 "Photo: Allyson Smith / The Daily Gamecock")
Temperatures in the upper 100s left South Carolina residents looking for a breeze as the record-setting month of August came and went.
"When August hit, that's when it was intense," said Taryn Jaskunas, a second-year social work graduate student.
Jaskunas, who spent her summer in Charleston, said the rest of the summer was beautiful.
The highest temperatures in June and July were around 96 degrees. But August set itself apart by hitting all time highs of 107 degrees more than once in Columbia, according to the National Weather Service.
Leah Hambright, a second-year social work graduate student, said living in South Carolina means getting used to the heat.
"Its not surprising to walk from your door to your car and be drenched in sweat," Hambright said.
Rachel Perkins, a second-year social work graduate student, said after a day out in the heat she often feels drained.
"I get home and collapse with no energy," Perkins said.
Perkins, Hambright and Jaskunas all said they tried to beat the heat this month by staying inside as much as possible.
"We try to do things after 5 p.m.," Jaskunas said. She said she tried to do indoors activities, like shopping during the day.
Many students have been feeling the heat in recent weeks and suffering the consequences of not staying cool.
"Four girls I know that rushed last week passed out because they were overheated," said Sidni Bohannon, a first-year biology student.
Lauren Vincent, public relations coordinator for Student Health Services, said the combination of high temperatures and high humidity can cause the body's heat defense system, sweating, to work slower than normal.
"When humidity is high, sweat doesn't evaporate efficiently, preventing the body from releasing heat quickly," Vincent said.
She reiterated what most students seem to be doing, which is staying indoors in an air-conditioned area to combat the heat.
Symptoms of heat illness include heavy sweating, muscle cramps, weakness, dizziness, nausea, weak but rapid pulse and headaches, Vincent said.
People with these symptoms should find shade, drink water slowly and make sure there is good ventilation.
Other heat precautions include not leaving anyone in a parked vehicle in hot weather, avoiding drinks with alcohol, caffeine, or a lot of sugar, planning strenuous activity for early morning or evening hours, wearing sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher and eating more frequently.
Vincent also said not to wait until you are thirsty to drink water.
"The best defense against heat-related illness is prevention. Staying cool, drinking plenty of fluids, wearing cool clothing and monitoring outdoor activities are keys to staying healthy in hot weather," Vincent said.
Trey Neal, a first-year biology student, said that one good thing about campus is that there is lots of shade to stay under on the way to class.
"I always have a water bottle with me," said Andrew Schmickley, a first-year international studies student.
Schmickley also said he's noticed a lot of students going down to the Congaree River on the weekends to stay cool.
John "Spud" McCullough, a first-year international business student, said he has lived in the south all his life, but "this month has been pretty brutal."
Jaskunas said that the infamous South Carolina humidity doesn't help when trying to beat the heat.
"It's like you run into a wall," she said.
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