The electricity was shut down on campus for some time this afternoon, which was challenging because it meant there was no fan for a while. When it’s the only cooling device in my room, not having it, and dealing with 42 degrees Celsius of heat, is not exactly the most pleasant thing in the universe.
I was sweating while lying on my bed. It was pretty icky.
Which is when I decided to pass time with a thought experiment. Considering the heat, I asked myself: would I like to have a fridge, or an air-conditioner in my room? Now, the first answer that comes to mind is the air-conditioner. However, I have a fondness for cool liquids which made this a particularly challenging decision to make.
Here’s what I struggled with: would I prefer a cool atmosphere, with regular temperature beverages, or a regular atmosphere with cool beverages? The fridge would also provide the opportunity to get a cool atmosphere/cool down my body temperature because I would have access to ice, and I would be able to open the freezer door and shove my face in it whenever I felt like.
This tilted the balance in favour of the fridge.
However, that’s when it occurred to me that if I had a cool atmosphere, beverages in the room would also be cooler than regular temperatures. Additionally, we already have a fridge in the hostel – which I don’t use for cooling my beverages, or shoving my face in.
Plus, an AC would mean that hot winds would never enter the room – because the windows would have to be shut.
In conclusion, I would pick the air-conditioner.
Tejas Rao 