Opinion

Let’s Stop Ignoring Florida Cold

It’s time to break out the fleeces.

Ryan Rolle, A&E Editor

January 30, 2026

Ryan Rolle and Sophie Le (’26) bundled up.

Florida. The Sunshine State, everyone’s favorite beach vacation, a beautiful warm paradise. At least, that’s what everyone out of state believes. We Florida residents know that in the depths of January and February, it can genuinely be frigid and I’m tired of feeling like a baby for wanting to wear a puffer jacket to school.

In my opinion, what makes the weather so cold is the humidity. When I walk outside, the cold seeps into my bones, and the thick air gets underneath all of my layers. However, whenever I’m layered up and walk into school, there are always a few stragglers pretending they aren’t cold in shorts and a t-shirt. It feels like pretending Florida isn’t cold is some weird contest to see who is the most adapted to cold weather. It seems to get to a point, though, where I’m sure Northerners would be just as bundled up.

Another issue is that Florida seems to have cold fronts that last a week or two, only about 3 times a year. That means if you buy loads of heavy winter clothes, they are bound to rot in the closet for 90% of the year. That poses the question: Is it crazy to buy clothes for just a couple of frigid weeks?

My answer is no. There is almost nothing worse than having to walk around with chapped lips, purple fingers, and ice hands. A good piece to have is a nice zip-up hoodie, which I have found is cozy to layer over long sleeve shirts, yet I can take it off between each class. Another good item to have is leggings, which can be layered under jeans and other pants, for those days when it genuinely is freezing temperatures.

If everyone drops the ridiculous anti-cold contest, we can all admit that this weather is chilly and start to layer up. I know I will be the first one to brave school in a parka.

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About the Contributors

Ryan Rolle, A&E Editor

Ryan Rolle is a senior at Robinson and is the A&E editor for the Knight Writers. This is her third year on staff. Rolle decided to join Knight Writers, as she always adored reading and writing and wanted to communicate her thoughts from pop culture to school issues, while also deepening her involvement with the school. “I joined when I was a sophomore and I decided to join because I’ve always had a passion for reading and writing and I thought it would be fun to be able to voice my opinion to the school while getting involved in something academic,” Rolle said. Outside of the school newspaper, you can likely find Rolle spending her free time on the water, rowing for the varsity team at the Tampa Bay rowing club. “Two of my closest friends have been rowing since sixth grade and our team is small, so they were asking new girls to come out and try it. So, my sophomore year I decided to give it a try, and I loved and have been doing it ever since,” Rolle said. Whenever she’s not rowing, Rolle greatly enjoys using her time making matcha and listening to various genres of music, with her tastes changing depending on the time of year. “I listen to different music genres throughout the seasons but right now, since it’s fall, I’m listening to a lot of Smashing Pumpkins and Radiohead,” Rolle said. This being her third year on the Knight Writers staff, Rolle has formed many unforgettable experiences but of all the memories, her favorite has to be when she attended the Florida Scholastic Press Association competition last year in Orlando. “We got to stay near the SeaWorld for a weekend, and we just had so much fun entering competitions and hanging around the hotel,” Rolle said. Part of the class of 2026, Rolle plans to attend college after high school either furthering her passion in journalism by majoring in biology or furthering her passion in journalism by majoring in creative writing. “My biggest dream ever would be to get into Dartmouth and major in biology or journalism/creative writing with a minor in Spanish, then go on to become an orthodontist,” Rolle said. (Profile by Avani Madabhushanam)

Sophie Le, Online Co-Editor-in-Chief

Sophie Le , a senior and third-year staffer, is thrilled to be serving as Co-Editor-in-Chief this year. “This is my third year on staff, my first year as Co-Editor-in-Chief,” she shared. “Last year I started out as Opinion Editor, and yeah, this is my senior year.” Sophie is especially excited about the opportunities ahead. “I’m so excited, especially in newspaper, to gain more leadership, create a better community, and also just try things I’ve never tried in the years past.” Outside of journalism, Sophie is a passionate tennis player. “This is my fourth year on varsity tennis and my third year as captain,” she said proudly. While she doesn’t plan to play competitively in college, she adds, “I’ll probably just play for fun, maybe do like some club.” When she’s not leading a newsroom or dominating the court, Sophie finds inspiration in music. “My favorite artist is Lana Del Rey, she’s like my all-time favorite artist,” she said, adding that her current favorite song is “Thunder.” Right now, Sophie is also tackling the college application process head-on. “My goal is to survive college app season,” she admitted. “I just started opening Common App and I’m just really hoping to relax and let things flow.” She has her eyes set on the University of Florida, where she hopes to “major in public health.” As she heads into her final year, Sophie’s focus is clear: “To lead with purpose, survive the Common App, and make the most of every moment.” (Profile by Tony Wallace)