By Daniela Paz

The breeze is getting colder, the ground is getting harder and the big winter coats are being bought. With winter right around the corner, students at Loy Norrix High School are snuggling up in their warm gear, especially the students that have to wait for the doors to the school to open at 7 a.m.

Many students get to school before they can even be let inside, anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, which means they have to wait in the cold weather.

“I wait outside like 15 minutes,” said senior DarNeccia Newsome. “When I get there and there are already people waiting and I know there are some getting to school like at 6:30.”

With the snow not even on the ground students can’t even grasp how cold it is going to be once winter is at its peak. Yet students are not allowed to go inside the building to stay warm.

Senior Dendra Stegall thinks there are certain measures that can be taken so that students don’t have to wait long outside.

“It would be a good idea to let us sit in the tower for a few minutes,” said Stegall. “I think it’s pointless to not let us in. Security is there so I don’t see it as a problem.”

The main concern for students is catching the flu or any other virus that can be caught in school. According to WebMD, germs can be passed in many ways inside the classroom its self. This includes passing paper or sharing pencils. Many know that getting sick is not fun, especially when it comes to not being able to go to school.

“There are many consequences to staying outside,” said Stegall. “You get sick, not come to school, you struggle to catch up and at the end of the day your grades are going down.”

Health is key in order to achieve a perfect learning environment. Students must remain healthy in order to perform better in their academics. Things, such as letting students wait in the tower, can help many of them stay well.