Although I have written this before, I am an out-of-state student. I come from the icy depths of southeastern Michigan and look forward to going to Alabama and enjoying the warm weather. Let me make this clear I am going to Alabama because it's an incredible school with so much to offer, but yes the weather is something I am looking forward to enjoying.

Growing up in Michigan you experience different kinds of weather, it's crazy. It has literally been sunny, rained, thunder stormed and snowed all in a matter of hours. Any opportunity I get to escape the cold during the eternal winter, I take. Seasonal Affected Depression is real for Michiganders. The lack of sunshine during the winter and even into the spring is daunting. While occasional trips to warmer climates help, it isn't enough. Some days it's just too cold and snowy to leave the house. I know other states have it bad too, but I can only describe what I know, and I can only sympathize with people in those places.

I understand a lot of people don't get to experience the treasure of a white Christmas, however, those people don't usually have to navigate a white Easter either (keep in mind this is the middle of April). Growing up in Michigan, I have learned what it is like to ski on ice, navigate a few-mile-drive that takes 30 minutes in a snowstorm, and experience colder weather than Alaska.

Don't get me wrong, it is beautiful here. And it can hot. This month it will probably reach 95 degrees with high humidity, which is similar to the south. In the summer, it's hard to hate the lakes we have here. But college is definitely going to be a "weather" vacation.

Being cold from Late October to early May is pure torture. So you can't blame a girl for wanting a break. What I mean is I look forward to no longer have to live through a never-ending chilly Michigan winter unlike most of my classmates from my graduating class. While at times, I might miss the snow, I'll embrace the chance to wear shorts longer and snow boots less.

Knowing I don't have to say goodbye to the sunshine for 8 months or brave the icy tundra to get to class is the best vacation ever. Knowing I will get about 300 more hours of sunshine in Alabama than I do in Michigan is uplifting. Twenty-nine Michigan cities made the Top 101 Cities (population 50,000 plus) with the lowest average sunshine. Alabama didn't make the list. Looks like it's time for me to invest in more shorts and fewer snow coats. But like all Michiganders, I will be ready for any type of weather that comes my way.