Spring is officially in full swing. And by swing, I mean swinging between warm enough to be outside and staying in bed in our pajamas because it's too frigid to be anywhere else. While the weather is trying to make up its mind, everyone else is shaking off the seasonal depression from the long winter and getting themselves ready for the warm summer days that lay ahead, completely disregarding the whole season that lies in between.

Don't get me wrong, there's nothing I love more than the thought of beaches, barbecues, and endless pool days, but that can wait for now. I know it can be hard to focus on finishing the semester strong when laying out in the sand on a beach towel is calling my name, but it is entirely possible.

People are so anxious for summer while overlooking the transition period. Without the rain and allergies, the beautiful, warm days ahead wouldn't exist. We are in that period where the world is coming back to life. The hibernating animals are waking up from their sleep and the bees are once again hard at work trying to help the flowers bloom. And, as well as the animals, the people are coming back to life as well.

We see fewer people burrowing inside their houses because it's too cold to do anything else, and more people stepping outside to enjoy the world blossoming in front of them. Sure, it will be nice when my car is no longer covered in pollen and I can stop alternating between wearing shorts one day and sweatpants the next, but I wouldn't trade this transition for the world.

Spring is a time for starting fresh. Whether that means cleaning the winter clutter out of your house or filling your garden with azaleas that thrive on warm weather or washing the snow residue off your car, we all have that one thing we do every year that makes us feel brand new. It is probably the most overlooked and underappreciated season because of the negatives that it brings.

The old saying 'April showers bring May flowers' is nothing but true. The only reason why summer is such a beautiful time of the year is the so-called negatives of spring. We can't have blossoming flowers without a little rain, and there's no way they'll bloom without the pollen that we view as allergy fuel. When spring arrives, it makes everything just a little more worthwhile, no matter the downfalls.

Often, we are rushing toward one thing without taking the time to stop and enjoy life in the present. Spring is the perfect example of it. We all want summer to come so bad that we ignore everything that comes before it. When we think of spring, we think of the miserable aspects it brings, forgetting that no matter how miserable it may be, it still prepares for the better days ahead.

If only everyone could enjoy the storm before it runs out of the rain because every storm is beautiful.