I decided to write this article after spending an entire afternoon on the main lawn at Fordham, reading a surprisingly good book assigned by my English professor and reflecting with friends on the sunny and eventful weekend that had just passed. As great and busy as this semester has been, there haven't been many days I spent outdoors longer than my routine stroll to class (which half the time turned into a sprint because of the cold). This particular day was filled with students listening to music, playing sports, taking silly pictures, and drinking lemonade refreshers from Starbucks, all while the flowers were officially being planted around campus.

As the weather finally reached a beautiful 65 degrees and sunny, I found that the mood on campus shifted from relatively mild and mellow to a more social, lighthearted, and friendly environment. I woke up on Saturday morning and walked to get my coffee, loving the smell of the fresh air and feeling content as people were gathering outside in shorts, skirts, and t-shirts. It was the first time that it seemed like the stress of assignments and deadlines wasn't hanging over everyone's heads like rain clouds ready to burst.

It made me realize that the winter months really put a damper on my emotions and throw many people into a "funk," for lack of a better word. I'm easily stressed, easily overwhelmed, and definitely easily convinced to stay in bed during the winter months, and I know I'm not alone in feeling this immense lack of motivation. To me, the wintry aesthetic of snow-covered trees, numbing cold, and layers upon layers of clothing is no match for the satisfaction that sunshine, tan skin, and shorts and flip flops create.

The semester is looking up as the sun stays out longer and wearing sandals is more acceptable. As the trees start to reach full bloom, I feel my attitude reaching a more optimistic and care-free level, whereas the snow-covered branches provoked a very uptight and lethargic side I wasn't too fond of. Let's just hope this warm weather sticks around in time for me to get through finals with the sunshine on my side!