As the seasons turn and we approach those months that force us to question our decision to attend college in Iowa, I’d like to point out a few of the positives that our fickle climate allows for.

    It’s that time of year again; the time of year in which misinformed out-of-state students realize they’re wildly underprepared for the weather, or when freshmen begin to reconsider their responses to their mothers’ pleas to “at least take ONE stocking hat with you Jimmy!” or when overly optimistic students can be identified by their refusal to wear proper winter footwear.  However, beyond the obvious advantages inherent in being able to inwardly make fun of these suffering people shuffle through central campus in a light sweatshirt in 15 degree weather, I’d like to highlight a few of the reasons as to why I still love Iowa’s climate.

                Namely—what is life without contrast? The oh-so distinct four seasons of Iowa are what allow us to enjoy them in the first place! What would our warm and sunny summer afternoons be without the windy winter evenings we experience that give us a sense of true appreciation? When the first signs of spring reveal themselves to, by this point in time, thoroughly depressed and cynical you, would you truly have it any other way? It is the transitions between cold and warm, rainy and snowy, cloudy and clear, that allow us a certain amount of relish unattainable in other parts of the country.

     Secondly, the cold winter months we’re about to embark upon have, I think, more benefits than many realize. I have a great fondness of sweaters that I believe many others hold, and related comforts like hot cocoa and the warmth of a crackling fireplace would be impossible to enjoy without the unforgivingly frosty winters we so often endure. Thanksgiving, Christmas, football and basketball, snowball fights and skiing are all traditions made so much more pleasant as a result of our icy wintertime.  

       Lastly, I’ll conclude by saying that harsh weather does, I believe, build a certain toughness of character into a soul. We are made stronger by our perseverance, and, for that reason, I am certain that as Iowans, we are of a most noble and sturdy breed.