At least your sun will rise in February

By Angela Szarenski and Jessica Haley

“Alaska…is it cold out there?” As stupid as it may sound, this has been the most commonly asked question since our arrival from Alaska in August. It seems that when individuals hear we are from the Great Big North, elementary knowledge of geography and climate immediately vanishes. They are left wondering if Alaska actually is cold and feel compelled to ask one of the most painful questions to an Alaskan’s ears. To all of you who are still wondering, the answer is yes. It may come as a surprise, but believe it: Alaska is in fact cold.

Many misconceptions and interesting questions have haunted our GMC experience. We do not sleep on giant ice sheets in homemade igloos or consume copious amounts of whale blubber. In fact, we live in a similar crowded dorm setting and eat the same questionable cafeteria food. Although Alaska is cold, not all of the state is desolate frozen tundra. We don’t rely on dog sleds as a mode of transportation, and the only penguins you’ll find are on the Discovery channel.

Alaska Pacific University has a similar feel to many private liberal arts schools, and the likenesses between GMC and APU feel natural. Both schools have kids hanging around having jam sessions and playing volleyball in the yard. In Alaska, you’ll find many of the same random quirks that characterize GMC, such as Nalgene bottles, dreadlocks, slack lines, Ultimate Frisbee, a rock wall in the basement and Residence Life sponsored karaoke nights.

There are also extreme differences, however, most noticeably the lack of mountains in Vermont. The Chugach Mountain Range surrounding the APU campus gives the constant feeling of living in a postcard. Looking out your window into the night, there’s a good chance you’ll catch the northern lights dancing across the sky.

There are perks to living nestled in the corner of a city in the Last Frontier. We can go cross-country skiing or camp out on the campground located on campus while having pizza delivered to our door at all hours of the night. Although the outdoorsy spirit will find a lot to do in Alaska, we’re not all winter-weathered outdoor warriors. Most of us wear jeans, not bearskin parkas. During the winter the sun comes out less, but we don’t have to walk around with flashlights duct taped to our heads.

A balance of both worlds, city life and outdoor activities, exists in the land of the midnight sun. It will be nice to return to APU and not have to answer questions like, “Are polar bears scary?” Silly questions aside, we’re having a good time in Vermont and enjoying the people at Green Mountain College. We’ll continue to answer funny questions, even the dreaded climate-related ones. So if you’re seeking additional information, stop down on the CALF floor in Cree pit. You’ll know it’s us by the icicles hanging from the door.