Here on campus, the change in seasons is obvious from the change in student apparel. Equipped with a classic "Fall Sweater" (preferably knitted), any variety of boots, and an umbrella (because you really never know) we experience brisk mornings, hot afternoons, and freezing evenings. Every morning is a gamble - Is today the day that I believe my computer's weather app? What if it's actually accurate? - usually resulting in wearing way too many layers of clothing.
Thankfully, I live with three other roommates this year whose fashion advice I hold in high regard. The morning is spent walking back and forth checking and double checking the weather. By the time I've actually picked out an outfit, they're usually dressed and I then assess my choices. If 2 or more of them are wearing shorts or skirts, I'm probably overdressed. If it's just the one who notoriously likes cooler temperatures, I'm sticking to my oversized sweater and jeans. It's a beautiful relationship.
The most captivating thing about Autumn (the fancier way of addressing "Fall"), is the gradual change of leaf colors. Suddenly green is "so last season" (badum tscche - get it?) and reds, oranges, and yellows are all the rage. But after taking biology in high school, I can't help but feel a little sad. When leaves aren't green, the little chloroplasts of plants aren't absorbing light as efficiently and the nerd in me gets a little worried. But then I remember good ol' Darwin and his theory. Also, that this happens Every. Year. Over and over. Then I feel a little better. (It's just like the story of Sleeping Beauty - pshh, the trees are still alive, they're just "asleep")
For those of you who don't see Fall as being as traumatic as I do, it's a time for Pumpkin Spiced lattes (or so I'm told), hot apple cider, and picking out Halloween costumes. It's a great little in between season where you're not sweating continuously or uncontrollably shivering. That is, unless you overestimated how hot/cold it really is. 60 degrees is suddenly the all around signal for knit sweaters during the Fall, but in the Spring, we celebrate 50 degrees with shorts. So yes, temperature is often all relative. Unless you're sitting in a two and a half hour long class shivering in your flip flops because central heating is delayed until November. But, hey! That's a lesson learned, eh? Don't take any more two and a half hour long classes. Problem solved.
So leaves changing colors, hot drinks, lots of sweaters - that's all pretty standard. What I never can remember (without fail, it's really kinda sad) is that Fall is a rainy season. And yeah, a little drizzle isn't bad. But thunderstorms that threaten to flip your umbrella inside-out, that's just too much. If you happen to disbelieve your usually untrustworthy weather app and don't bring an umbrella you've got quite the water-slide rollercoaster ahead of you. Just like say, Splash Mountain, you begin the day dry and excited. But as soon as you step outside, you immediately think, "Wow. There is so much more water than I thought there would be." Your classes become the respite between the torrential downpour. Unfortunately, the hour that you've been sitting there drying off is useless because you've gotta get out there and get to your next class!
As a poorly sighted individual, I'm typically wearing glasses. This means that when it's raining and I am left without an umbrella I am staring straight at the ground. Don't wanna get my glasses wet and further impair myself! Unfortunately, this limits my already limited field of vision. Since it's raining everywhere and not from one solitary raincloud above my head, everyone is walking around like this. That's a whole campus-full of people hurrying to get to class with their eyes on the ground. It's basically like an unchoreographed, non-musical interpretative dance with an odd resemblance to a pinball machine. Because people bump into each other. If you didn't get that metaphor.
Anyways, rest uneasily because with Winter around the corner (it's always around the corner when you live in the Midwest) the same behavior is displayed. Raindrops evolve into Snowflakes and what's better at obstructing our sight than umbrellas and staring at the ground? Oversized (faux)fur-lined hoods on our Winter coats and scarves wrapped 3x 'round covering our entire faces. So good luck with not bumping into others during these deceptively festive months, everyone!
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