If you happen to go to IU and aren’t from the Midwest – or more specifically Indiana for that matter – your first Indiana winter likely came as a bit of a shock to you. Whether it’s the seemingly bipolar temperatures, the snow that’s impossible to drive in, or the e-mails from IU that basically say “it’s dangerously cold outside, so wear multiple layers,” winter at IU can flat-out suck.
1. No leaves? No problem.
OK, maybe this isn’t something especially unique to Indiana, but I think we can all agree we aren’t fans of that roughly four-month period from mid-November all the way until the onset of spring. You know what I’m talking about, it’s the period just after the beautiful colors of fall when virtually every tree on campus is completely barren. As if the cold wasn’t enough to make you want to hibernate for the winter, the flat-out ugly scenery just adds insult to injury.
2. Bi-polar weather.
Scientific studies – which I’ve completely made up for the purposes of this article – show that Indiana has some of the most random weather in the country. There’s nothing worse than having to leave for class bundled up in a sweater, jeans, and boots in order to combat the freezing cold, only to later find yourself sweating as you leave class because it’s sunny and 75. Equally annoying are the handful of times when it manages to rain, hail, and snow all it the same day.
3. Full load.
This one is for all of you who’ve been reading this so far and thought “awh, winter’s not that bad,” to which I would challenge you to think about the last time you tried to take a bus to class during any month of winter. If your experiences have been anything like mine, I’m willing to bet that 9 times out of 10 the bus coming your way on a mid-Winter’s morning reads “full load,” leaving you, your pumpkin spice latte, and a series of four-letter words behind to walk.
4. Forever in the dark.
Again, this is something that is not necessarily unique to Indiana, but certainly adds yet another reason to why winter in Indiana sucks. Reason #4 on this list is the seemingly complete lack of sunshine throughout the winter. If your first class starts anytime earlier than 10 am, you’re more than likely commuting in the dark or close to it. Then, by the time you’re ready to make your way back home from campus it seems like the sun has already begun to set. Can can say, “seasonal affective disorder?”
The Complete Inconvenience of Winter Clothes
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of fall sweaters and any clothing that can generally be classified as “cozy,” but when the weather gets colder it typically requires pulling out something a few notches warmer than your everyday fleece quarter-zip. While full on winter coats are a god-send when you’re actually outside in the cold, they immediately become a hastle once you make it inside. This isn’t a problem if you’re headed home or somewhere that you can reasonably store your coat, but they’re a flat out nuisance when you’re in class, at the bars, out to eat, or anywhere else that isn’t your place of residence. It's one of the few no-win decisions in life, "do I sweat uncontrollably or make a public place my closet?"
