I love seasons! They're wonderful! (Also, expect lots of exclamation points from me! And if you imagine me talking, I'm really exclaiming these things in my head! I have this tendency to end every sentence with an exclamation point, so I have to hold myself back because sometimes it's just overkill. :P Oh, and I'm also a HUGE fan of smileys!) I love that in the summer the days are longer, and I love that I can lounge around in tank tops and shorts. I love spring and its smells and fall and its colors. And I love winter. I love that in New England we get to see all these seasons, and believe it or not, I love complaining about them as well. Each season definitely has its downsides, and in the midst of winter, I'm sure many of us can agree that the cold temperatures we get up here are definitely not one of winter's better traits. I know I'm dreading the biting cold that's coming in the next few days!
BUT, cold temperatures also mean bundling up in millions of cushy layers (Punch me! I dare you!), wearing earmuffs, wearing toe socks, drinking hot chocolate, snuggling, and SNOW! I LOVE snow. But actually.
I think I get at least ten years younger any morning that I wake up to see the world blanketed in snow. I get all giddy, and on my way to class I usually pause to check whether or not it's good packing snow. And (I think this is a Boston thing?) sometimes I'll pass these baby snow plows Tufts has that plow the sidewalks, and I always think they're pretty darn cute. Also, they're just a good idea since if it snows in South Jersey, all the sidewalks are like, "AH, what do we do with this??" Anyways. It's really the best when I wake up and it's still snowing. I get that sometimes it's too close to rain and then it can be kind of miserable to walk through. But I'm talking full on blizzard, giant-snowflakes-the-size-of-my-face snowing! Perfect for catching snowflakes! It's a lost art, really. I think I had this idea when I was younger that snowflakes tasted delicious... Maybe it was from Charlie Brown. What's that one where Lucy is saying that February flakes tasted better than December flakes or something? I totes bought into that! But now that I am oh-so mature (HA.) I'll catch snowflakes anytime!
There was one day last semester that I was walking back from Davis to Anderson (Home of the civil/environmental and mechanical engineering departments!!) when these HUMONGOUS flakes started falling. What a beautiful sight! Anyways, I tried discreetly catching a few, but it just couldn't be done. You can't just stick your tongue out halfway and hope for a snowflake to daintily land on the tip of it. At least it never works for me. So you have to set your sights on one and commit! Pick a flake and try and follow it as it flies and catch it on your tongue just at the right moment! I tried a few on my whole walk back, and caught some! I mean, I would go for one and then wait for a little bit to try another one. I couldn't decide which looked weirder... some girl who wouldn't stop running around diving and dodging with her tongue out or some girl who ran around for a bit took a break and then started again... with her tongue out. I must have looked kind of ridiculous! But I was so happy it was snowing, I didn't really mind.
Next time it snows, try it! If you don't want to look crazy all by yourself, grab some friends and make them catch snowflakes with you! :) And then make an igloo, have lots of hot chocolate, and of course, go sledding! (I BROUGHT MY SLED UP FOR THE SEMESTER!!!!!!) Might as well make the best of winter while it's here! :)