On February 2, 2016, we Midwesterners woke up to yet another day of bitterly cold temperatures. Still, we zipped up our parkas, laced up our boots and prepared to face Old Man Winter with as much of a smile as our frozen faces could muster.
Before we headed out the door, our inner kindergarteners reminded us that it was Groundhog Day. Sure, this nonsensical holiday is nothing more than a publicity stunt for these poor critters, but nevertheless, we pulled up Google to see whether or not there would ever be a light at the end of the wintery tunnel.
Low and behold, we read the headline “Punxsutawney Phil Does Not See Shadow.” With quickening heartbeats and shaking fingers, we frantically scanned the article in hopes that it would confirm what we thought was too good to be true: our fluffy little weatherman did, in fact, predict an early spring.
However, our hopefulness lasted merely seconds, and we snapped back into the reality that is winter in Ohio. In the early weeks of the season, we basked in the glory of the crisp, white snow that seemed to silence everything in its path; by now, the daily threat of hypothermia is just one extra stressor in our day-to-day lives.
Though the weather outside is frightful, there’s still an aspect of this season that is so delightful.
On behalf of all of those who suffer through Ohio winters, I would like to offer a moment of gratitude to the one or two days each winter when the temperature hits 60 degrees.
Ahh, yes, Global Warming. Turns out you ARE good for something after all.
Feel free to fact-check me, but I’m almost positive it has been scientifically proven that it’s impossible to feel sad when you are able to walk outside without a winter coat in February. In fact, there are few experiences more utterly blissful than waking up, checking the weather and thinking to yourself, Ferris Bueller-style: “How can I possibly be expected to handle school on a day like this?”
So, 60-degree winter day, thank you.
Though our classes may be grueling, your unseasonably warm weather allows us to set aside our midterm papers and pretend we are eight years old and skipping through the playground, if only for a brief moment.
Thank you for urging us to jump out of bed with a little more enthusiasm and go on spontaneous after-class adventures in lieu of cooping ourselves up in the library.
Thank you for allowing us to temporarily feel like Floridians as we exchange our snow pants for running shorts and guiltlessly eat a scoop (or two!) of ice cream to celebrate our pre-summertime vibes.
Thank you for the sunshine that reflects off the puddles of melting snow and the breeze that ruffles the pages of our textbooks when we sit outside to do our homework.
Thank you for forcing us to turn off Netflix and throw a Frisbee, for giving us the energy to do a cartwheel and walk with friends and sing a song and take advantage of all of the prime photo opportunities.
Above all, thank you for giving us hope that we will, indeed, survive the spring semester. Because while the cold will return and spring might take a little longer than six weeks to arrive, you’ve given us hope that warmer weather just might arrive after all.