The struggle has been real this winter, as in these past few weeks it's gone from thirty degrees, up to eighty, and back down to thirty. This has led to some very specific difficulties that can only come from experiencing this type of weather.
1. Layers
Layers are the only way to dress when it's freezing in the morning and August in the afternoon. This means you are going to end up either sweating, carrying a jacket around or most likely both.
2. Drink Order Complications
You walk into a coffee shop for a nice hot chocolate to warm you up, and by the time you walk out, you wished you had gone to get a milkshake instead.
3. Outdoor Activities
When trying to coordinate fun activities with your friends, there is some real confusion. It's February, so ice skating is a natural choice, and the outdoor rinks are open. But, they are full of puddles and it's warm enough to consider the option of driving down to the beach. Is February too early to think about getting a tan?
4. Getting Sick
Because the weather is so unpredictable, your clothing choices are often regrettable and flu season is in full swing, getting a cold (or worse, the flu) is almost inevitable. Good luck.
5. Early Summer-itis
Although it's February, the warmer days are starting to scream "May," and it feels like we should be getting to the end of finals, taking unplanned beach trips and preparing for summer. It's very confusing, and unfortunately, we're only four weeks into the semester.
6. Country Music
This one is specific to those of us who listen to country music seasonally. Because normally, it is a genre reserved only for windows-down summer driving. However, the weather is now suddenly making country music feel appropriate. And then the next day it's so cold that Christmas music seems a necessary part of the day.
7. The Hope Of Snow
Because the weather is going from hot to cold so quickly, there's no way to know whether or not it will snow. Keeping this hope alive, and the hope that school will then be canceled for a few days is still a legitimate dream.
Despite its frustrations, enjoy the weather and all its ups and downs, because it'll be ninety degrees in a few months. (Or in a few days, you never know!)