Joyce:
In light of our latest snowfall (*at the time of writing*) this past Thursday, Rin and I thought that writing about our favorite winter traditions is fitting. I’ll go first.
To me, the winter season and its snowfalls oftentimes lead to:
The possibility of a snow day or late starts. Sometimes, before a heavy snowfall, I’d get really excited that there may be no school the next day and that we’d get to stay home. And although Holton “only” permits one (or this year, two) snow days a year (ugh), weather-related delays are great because they allow me to sleep in or get some work done.
Staying under the warm covers. I don’t even know how many times I have just lay in bed under the covers with Netflix propped up on my computer while it snowed a ton outside. Being able to stay warm despite the cold grounds me and makes me thankful for what I have (see more on gratitude later!).
Enjoying the beauty of a snowfall! I think the scenery and the way the ground, trees and roads look after it snows is breathtaking. Personally, I don’t mind the cold very much, so I have gone out of my house to play in the snow with just a pair of shorts and a t-shirt on before :). Although I wouldn’t recommend everyone to do that (for example, my mom is pretty against me going outside in shorts when it’s cold, and she nags at me when I get home), taking in the beauty of snow keeps you in the moment and encourages you to practice mindfulness, something we can all benefit from, especially during Covid when our lives are hectic.
Rin:
Personally, I’m not a huge fan of winter just because I don’t tolerate the cold very well, but there are perks to the winter season. My family is half-Japanese, and in Japan they have this miraculous object called the kotatsu- it’s basically a heated table with a blanket over it. It’s floor ,and you sit on a cushion or folded chair with your legs under the blankets. Although it's hard to explain just through words and may seem like a weird concept to many people, it’s actually very common and useful in Japan. If you want to do homework, but your room is too cold? Into the kotatsu. If you want to watch your new favorite show on Netflix? Into the kotatsu. If you want to take a short nap before your afternoon class? Into the kotatsu! Evidently my liking for it mostly stems from my disliking of the cold, but hey, I can’t be the only one that doesn’t like the cold weather, right?
Comments