AMES, Iowa — A new fall semester for Iowa State University students kicked off today, but the summer heat and humidity is still in full force.
While some students have air conditioning units in their dorms, other students have to find ways to keep cool without it.
"About one-third of our population that we have on campus are in non-air conditioned buildings," said Virginia Speight, the university's Residence Life Director.
Helser Hall is one of those dorms. As the new freshmen occupants are adjusting to college life this week, they're struggling to stay cool.
"It's very hot. I think we have six fans — one broke —and a battery operated fan that doesn't do a lot," freshman Ava Zavadil said. "There's not much else we can do."
ISU's Department of Residence says that students living on campus without A/C know what they're getting themselves into.
"Once they get their housing assignment, then they're able to go on our website," Speight said. "That website shares the information about the rate, about the building."
Those students tend to spend time in other dorm rooms and common areas, instead of their own.
"I just go to my friends places that have A/C in there," freshman Estaban Garcia told Local 5. "I just relax as long as I can in there."
ISU hopes to add A/C units to future building plans, but for now, they do offer discounted room and board rates to those without them.
"I definitely wish the university would apply [A/C] to like all of the dorms, especially because I've seen a lot of people going through it," Garcia added. "It's just unlucky for us this first week, it's just terrible with weather."
The Department of Residence told Local 5 that they will be sending out information to students about how to stay cool with the extreme heat this week, as well as highlight the various places on campus where there is air conditioning.