If you spent much time outside last night, either on the streets or the sidewalk, you know Old Man Winter has begun his icy wrath, and the slope only gets slipperier from here.
If you've ever experienced a Muncie winter before, you should know that now is the time to get prepared.
Some of the roads you drive to Ball State University's campus every day will not be plowed. Some of the sidewalks you trek will not be salted.
And this year, conditions will be worse than ever.
The city has cut back on street department resources because of low sales on state gasoline and cigarette taxes. Employees will no longer work overtime to salt or plow roads if there is an emergency weather situation.
Students who live off campus need to take notice of this unfortunate change in the city's duties. If Muncie won't do all it can to ensure driver and pedestrian safety during winter weather, then students need to take more personal responsibility.
If you drive to campus, prepare your car for winter. Take your vehicle in for a checkup, make sure you have decent wiper blades and tires and invest 89 cents in a window scraper.
If you live near campus and walk each day, a good pair of boots can go a long way toward keeping you from spraining your ankle or bruising your ego by falling on the ice.
Whether you walk or drive, allow yourself more time and take it slow. It's worth waking up 15 minutes earlier and driving 10 mph slower if it means you avoid a crash.
If you are one of the many students who have traded in your car keys for a bike lock this year, be smart out there. Biking during the winter takes courage; doing it safely takes thought and patience.
Once students make it to campus, roads and sidewalks should be relatively clear. Ball State has improved its winter weather staffing and equipment, according to Kevin Kenyon, associate vice president of facilities planning and management.
As many cities face a salt shortage, Ball State has gotten a hold of enough to last through winter. The salt brand the university purchased is also more effective at lower temperatures, Kenyon said, making the university that much better equipped for icy conditions.
Ball State might just set an example for the rest of the city if it keeps winter-weather accidents to a minimum.
The difference this year, though, will be made by students themselves.
When it comes right down to it, no one but you is responsible for your safety. Snow and ice have already begun to threaten that safety, and December has just begun.
Prepare for worse.
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