Hi, everyone. I’ll admit, I’m that friend. I’m the friend who complains when we walk into Target, and will grab a random jacket off the display to wear around until we leave. I can’t control it. I don’t enjoy shivering almost everywhere I go. If I could help it I would, but that’s just who I am.

You will never hear me say that I am tired of it being summer, or that am ready for "cozy sweater weather." Being in the sun is one of the greatest feelings for someone like me. Summer is like a safe haven, where you never have to worry about freezing when you walk out the door. It’s almost comparable to a plant that needs the sun to create energy and live. The sun gives me warmth and gives me energy, and without it, getting through the day is a real struggle. I would much rather feel hot than cold because once I get cold, there’s no turning back.

Once my body is cold, it doesn’t matter how many warm layers I put on; it doesn’t seem to make a difference. It’s like I’m warming the outside of my body, but the cold has already consumed me on the inside. It’s a cold that runs deep in my bones, and the only fast cure seems to be a nice warm bed. You can often find me doing my average everyday tasks while sitting in front of a heater at home, and hot tea is my drink of choice when going out with friends. I am easy to spot at the movie theater because the extra jacket I brought does an excellent job of converting into a warm blanket. I also have plenty of cute coats, in plenty of different colors because for me it isn’t just something I put on for the walk from the car to the restaurant. The coat stays on, so it becomes part of the outfit.

It isn’t so bad being the one who is always cold. People expect it from you and sometimes plan ahead for you if you’re going out. They are also not surprised if you are covered from head to toe while everyone else is struggling to look like they’re enjoying themselves in their miniskirts and crop tops. If it is below 65 degrees, you’re not even trying. Being cold can instantly ruin a perfectly good night, and you would much rather risk having to carry around a coat all night. Once it hits, that’s all you think about. No, you are not ‘having fun’, and yes, you would much rather sit in this corner and attempt to conserve as much body heat as possible. Often times, I am pegged as the "cuddly friend," always hugging and curling up next to my friends. Some of this is genuine loving emotion, yes, but I definitely can’t ignore the added bonus that comes with extra warmth and protection from the wind.

So thank you, friends, for understanding that this is just the way I am. And to my family, I have accepted that this was most likely passed down from you to me, and acknowledge that you have lived with this your whole life, so I will be able to too. We can make jokes about it all we want, but it isn’t something that I will grow out of. This is who I am, I am always cold.