Baruch is growing chaotic with steaming geysers shooting out of radiators and classrooms feeling like the North Pole.
There are numerous elements contributing to our school’s weird temperature settings, but instead of trying to fix it, we can come prepared and explore the reasons behind the issue.
What many students aren’t aware of is that the BCCHS building is a leased one. After the fifth floor we are not permitted to enter because the rest of the floors are not our property. This is why our building is cut up into weird sections and the rooms seem disproportionate; the school was originally an office building.
Learn How to Layer:
The art of layering is key to staying warm or cool in any place. The way to go, according to BCCHS students, is a shirt and hoodie and maybe a jacket if you’re feeling extra adventurous.
Junior, Anstasia Mulovuc, said she wears a shirt, a hoodie and her Alo jacket along with long pants to brave the cold during her commute to school.
But what about the situation at school? Do students unfold their bundles of scarves and mittens or do they keep it on? The answer is both! At Baruch, the floors and rooms differ in temperature and some are either really hot or cold; the main culprits seem to be the third and fifth floor.
What are the usual climate conditions in school? On the first floor, near the entrance to our school, it is usually freezing.
As the doors are constantly opening, and students shiver while waiting to be let in, the wind sneaks into BCCHS’s lobby and torture our beloved security guards or anyone in the college office; This is why heating seems to be scarce in the lower floors.
However, as the radiators struggle to warm our community, the heat rises and visits the fourth and fifth floors.
Sophomore Mawa Sieivey said that Spanish teacher Loriann Nardacci’s fifth-floor classroom can be uncomfortable, noting that while it is sometimes cold, it is “usually really hot.
To confirm the inconsistency, multiple visits were made to the classroom, where alternating gusts of hot and cold air were felt. Despite Spanish teacher Loriann Nardacci’s efforts to block sunlight by closing the blinds in an attempt to regulate the temperature, the conditions remained unchanged.
While some classrooms are uncomfortably warm, others experience the opposite problem. The third floor, in particular, is often where students can be seen wearing puffy jackets or complaining about the cold. Sophomore Mawa Sieivey said the third floor is “usually” where she feels the need to put on a jacket. Despite the chill, radiators continue blasting heat with little effect.
One incident recently drew attention to the issue. Over the weekend, a box of crayons was left on a radiator in the classroom of Darius Lewis, a global literature teacher. When Lewis returned, he was met with a strong odor caused by melted Crayola crayons. Although the crayons are labeled non-toxic, the smell forced Lewis to open the windows during class to air out the room.
Principal Alicia Perez Katz reiterated that no objects should be placed on radiators, a rule underscored by the incident. The situation highlights how intensely hot the radiators can become, while still failing to effectively warm rooms that remain persistently cold.
Would Students Rather Be Cold or Hot?
Junior Gabi Kolber described the discomfort of overheating, saying, “I can be cold, but being hot feels like a carrot being boiled in soup.” While few students want to be uncomfortably warm or cold, many say they would rather endure lower temperatures than excessive heat.
Principal Alicia Perez Katz said she prefers being too warm, noting that she can step outside during the winter to cool down. During meetings, she said, she sometimes removes her UNIQLO Heattech long-sleeve shirt and replaces it with a regular top when she feels overheated.
Like chameleons, members of the Baruch community are forced to adapt to shifting classroom temperatures by shedding layers or piling jackets over sweaters.
Mystery: Why Can’t We Just Turn off the Radiators Sometimes?
An incident occurred long ago, traumatizing the Baruch faculty members: the pipes had frozen! The entire school was flooded, and both students and teachers were forced to evacuate. If the radiators are not constantly running the school will enter a state similar to Antarctica.
BCCHS students should stay prepared and become used to the changing climates of our school so we may endure the different temperature all day without stressing the unpredictable conditions of each classroom and hallway.
