I have very deliberately not been discussing the weather with y'all. I know much of the U.S. is buried in snow, and the temps have been bitterly cold. I'm sorry. It sucks. I'm wishing for an early thaw and an early spring. I can't even imagine how you all are coping.
Tuesday. Sophomore English, third period.
I was at the door, greeting students, as usual. As Jessica entered, she asked me to turn on the heat in the classroom.
Jessica was dressed in jeans and sneakers, and she was wearing a tank top. No jacket. Deep sigh...
At the end of the previous period, I checked the thermostat. It read 73 degrees. Knowing how many bodies raise the temperature in the classroom, I went to put on the fan. It was cool enough outside that there was no need for air conditioning. We definitely didn't need the heat.
I told Jessica no. Then I asked her where her jacket was.
She explained that when she stepped outside to leave for school, she noted how it was overcast and cool. But she didn't feel like turning around, going back inside, and getting a jacket.
Her problem, then.
The previous day, Jessica would have been dressed okay. The previous week, Jessica was dressed completely appropriately. Because the previous week, we were in the 80s. Yeah. End of January/beginning of February, and I had been wearing shorts. There were a couple days where we were pretty close to 90 degrees.
But the weather reports had told us the temperature would be dropping. Rain was forecast for Tuesday evening. Our projected high was to be about 65 degrees.
I pulled out warmer clothes. The rest of the class was dressed appropriately in long sleeve hoodies and the like. It wasn't bitterly cold, but it was not the day to be wearing a tank top with nothing over it.
Jessica admitted she hadn't been paying attention to the weather reports. So, I warned her that the rest of the week was forecast to be cool. She might want to be bringing her jacket for the next couple weeks.
This is very much a case of a lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine. I do not understand why it is so hard for teenagers to learn how to keep up with the weather reports. There's a default weather app on every phone.
Thank you for not mentioning your 80 degree weather when we were covered in snow and ice. We have highs in the 60s all week, which is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteWe're not supposed to get as high as 60 today, which we consider bitterly cold. But it looks like sun and no rain, so we'll muddle through.
DeleteChecking the weather …there’s an app for that. These kids live on their phones, no excuse
ReplyDeleteExactly!
DeleteThis post reminds me.... In 2013, early February, I was in the US, and it was snow all over the place! I am surprised the kids don't check the weather on the phone!
ReplyDeleteFirst, when I went to school, tank tops were not allowed.
ReplyDeleteSecond, I don't mind the cold! With our humidity, I welcome the cooler months.
Really? We could wear them so long as the straps were wide enough to cover bra straps.
DeleteHi Alex, same here! I live in Montreal, and the temperatures with the heat and humidity as well as the wildfires is very hard to handle. I do much better in the colder weather.
DeleteEven if she'd checked, I doubt she'd have worn a jacket. Having been a teen girl, I will guess she didn't want to "ruin" the look of her outfit! Plus, where are the boys she counted on to gallantly offer their hoodies to her? :) Boys often wear shorts and t-shirts no matter the weather! We had snow yesterday morning and this morning. It's gone now.
ReplyDeleteNot a one offered. Our conversation wasn't quiet or subtle. The current generation of teen boys are slipping.
DeleteEven more so, when she stepped outside and felt it was cold and did... nothing about it!
ReplyDeleteYeah, right?
DeleteI echo Alex's comment! LOL! Although I don't wear a tshirt in the cold weather, I do love the Winter! Seriously, after such long and very hot and humid summers here in Montreal, not to mention with the wildfires making our air quality one of the worst in the world, the colder weather is refreshing...and healthier! There is a very low risk to the health when it is colder than when it is hot and humid here, as the air is fresh and clean!
ReplyDeleteI'm not fond of hot and humid either.
DeleteIf there are sudden highs or low or rain I remind my children to dress accordingly. Often even in freezing weather they choose a hoodie. I did mine job.
ReplyDeleteI bet weather is the last thing on a teen's mind.
ReplyDeleteTrue.
DeleteI don't think I paid much attention to the weather as a teen but I also don't remember being inappropriately addressed, so maybe I was. Now, I pay attention, lots of attention, to the weather.
ReplyDeleteSince we had to be out in it all day, we tended to be aware. If it was going to be cold we had jackets, and if it was going to be hot, we wore shorts. (Well, not in jr high, but that's another story.)
DeleteWeather used to be safe subject to talk about.
ReplyDeletethecontemplativecat here. our first gr-daughter was like that in HS. We often picked her and a friend after school. It was cold weather, and those girls said they weren't cold and didn't need a jacket. We expressed our opinions on that (basically we told them how stupid that was.) . What is it?
ReplyDeleteI don't know. At some point they learn (we hope).
DeleteI never paid attention to the weather as a teenager, and I still don't. My comfortable weather to wear a t-shirt is 40 degrees and up. But I think Jessica was probably prompted to choose her outfit by her hormones, more than her explanation of weather observation....
ReplyDeleteIt's in the 40s this morning here. Many are in heavy jackets. (We don't brave the cold well.)
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