Sweater Weather
I have to be honest with you. Sometimes, Chicago weather can make me grumpy. It can be windy, cold, a little bit dreary and often results in me being blown into light poles and unsuspecting pedestrians. And I think that’s what most people think of when they think about the Windy City (the cold and wind, not blowing into innocent people). But, people who just file Chicago weather under freezing and miserable are forgetting one important season: Chicago Fall.
The time between the sweltering summers and frozen winters includes the best weather I have ever experienced in my life. Fall is beautiful.
It’s usually warm, but with enough breeze that it’s comfortable to wear a nice combination of clothes – t-shirts and pants, dresses with tights or my favorite, shorts with sweaters. In general, it’s just nice not to be a melting puddle of sweat or a freezing iceicle.
Last week, it seemed like Chicago finally began it’s fall transition, giving up the sweltering days of 90 degrees in favor for 70 degree weather with intermittent breezes. Seeing everyone hanging out along the lake and sprawled out on the quad reminded me of just how gorgeous the Lake Shore Campus at Loyola can be.
It’s easy to get distracted by all of the work, committments and other things I have going on, forgetting just how completely beautiful my campus can be.
Luckily, because my workload hasn’t been too heavy so far this semester, I’ve had a chance to remember and enjoy the gorgeous weather. I’m glad that I’m not too busy…I don’t think I would have been able to study from my 7.3 pound pharmacology book if I wanted to. The idea of making millions of notecards along the lakefront seems a little out of place in my mind.
That’s not to say that people haven’t been doing their homework outside – reading and laying around the grass and lake paths seem to be the activities of choice for students during the past week or so. I just have a habit of getting too distracted by the mesmerizing waves or breeze.
But for me, I think that’s okay. While part of college consists of the academic experience, I think another big part of it consists of those lazy days where you can just lay out under the sun and listen to the waves before heading to your next class.