It’s that time of year in Erie when all of the sudden it snows every day and we all know it is here to stay a while. You never know if it will be 40 degrees or minus 8 degrees outside. Each day is played by ear because with the wind constantly blowing snow into your eyes, it’s hard to see.I know I just made Erie sound so depressing, but let’s face it; the weather we have been having lately is ridiculous. I saw the mound of snow outside of Hirt, and it was quite a sight.

Of course, the day I write this article the roads and sidewalks are completely clear, but I know it won’t be that way for long. If you’re the type of person that likes snow, then you probably disagree with me. I hate snow. It gets everywhere. I could stand outside the door for ten minutes wiping my boots on the rug and there would still be melted snow on the bottom of my soles. Don’t even get me started on the wind. It is already cold outside, we don’t need to get hypothermia just from walking to class because the windchill made the temperature feel like minus 15 degrees. That reminds me, people who walk around in t-shirts and shorts, you are brave! I might sound like a middle-aged mother when I say this, but having exposed skin when it’s as cold as it has been is dangerous! People have legitimately died of frostbite, but I guess it would still take 30 minutes to get it despite the daily temperatures and the windchill factor, or so I learned from a quick internet search.

Anyway, you would never catch me walking around without at least a sweater on in the wintertime; I almost always have a coat. In fact, most people I know recognize me by my bright blue coat, which is really heavy because I get cold easily.This brings me to my next point: it doesn’t matter if it’s 30 degrees or 5 degrees, my hands are constantly freezing. I always have to keep really thick gloves in my coat pockets or else my hands will literally turn red or even purple just from walking to class for five minutes. My hands also dry out in this weather, which isn’t helping my or Erie’s case right now.The one good aspect of it is cozying up under heavy blankets and drinking hot cocoa. I even like to add cinnamon to mine!

I am told that Erie is so nice in the summertime, which is unfortunate for the students who attend college in Erie but don’t live here. I live close enough to Erie that I come here for day trips in the summer, and let me tell you, it’s hot! Erie goes from one extreme to another in the change of seasons, so I like to enjoy the fall and spring weather in the small amount of time we have it. At least during the warmer months I am able to walk around outside, which is one of my favorite activities because it is a change from the “sitting down, going to class, sitting for another hour” cycle. Living in Erie during the cold months makes me miss the warmer months all the more.