Did you even TRY turning it the other way?

It didn't occur to you to try turning the handle the other way just in case? YDI.

this recently happened to me at a really ghetto motel I was staying at. I just assumed they were too ghetto to have hot water. I took a freezing cold shower. i was pissed off that I had spent ninety dollars on the room. it was usually fifty but it was the state fair week and it was across from the state fair so they charged insanely. I lived in the town but was just sorta in between places and had to stay at a motel. that was just one of among many issues in my room like a bunch of roaches. I was all ready to yell at them and demand my money back. but luckily I chose to take another cold shower before I did so and discovered the hot water the knob was on backwards lol

You don’t have a sink faucet that has hot and cold? Why would you think the water heater was broken if you had hot water elsewhere in the house?

on the bright side, cold showers have plenty of health benefits

Hold on. Why didn't it occur to you to try this? Honesty this would be the first thing I try.