My freezing cold take on winter

I don’t like cold weather. 

In fact, there’s words I’d like to use which can’t be printed in a newspaper to express the severity of this feeling. It’s only mid-November and snow has already shown up to the party multiple times, despite its embarrassing history of acting like a wasted toddler. 

The air is already chapping hands and reddening noses. And like clockwork, the older residents of Chadron have cut their average driving speed in half.

Gone are the days of walking carelessly past our coats as we leave for society each morning. No longer do we get to drive off the second we start our vehicles. We may as well forget about tank tops and spring dresses. 

It’s only a matter of time before Mariah Carey and Michael Buble escape their caves and hold the radio hostage with holiday tunes. I’m realizing now what I realize every year around this time. I took the heat for granted.

This isn’t a column about winter tips or hacks to beat the cold because I don’t know any. Sometimes thoughtful complaining can spread empathy between both the complainer and listener. 

I read that somewhere and now you have to too.

However, just as Yin and Yang serve as each others’ morally-parasitic hosts, nothing can be all bad or good. Cold weather is no exception.

For starters, cold weather brings a sense of unity that you just don’t get when people are comfortable. 

When you walk past a fellow student in a subzero climate, nobody cares who voted for whom. If you were to see another person trudging through a blanket of snow wearing shorts and crocs, you’d visibly wince with empathy. 

That, or you’d nudge someone nearby and ask what was wrong with the croc-wearer. Either way, the cold unites people.

If the idea of bonding over a foolish snow-goer doesn’t convince you there’s some positives to winter, consider this. 

According to selecthealth.org, a colder climate benefits your body. In his article from the website, “5 Surprising Benefits of Cold Weather”, Chakell Wardleigh highlights some of these health perks. Not only can the cold boost your immune system and improve sleep quality, it can even improve brain function. 

Though one obvious benefit the article doesn’t mention is being able to skip the ice bath after an insane workout.

Perhaps cold weather’s best quality is also its worst. Winter isn’t comfortable but it gives us the perspective to appreciate other seasons, even if they seem too short sometimes. Above all, cold weather is just another panel on a wonderful spanning spectrum of nature. 

Realistically, how boring would it be if the sun never took a break?