Picture curtesy of Pixabay

As the spring season gets closer and closer to the start of summer, many rain showers are appearing here in Norman, Oklahoma. Some of these spring showers have even been said to possibly bring hail and other severe weather like tornados, which Oklahoma is known for.

However many of the students here at OU are not familiar with these types of weather events which often leads to poor preparation, misinformation, misunderstandings and fear among students. Other than sending out a few emails discussing these weather events, the University has not done much to educate its students on the proper ways to stay safe during these weather events.

Just this morning The Oklahoman issued an article saying that the ingredients are present for a possible tornado during a spring storm on Monday, April 15th which has caused some fear and anxiety among the student body.

This issue is very serious for college students and needs to be handled appropriately. The University needs to make a greater effort when educating students on what to do when severe weather undoubtedly makes its appearance in Norman.

What I suggest is OU providing workshops for students who have never experienced this type of weather to come and learn how to stay safe and protect their property during these storms. Another way to educate students is putting more effort into sending more educational emails when storms arrive. These emails could include pictures, videos, or even just more descriptive language for what to do to stay safe. Lastly, I think that incorporating storm safety into camp crimson and welcome week events and trainings would greatly benefit the student body.