we put on layers. To face the long drive, we get up early. We prepare and we cope, but in the end, we often face the elements and get to class.

While these elements are very easily confronted and often overcome, there are things outside our sphere of thought that aren’t as easy to confront as the cold weather. We might not all think about the people right in Kent who don’t have homes or dorms to return to; we might not think about our fellow students who cannot afford to buy a warm winter coat; we might not think about those who haven’t eaten a warm meal in days.

It’s cold, yes. But we want to challenge our fellow students to confront the cold realities that people face during the times when others are facing minor inconveniences. Find out where to donate a jacket, serve warm soup when you can and offer to share a ride across campus for your fellow students. Get to know them and find out their story. You never know how you might warm someone’s day.

The above editorial is the consensus opinion of the The Kent Stater editorial board, whose names are listed above.