A dramatic change in temperature has made for a slippery situation around campus.

On Monday, thermometers showed late January temperatures climb into the 40s, then plunge to around zero degrees Fahrenheit with bitter wind chills below minus 20 degrees.

But the whipping winds and frigid cold weren’t the only things students faced Tuesday. Dangerously icy sidewalks menaced the ISU campus and walkers all around the university.

Paul Naylon, freshman in pre-business, said he was surprised at the effort put forth to clear the sidewalks Tuesday because the snow-packed sidewalks normally make for hazardous walking conditions.

“I was actually really shocked this morning when I saw that the sidewalks had sand and gravel on them already,” Naylon said. “I don’t think they normally clean the sidewalks as much as they could.”

Although dramatic temperature shifts are somewhat unpredictable in the Midwest, Andrea Kay, junior in pre-advertising, said growing up in Iowa has given her a thick skin when it comes to unpleasant weather.

“I grew up in this part of Iowa, so I’m pretty used to it,” she said. “You see them cleaning – it’s just that they clean hours after the storms stop, so you always have to hike over the snow.”

It’s hard to determine where to point fingers when it comes to the weather, but one of the primary subjects has been global warming. The question of whether or not the weather has been affected by climate change remains open.

Naylon was quick to point out that he feels global warming is more of a hoax than anything.

“I don’t too much believe in global warming – I think there are just phases in our Earth that come and go,” he said. “I think people are getting too caught up.”

Benson Hargens, senior in biology, couldn’t disagree more with Naylon’s point of view, stating that global warming is definitely playing a role and “you have to wonder what’s going on with our global climate.”

• Facilities Planning and Management tips for walking on slippery sidewalks
• Take short steps or shuffle for stability.
• Bend slightly forward and walk flat-footed with your center of gravity directly over your feet as much as possible
• Be prepared to fall. If you fall, fall with sequential contacts at your thigh, hip and shoulder and avoid using your arms to protect against breakage.
• Bend your back and head forward to avoid hitting your head against the ground.