Benjamin Lassy, CC
Cold weather is clearly superior. In fact, the optimal range of temperatures is between 33 and about 59 degrees Fahrenheit. Now chill out for a moment, you warm weather advocates, I know that’s quite a low range, but think of the possibilities! It’s a 51 degree day, chilly enough to warrant a flannel or sweater, but nowhere near warm enough to cause nasty sweating or heat exhaustion. It’s a sweet, chilly spot.
But just because it’s cold out doesn’t mean you’d be cold! Think for a moment, what do you do to cool down in the summer? Do you pour a bottle of water on your head? Jump in a pool? Chances are we’ve all done something similar in the heat out of incredible necessity. But now think of the freedom that cold has to offer! Perhaps you huddle around a cozy fireplace, cram your hands in some comfy mittens or bundle up in an egregious number of blankets; either way, there are many unobtrusive ways to warm up.
Now let’s talk about food. Of course, food preferences are subjective, so I won’t go there, but hear me out: The way we cook things does change depending on the weather. Would you run a hot oven to cook a delicious casserole in the summertime if it heated up the already sweltering house? I’d guess not. But this extra warmth would be most welcome in the winter, right? Perhaps that’s why so many savory, hearty dishes are made in the colder parts of the year!
So, I must admit, warm weather is great and I’m looking forward to a warm spring, but I think it’s clear that cold weather is wonderful just the same — all thanks to the coziness and simplicity it provides!
Mariia Barabanova, CC
100% cold. I grew up in the very cold climate of Northeastern Europe, which is why I’m very much used to the cold and have been taught many ways to “survive” it and be able to function in cold weather — and learned to genuinely enjoy it. People disagree with that point because warm weather is associated with summer break, beach vacations, freedom from school, outside hangouts and more. The common love for the summer season is totally understandable in that way, but if we’re talking specifically about weather, there isn’t anything great about the heat.
Regarding events and things people associate with a certain season, I have a lot more love for winter break, Christmas and New Years than for the simple fact of no school in the summer. And to me, there’s no worse feeling than being too hot and sweating. When you’re cold in the winter, you can put on extra layers, grab a cozy blanket or throw on another warm sweater — but what do you do in the summer when it feels like you’re being boiled alive? There’s only so much you can do in terms of clothing choices to withstand the heat. Oh, and you can’t forget the fauna! The insects are what really make me dislike the warmest times of the year. There’s so many, they’re unbelievably annoying and unpleasant and again, not much you can do to avoid them.
Max Soroka, CC
Perhaps it’s my dwindling tolerance for cold temperatures that always kicks in this time of year, but I have a preference for warmer weather. With the first day of spring just passing us, I have begun eagerly awaiting the days that I will be able to walk outside in a short sleeve shirt or barefoot again.
Throughout these past winter months, I’ve also been experiencing extreme vitamin D deficiency and have routinely caught myself daydreaming of beach days to come. I wasn’t fortunate enough to have taken advantage of spring break by traveling somewhere warm, and with my parents vacationing in Puerto Rico this week, my envy is reaching its boiling point.
I can’t wait for long, hot days filled with sunshine, cooling off in the ocean after laying in the sun for hours and enjoying popsicles and swimming pools. I’ll be smiling ear to ear on the first day that is warm enough for me to walk outside without a winter coat or a fleece-lined sweater and when getting ready to go outside no longer feels like a chore. I also have a very tropical wardrobe, which thrives best in the warmer months.
Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty that I love about the colder months of the year as well, such as snow days, skiing, hot chocolate and so much more, but I find most of those attractions peak around the holidays and quickly decline toward mid-January (usually when the spring semester starts). Plus, there is the inherent and contagiously positive atmosphere of spring, with more and more students enjoying the outdoors while marking that school is finally coming to an end.
Naiiya Patel, CC
Warm. The versatility of warm weather is the best thing on this Earth. No need to cancel plans because of snow or ice. The ability to walk out without checking the weather because you know it’s good weather is unmatched. Warm weather is linked with more freedom, fun and creativity. Cold weather is full of being stuck at home with nothing to do and isolation. Summertime memories are often the best times of your life, containing your most spontaneous moments.
There are a thousand different things I could focus on, but I’ll focus on fashion. Summer clothes are always full of patterns and unique layers, and the season is the easiest time to demonstrate your true fashion sense. In warm weather you can always wear more and take off less, but in cold weather you need your coat no matter what. My bulky coat is designed for warmth, not fashion. It covers my coolest sweaters because I am freezing the whole time.
It may just be me, but my best fashion statement outfits always comprise skirts and dresses, not long sleeves and coats. Not to mention there are a million more places to go in the summer to show off your outfits versus the winter: concerts, festivals, beaches, pool parties and the bar versus sledding accidents, falling while ice skating and making a snowman in your front yard.
Raymond Ollivierre, CC
Cold. Warm weather advocates will talk to you about amazing outfits, time spent in the sun and summer festivities. But let’s talk about the flies, the wasps at the cookout, the allergies, sweating every day and the sunburns that get so bad your skin peels off. While physically unable to get a sunburn, I can only imagine how painful it is to lie down on a back as tender as raw chicken.
In cold weather (sub-50 degrees Fahrenheit), you can run without turning into a human slip-n-slide, carve slopes and bust out the parka jacket to protect you from the wind. Introverts rejoice with an excuse to hide inside, bundled up and binge-watching their favorite television show, while extroverts coerce themselves to stand outside the bar in black crop tops and ripped jeans (you know who you are).
And fashion? True fashionistas/fashionistos have an outfit for every temperature. Boots, pants, coats and sweaters shine their best when they’re functional in sub-50 degree weather. Ancient proverbs tell us that summer may be fleeting, but drip is forever. Seasonal allergies lie dead during the winter, allowing us Claritin poppers to go weeks without sinus drips and itchy eyes. In a time when the ocean might drown all of Florida in the next decade, appreciate the cold while it’s still here.
