The Four Seasons of RIT

RIT is a special place for many reasons. One unique thing RIT has to offer is the changes in weather throughout the school year. Unlike many other college students around the country, RIT students get to experience all four seasons. If you have yet to experience the full spectrum of beauty that is the North East’s four seasons, this blog is especially for you.

Summer

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Arriving in August, students experience a Western New York summer. The sun is almost always out, and light clothing is a must. It’s a great idea to bring a small fan for your dorm. The warm weather calls for tons of outdoor activities, like Spikeball in the university’s quads, jogs around campus, tennis, and even volleyball at a court right outside of the dorms. Nighttime is also beautiful at this time of the year. The skies are clear, and the temperature isn’t too cold for a late-night walk to the dining halls on campus. This summer-like climate lasts through August and September, and, if we’re lucky, maybe even some of October.

Fall

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Fall is a beautiful time in Rochester; it is my personal favorite season. I love the combination of days that feel just like summer and some days with a nice rainfall, perfect for studying with a warm drink in hand or taking that well-deserved nap in your dorm. An RIT student must be ready to adapt, especially in this season. Walking to class in the morning, you might need a jacket and maybe even a warm hat. However, later in the afternoon, you might change into something much lighter. A raincoat and/or umbrella is certainly a must-have at RIT. My personal favorite thing to do in the fall is travel to nearby parks on a warm day. The trees have beautifully colored leaves, and there are many days when the weather is just right, not too hot or too cold. RIT has many wooded areas on campus with walking paths, which is a great thing to take advantage of during the fall.

Warm days usually filter out through the beginning of November, and the weather usually calls for a jacket every day. As the school year continues, more rainy days begin to occur, and the sun hides behind the clouds more often than not. However, this isn’t much of a problem at RIT. We have a large variety of indoor facilities, for instance, a fieldhouse, two indoor tracks, basketball courts, indoor pools, a large workout facility, rock climbing, ice rinks, and many indoor spots to hang out and study, including the library and areas near dining halls.

Winter

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RIT students experience more chilly days through the end of November and December. We usually have a few snowfalls around this time, but usually nothing too major. It’s exhilarating to see a lot of RIT first-year students experience snow for the first time. As January and February approach, more snowy days occur. Winter boots must have at RIT because walking through a few snowy spots on campus is sometimes inevitable. From lighter flakes to full-on snowstorms, the maintenance staff do a great job at plowing the walkways and roads around campus. It’s also essential to have a warm coat, hat, and gloves for those chilly winter walks from dorm to academic buildings. Some of RIT’s facilities are connected through a tunnel system, which comes in handy in the wintertime. All of the dorms are connected to the post office, three dining locations, and a convenience store through the tunnels.

One of my favorite things to do in winter is stopping at one of the many coffee shops on campus in between classes to get hot chocolate or coffee to take to class. Winter calls for some fun activities in the snow; you’ll often see students sledding down a large hill near the dorms on campus. Skiing and snowboarding are also pretty popular in the Rochester area, and RIT offers a class that goes to a local ski resort once a week. While Rochester winters are cold, they are beautiful. It’s delightful to look out your dorm window to see trees all covered in a nice blanket of snow.

Spring

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March and April call for a bit of snow and a bit of rain. The weather is undoubtedly still chilly and can be a bit of a challenge to predict. By this point, first-years have been through all of the weather Rochester offers and can handle just about anything. Once springtime rolls around, I am personally ready for the warm weather again. I try to keep a few plants in my dorm to bring the feeling of summer inside. May is the final month that students get to experience at RIT. It isn’t quite summer yet, but you can feel the warm summer months coming, with a handful of warm days.

The weather at RIT is undoubtedly unique and always changing. It adds an exciting element to going to school here. I have found that the next season comes at just the right time. Just as you’re getting tired of hot summer days, the cool fall weather sweeps in and changes things up.