Each year, students from TCS are affected by the weather at school. The coldness has been an issue for a long time, and it still is. In rainy and foggy days you literally feel like all of your limbs will be paralyzed by the terrible cold.  “It’s so cold,” has become the most popularly stated phrase at the institute. TCS High School students repeat this an average of 4 times per week.

For people that had been working or studying at school for awhile, it had become a habit and something normal, however all habits are not good. In this case, temperature has a repercussion on the learning process and working process too. Trudie Lawrence works on creating perfect workspaces at Envoplan company,  and sustains that “It’s amazing how much you can improve your classroom environment by prioritizing changes to the layout, temperature and storage.” Studies had shown a correlation between the temperature and the productivity of an individual. “When temperatures were low (68 degrees or 20 degrees Celsius) employees made 44% more mistakes than at optimal room temperature (77 degrees or 25 degrees Celsius),” says Professor Alan Hedge from Cornell University.

Not only this is scientifically proven, but also it is evident in our school community; Where there are people coming to school with blankets, 3 sweaters and even thermal clothes. “[coldness] at school is absurd, it doesn’t let me study or do anything so I feel myself forced to wear a blanket. Although this isn’t school appropriate, it is the only way I can resist the [temperature],” says Eliana Lopez, 11th grade TCS student.

Teachers; like students and parents are concerned with the temperature situation. Emily Butterworth, TCS 11th and 9th grade English teacher, has her own heater for cold days at school. “As expats from the States, if it’s cold outside we are used to having heat inside, but in here we have no heaters. I believe weather affects us: if it’s too cold or too hot we kind of get into a hibernation mode,” says Butterworth .

Why shall one settle with an issue that interferes with one’s academic performance and productivity? “I’m always cold at school, so in order to make myself warm I wear thermal clothing [underneath] my school uniform, and I also use three pairs of socks. I think it’s ridiculous how cold the school is; and because we don’t even have hearts in the classrooms, using this measures against the cold is the only thing I can do,” says Laura Loaiza, TCS high school student.

Varios students had request to place heaters at the institution, and end with the side effects of the cold once and for all.Surely having heaters placed in all the classrooms is a big cost for the school, but it is absolutely worth it if all of this is taken into account. Don’t you like to feel comfortable in a place where you spend more time than in your own home? I do.