You might have noticed the days are getting colder and already some of the lush green leaves are (now) leaking fiery reds, yellows, and oranges. For the new students at Castleton State College, there is a great deal to get used to, but in this new environment did they consider what the weather was going to be like?

According to The National Weather Service Forecast Office of Burlington, Vt. the Castleton area receives an average of two feet of snow each month in December, January, and February. The average temperature for winter is a brisk 19 degrees.

“Winters are ridiculously long,” said Cherie Pfeiffer, a senior art major. “I’ve lived in Vermont my whole life and sometimes the snow starts up in October and won’t go away until May.”

For Alejahdera Carallero, a Criminal Justice junior, the move from the extreme heat of Barranquilla, Columbia to Castleton was not an easy transition.

“I was terrified, I didn’t want to go outside. I wasn’t really prepared for the amount of coldness that came upon me,” said Carallero as she shuddered briefly.

Krystie Vargas diesn’t feel quiet the same about winter. The junior nursing Major moved to Vermont from Moca, Peurto Rico.

“I loved it, love the snow hate the cold,” said Vargas. “I only wish it wasn’t so long.”

Majur Makor came all the way from Sudan to the crisp cool climate of Vermont.

“My first encounter with snow was quite scary even though, I had heard of it before,” said Makor. “The trees didn’t have leafs and ground all covered up with all white snow convinces me that I had to adapt to Vermont if I want to stay here.”

Though the winter can be new and vastly different for some, for others it was the very reason they decided to come to Castleton. For Ashley Fillmore, a senior business major, snow was one of the driving reasons to come to Castleton.

“I absolutely love snow. A great deal of us do and there is no snow quiet like Vermont snow.I love to snowboard and being so close to all these Mountains was defiantly a factor when I decided to come to Castleton,” said Filmore.

There is no way to tell for sure how cold or warm this Vermont winter will be. Chances are we will not be seeing the negative 30 degree record holding temperatures of the 1950s, but in Vermont it is never out of the question to expect any kind of new and exciting weather.

Kristeie Vargus leaves this advice: “Don’t where flip flops in December,” she said. “It sucks walking.