The weather, it changes rapidly, drastically, and frequently impacts foliage, crops, and human emotions. For non-native Syracuse students, getting accustomed to Syracuse is hard enough and then when you factor in the weather it’s almost like landing on a different planet. Maybe that analogy is a bit dramatic, but I’m from New York City and even then, the change felt drastic.

In the city, we suffer from maybe one or two blizzards each winter, but Syracuse feels like the Arctic every time it snows. Forget the Timberlands and cute Doc Martens, you can’t survive without quality snow boots.

When the snowfall seems limitless (and Syracuse’s limited public transportation) many emotions start to surface. Students are usually confined to their dorm rooms and for students from a major city, being stationary can drive a person crazy because we’re so used to being constantly on the move. The snow isn’t all that bad though, it benefits us every once in awhile when classes get cancelled. I mean, who doesn’t like a snow day to catch up on assignments and Netflix shows?

One thing to look forward to after a long winter is Spring, but even Spring comes along with weird weather patterns, ones that could even make Al Gore jump up screaming about global warming. Spring comes with so much rain that seems to span for days at a time. Rain is important, we all know this, but these downpours send students scurrying indoors to find shelter like ants.

The raindrops in the city fall like sesame seeds but the rain drops in Upstate New York are marbles, and they can inflict damage. At least with the rain, though it can be depressing, it helps the flowers bloom and flowers are always a sign of the spring semester coming to an end.

The funniest part about Syracuse weather is when you talk to Syracuse natives and complain about the horrendous weather, they roll their eyes like it’s nothing because this is all they’ve ever known. The only appropriate response from a native New Yorker is, bless your poor soul.