The weather, an awesome yet unpredictable force, should not be reckoned with. It has shown its power through all of human history with sand storms, tsunamis, tornados and hurricanes. Humans suffer the torrid heat and bitter cold on a daily basis.

The human species has shown great resilience to the drastic changes in weather. Adaptation has been key to the survival against this great force and as time and technology surge on, humans have been increasingly able to cope with the weather’s overwhelming presence.

For the most part, humans have been able to live with the hushed ubiquity of weather. But even with our technology, the weather is still dangerous. Because it has an uncontrollable and intense nature, humans have no choice but to adapt.

As Yann Martel said, “all living things contain a measure of madness that moves them in strange, sometimes inexplicable ways. This madness can be saving, it is part and parcel of the ability to adapt. Without it, no species would survive.”

How do humans adapt? In lucid terms, thorough preparation. You can expect a certain weather pattern, due to the faithfulness of a given climate. In the South, one could reasonably predict warmer temperatures, with consideration for the occasional heat wave. As for the North, seasonal changes bring freezing conditions.

When you live in a certain area of the world like Iowa, you will experience a wide range of weather from sweltering heat to numbing cold. These unstable conditions are a humbling experience for all people.

In the winter, Iowa often experiences intense temperatures. As northerners, we have come to expect this. It’s our job as inhabitants of this state to equip ourselves with the necessary tools. You can’t change the weather, and life continues. Businesses don’t close as a result of extremely cold temperatures and employees are required to work.

Likewise, colleges should be held to a similar standard and it would appear they have been. Colleges, especially Iowa State, are not known for closing down because of uncomfortable circumstances. I applaud this effort. Of course, there are safety conditions that must be considered, but we humans, who have survived the worst plights, can certainly endure a day in the freezing cold.

You cannot blame the college if you are ill prepared to walk outside in a combination of frostbite and snow. It is you who must take responsibility, humble yourself and adapt. Through adaptation, we can survive and conquer the icy temperatures. To summon the words of Robert A. Heinlein, “the instinct to survive is human nature itself and every aspect of our personalities derives from it.”

The university cannot make an absolute decision based on only a few people. The resolution to not close dissipates from being a desire to becoming a commitment. The college is committed to its students to remain functioning.

From the obvious reasoning of money, to the obligatory reasoning of duty, it is only under the most extreme of conditions that hands are forced, with those conditions not being a frigid atmosphere. Whether by toasty afternoons or frosty mornings, of late, the college must continue to operate.

It then is not a matter of hiding from the weather, it’s a matter of preparedness. To be obvious, wear mittens and a hat, leave the flip-flops at home and don’t wear shorts for the sake of manliness. Don’t be afraid of the cold, but instead relish it. In some ways, it heightens the awareness of being human. We must confront the elements and boost our tolerance to the cold.

This includes experiencing the biting wind in your face and the crisp air that ices your lungs. You can’t change it, so adapt to it. In its infinite diversity, weather becomes not an enemy to the human race but a harsh friend that we can learn to cope with. Humans will forever change in response to the weather, as surely we must.