The snow is gone now, and everyone is rejoicing, but I actually like the snow and don’t mind the cold weather all that much either. After all, if it weren’t for the cold, how would snowmen eat ice-bergers for dinner? Or Frosted Flakes for breakfast?
Don’t get me wrong, I too am excited for some actual sunny weather. But let’s take a look at the things we experience in the winter that are just not the same in the summer.
For one, skiing, snowboarding and sledding become much more difficult in the summer. If you don’t agree with me, go to the hill behind Sue B. and try sledding down the grass. Sure, you might be able to roll your way down, but it is just not the same. Here’s another example: ice skating. I wouldn’t advise doing this, but take my word for it when I say that attempting to ice skate on a flowing river is not as enjoyable as skating on solid, frozen ice.
Have you ever packed snow into a snowball? This is an exciting experience that you cannot recreate in 90-degree weather in the middle of a scorching hot summer. I suppose you could pick up a rock on the beach or pack some mud into a ball, but this may increase the risk of injury, or at the very least the amount of time you spend waiting in the emergency room. Somewhere in the world, a dentist is crossing his fingers and hoping that kids try substituting rocks for snowballs.
If you are one of those people who do not like being outside during the cold of winter, one benefit would be that they are trapped inside with the people they love. It is nature’s way of telling us that we need more bonding time. What was that? Are David and his sister not getting along while they build forts outside? Why don’t I just pummel Rochester with a snowstorm that makes even the gnomes in your backyard ask to come inside for warmth? Since when did Mother Nature speak English?
For the individuals who live on the country side, sleigh rides in the summer tend to scrape up the driveway and tear up the path. One thing that winter has to offer is a perfect course for sledding. Just sit back, relax, and let the snow pick you and your sleigh off the ground and carry you off into a “Christmas in Connecticut”-esque scene. Just hope that you aren’t accused of stealing a sleigh and or for losing a baby that isn’t yours.
Another joy of winter is the consumption of hot chocolate. Nothing beats steaming hot cocoa after a long walk in the cold. Imagine being offered a hot cocoa after completing a five-mile run. Hot chocolate isn’t as thirst-quenching after you’ve drenched yourself in sweat due to ridiculously high temperatures.
Another pro that winter has to offer is hail. What kind of person doesn’t like hail? I mean, sure, you can go outside in the summer and play catch with a baseball, but it would be much more amazing to go outside with a baseball mitt during a hail storm. Plus, if you break a window throwing around hail, you can just blame it on the wind.
I will end, however, by admitting one advantage to winter’s close: in the summer, there is no possibility of accidently consuming yellow snow. I say this while making the assumption that you won’t be eating grass in your backyard. Jack Frost may not be nipping at your nose, but mosquitoes will surely be nipping at your skin.
Horgan is a member of
the class of 2017
