A Texan’s Take on Midwest Weather
My overflowing hamper currently contains the following items: fleece-lined tights, thickly knit sweaters, jean shorts and my favorite graphic t-shirts — oh, and so many socks; fluffy socks, athletic socks, socks with cats on them and my beloved Harry Potter socks that I acquired on my 12th birthday in a sock advent calendar.
But what inspired me to share with y’all my never-ending pile of laundry? Well, as I sat by my cracked open dorm window breathing in suspiciously spring-like air, I started to think of what the weather has been doing recently.
Imagine, if you will, my past week of weather. To set the scene, let’s imagine it’s a lovely Wednesday afternoon, the sun is out, the birds are chirping and everyone is trying to soak up every last ray of sunlight. Two days before, it had been 15° at noon, and the sun didn’t even try to come out.
Now, I’m from Texas, so fast-changing weather is not unknown to me. There have been many days when I would leave my house in a poncho and rainboots only to have to walk home hours later drenched in sweat, regretting my decision to put faith in the weather and wear jeans.
But this Midwest weather is a beast of another nature and truly, it’s killing me.
Texas weather is consistent in its inconsistency. You always know that the way the day starts is not the way it will finish. But here in Missouri, these day-long free trials of spring feel like a massive Uno reverse played by Mother Nature.
To cope, I have now turned to my Spotify playlists and the promise of spring break around the corner. And the second the sun becomes even a quarter as scathing as the sun back home, you better believe I am lying outside like a gecko under those red heating lamps.
The homework may be piling up, but I’m going to continue to soak in this sun for as long as I can. As much as this weather gives me hope, I fear the fake spring may be coming to a close. I guess I should bring back the parka.