It's not that bad

The following is a short piece I wrote for a soon-to-be-launched section of the admitted student website. Okay, so I'm double-dipping with my own work, but I have a brief to write and it's been another chunk of forever since I posted.

*******
I fully believe that somewhere in the inner recesses of The Powers That Be in Ann Arbor, there’s a handbook of stock responses to calm people’s fears about the weather. It’s not a long book—more like a pamphlet, really—since it essentially consists of variations on the theme of “it’s not that bad.” Severity of weather, like many things, is highly relative; compared to spontaneous combustion, dropping a hammer on your foot isn’t “that bad.”

I kid. There is nothing painful or unpleasant about Ann Arbor winters as long as you remember one simple truth: there is no bad weather, only bad clothing. I came to Ann Arbor after five years in Texas, somewhat anxious that I had gone soft in my ability to tolerate cold weather. While packing, I noticed a substantial lack of warm clothes in my wardrobe. Somehow the prospect of facing a tough winter with a leather jacket and several pairs of sandals didn’t hold much appeal, so my visit home to Montana included the task of winterizing my closet. In a previously unparalleled display of fortitude and frugality, I attacked discount and second-hand stores to produce a fully functional winter wardrobe for about $300. The name of the game here is layers, and I came prepared.

Is this weather glass half full or half empty? It depends if you’re pouring or drinking—perspective changes everything. You can indulge your fears about our winters with statistics about average January temperatures, monthly snowfall forecasts, and the nose-freezing presence of wind-chill, or you can get excited about the amazing efficacy of fleece. You can lament the inconveniences of a night of heavy snow, or you can impress yourself with the new-found muscle tone your arms develop as you clean the snow and ice off your car a few times a week. Drink hot beverages, wear a scarf, and discover the sweet excellence of wearing silk long johns under your jeans; winter is something to be enjoyed, not feared.

The reality of Michigan winters may seem daunting to the uninitiated, but this is a hurdle that is easy to overcome. Start with a few new sweaters, and repeat to yourself “there is no bad weather, only bad clothing.”