This time of year, it seems impossible to avoid the effects of precipitation, even when it’s bright and sunny outside. Every step I take on the way to class lands me in a snowbank, puddle, or murky roadside Baltimore sludge. By the end of this winter, I know I’ll be a master at hopping from dry surface to dry surface on the way to the gym just to avoid soggy sneakers- a workout by itself, I suppose. There’s no denying it- winter in Baltimore can be rough. Pea coats will be drenched with sleet, and your jeans will damp all day just because you got caught in bad weather in between classes. But on the very rainiest of days at Hopkins, there’s one article of clothing I know i can always rely on: my trusty rain boots.
For a very long time, I hated rain boots. Before college, I refused to buy the clunky, usually gaudy boots that only the few could pull off in high school. But once I got to Hopkins, I realized that while we might have one of the best engineering programs in the country, we also can’t seem to master simple drainage systems around campus (seriously, those drain lines along the middle of the pathways are more medieval than modern). It was then that I purchased a cheap pair of plastic rain boots from the JHU Barnes and Noble when I got caught in the middle of a thunderstorm. I picked the subtlest, least vibrant pair I could find, but even still, I hated those stupid brown and pink plaid boots from hell, only wearing them in the most desperate of circumstances.
But all of this changed when I studied abroad in Ireland this past fall semester. As I’m sure everyone knows, Ireland is well known for its lush, green landscapes (so beautiful!) and this all comes at the price of (very) frequent rain. Before I left, I made sure to finally purchase a pair of rain boots I actually liked- a simple dark green pair with a silver buckle on the side from Kamik, a Canadian designer.
Best. Purchase. Ever.
Without my new rain boots, I swear I would have spent half of my time abroad drying out my shoes, especially during my travels around Ireland, Scotland, and the rest of the UK. Yes, my friends and I all experienced the sharp pain of rain boot blisters, a necessary evil that’s all part of staying dry. But in the end, who wants to ride the London Eye or explore the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland with water sloshing in your shoes? No one.
So now, in one of the worst winters to hit Baltimore at least during my college years at Hopkins, I’m grateful to have my rain boots and be able to walk fearlessly through even the murkiest of puddles around campus, cringing at all the guys who never would be able to pull of rain boots as well as us girls. No, my rain boots might not be quite as classy or stylish as my riding boots, but I’m OK with that. When it comes down to it, rain boots and I will always have a love/hate relationship, but if they keep my dry on the way to an exam, they’re worth it. Winter may be approaching its end, but spring is right around the corner. You know what they say — April showers bring May flowers and whether you invest in a pair of Hunters or just a simple, reliable set of rain boots, you won’t be sorry.
Photo cred: bloomize.com