I was born on the east coast, specifically Massachusetts, and have lived there my whole life. I have suffered through the cold winters and the endless amounts of snow, but I have also loved skiing down different mountains and drinking hot chocolate while under a thick blanket. Now that I’m going to school in California, winter has a whole new definition and it has been a huge adjustment. Here are some of the differences I’ve noticed during my time here!
Temperature
This is one of the more obvious differences between the east and west coast during the winter. If I was home in Massachusetts right now, I would not leave the house unless I was wearing two shirts, a coat, thick pants, fuzzy socks, boots, a hat, and gloves (maybe even a scarf if it’s windy). However here in LA, I can walk around in a sweatshirt, shorts, and sneakers and not feel the slightest chill. Take last year’s Christmas Eve for example: December 24th, 2017. The forecast for LA had a high of 74 degrees. The high temperature in my hometown, Agawam, was 37 degrees. Yeah, that’s a no from me.
Fashion
Speaking of what to wear, the stocked shelves in malls at home are much different than here in LA. By now, all swimsuits would be on clearance and the winter coats and accessories would be on the front display. However, on the west coast it seems like the swimsuits will never go on sale and I have not seen a single parka in any store. Gloves? Nope. Winter boots? Can’t find ‘em. Hand warmers? Don’t even think about it. I’m not complaining, though. If fall fashion is always in style here, then I’m down.
Trips
Sometimes on the weekend, my family and I would head up to the hills and spend a day at the ski slopes. My mom would sit in the lodge and drink hot chocolate, while my sister and I would take turns going up and down the bunny hill over and over again. While there is a chance to ski in California, it is not common around here. It seems like every other day people just go hang out at the beach and go swimming in the ocean. I have only been to the beach once with the rest of the Her Campus LMU team for a bonfire. I know, I’m slacking.
Storms
This one is another obvious difference between the coasts. How many times has it ever snowed in Los Angeles ever? 4. How many times in New England? I mean it is an everyday occurrence during the winter, and sometimes it will even snow in October and March. That being said, southern California seems to be prone to wildfires and earthquakes, which would be an extremely rare occurrence back east. I guess both sides have some flaws.
Things To Do
Besides skiing/snowboarding and drowning in hot chocolate, there’s not much to do during the winter in Massachusetts. It’s always too cold to be outside for a substantial amount of time and snow is usually covering the roads, preventing anyone from getting anywhere. However, here in LA, it seems like there is an endless amount of activities, attractions, and neighborhoods to explore. And maybe that’s because it is such a big city, but the fact that it is the wintertime doesn’t seem to stop anyone.
There are pros and cons to each coast, and they are definitely polar opposites when it comes to dealing with winter. But each one is unique and special in their own way, and I’m really glad I get to divide my time between them, and get the best of both winter wonderlands.