When the first snow of the year falls, there is a clear divide between those who love winter and loathe it entirely. Half of the people around you will cheer, "Look, it's snowing," and half will plan the profane complaints that they'll grumble as they walk to their car after work. I am one of the latter. This year, however, I'm trying to stay above the influence of negativity. I've prepared this pro and con list to try and find some things to cheer about. Let's start by going over all the cons.

Con #1: Chapped lips.

When I see snow, my entire being begins to wither: inwardly my soul cringes, and outwardly my lips crack. Though you may not go into such a state of shock, most of us suffer from horrifically dry skin. On the bright side, if you're all bundled up, no one will notice!

Con #2: Winter blues.

Everyone knows the sorrow of crawling out of a warm bed each morning to endure the frost. During the winter, some of us are a lot less willing to go out for a night on the town. We'd much rather curl up by the fire, enjoy a nice cup of coffee, and treat our cold hearts with a good movie.

Con #3: Looking like puffed-up penguins.

I have never worn a winter coat, in defiance of their puffy nature. The thought of looking like a marshmallow waddling down the street irks me. Irks a lot of us. Although the GIF of this penguin is adorable, it is a sad reminder that we will bulk ourselves up only to slip on the ice outside.

Con #4: Everyone completely forgets how to drive.

Understandably, drivers completely freak out when snow is on the ground, but some freak out a little too much. Take, for instance, this semi-truck driver, who has completely forgotten that we are supposed to drive on paths called roads.

As this is a pros and cons list, I should include at least one "pro." I'll just bundle the positives into one point.

Pro #1 and only: Christmas and everything that comes with it.

Holiday music, gift-giving and receiving, Christmas lights, "Elf", and hot cocoa. It's all great, particularly the time we get off from school and work. The holiday season was my favorite time of the year as a child, and though we may not have that same childlike sense of awe and wonder today, we can certainly remember what it was like.

Truth be told, I don't hate winter that much. Sure, I'm not a fan, but I can appreciate the beauty of snow and the joy of Christmas time. Hopefully the holiday season will provide an escape from the cons listed above. Buy some ChapStick, spend time with loved ones, shed those puffy layers, and use caution while driving (but not too much... we have places to be, people).