Written by Maci Sepp. Media by Jack Dawdy.[divide]
Initially, when I think of the freezing cold that waits beyond my dorm doors, I start to hum the song “Baby It’s Cold Outside.” I wish the cold could be more beautiful and harmonious like it sounds in the song. Unfortunately, Greenville has been less like a “Winter Wonderland” than I would prefer. It’s to the point where the first thing I think to say to people is “It’s so cold!” as if it isn’t obvious to everyone else.
I think it’s safe to say that we have had an utterly brutal winter for the past couple weeks. I spend every morning bundling up in layers upon layers of sweaters, leggings, scarves, hats, and gloves just so I can get from one side of our small campus to another. By the time I get to my destination and tear away all of my layers, it’s time for me to leave for the next class and bundle back up again. In the meantime, people seem to be catching colds and the flu left and right. My life has become an obstacle course, constantly trying to dodge and evade any possibility of infection. The second I find out you’re sick or blowing your nose, I’m out.
It seems that my list of complaints only gets longer and longer. I have lived my whole life surviving in the bipolar Chicago weather, but each year, I am never quite prepared for what Mother Nature has in store. I’ve driven through blizzards, marched through tundra, and survived the Polar Vortex, but I still make it my job to complain about the weather when it falls under 30 degrees. I will say that being in college and not having to shovel the mounds of snow in my driveway has been a nice change of pace. Sometimes, I feel tempted to stay indoors and isolate myself from the rest of society in order to keep warm. When the weather feels below zero and the ground is slicker than butter, it’s easy for me to let my social life plummet. Apparently, having the “winter blues” is a real condition. I did some research, and I found that some of us might be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder, otherwise known as SAD. Makes sense.
http://youtu.be/XvpsDGqQKhc
Here’s a semi-ironic video of some students using the cold to their advantage and sliding on the ice.
I genuinely wish I could say I enjoyed trudging through the slush or scraping all the ice from my car or even landing flat on my face on the concrete, but I can’t. It’s just not practical or sensible. While we may not all love chattering through our teeth or shivering down to our toes, there are ways we can make the most of the few months of blithering cold. In the coming days of frigid temperatures and frosted windows, let’s try to remind ourselves to surround ourselves with the warmth of friends and fellowship. Like the recent Disney movie said: love can thaw even the most frozen of hearts.
