OPINION | Winter is better than summer 

Winter is, hands down, the superior season over summer. I might be a little biased because I’m a cold blooded December baby that grew up in the mountains, but hear me out for a second.  

Summertime is miserable, and I’m sure those who live in the dorms without air conditioning can vouch for me. The relief from the heat in the summer is way more difficult to obtain over the relief from cold in the winter. During the summer, if it’s 100 degree weather, the only way to stay cool is by not going outside. In winter, if it’s cold you just have to be smart with how many layers you’re wearing. 

Winter also takes place during the “holly jolly” season. We got Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, etc. To me, nothing is better than getting snowed in with friends and family during a time when everyone is giving and being thankful.  

Winter activities are phenomenal too. For those who enjoy hiking and playing sports in bone dry heat, I don’t know how the hell you do it, but kudos to you.  

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy my fair share of summer activities — like boating at the lake and going to the pool — but I’ll take sledding over that any day. I’ll even take building the occasional snowman. Then, we have activities like ice skating, snowmobiling, skiing and snowboarding. Those are the peak of outdoor activities, and at the end of the day you can bundle up with a nice cup of hot cocoa. It’s honestly such a vibe.  

The weather is also so much more satisfying in the winter than it is in the summer. It’s a time when we can enjoy the moisture in the air. When it snows, it brings me joy knowing that it’ll nurture the vegetation that grows in the spring.  

I can handle the heat in the summer, but the one thing I absolutely cannot stand is the wind we get here. It’s relentless. When we got back from spring break, I literally thought the school was going to blow away.  

In the summer, it’s nothing but pure drought season. We’ll get the occasional rainstorm, but the ratio of sun and rain is just not balanced in Colorado. When the sun comes out, it stays for days on end and dries everything out. The combination of that and the high amount of wind we get is … not great. 

Don’t even get me started on the fire danger, which we don’t have to worry as much about during the winter. As soon as the snow disappears, the red flags go straight up. The ski resorts haven’t closed yet this year and we’ve already had a fire at Lake George! In the winter, fire is a friend but in the summer it’s a pure menace.  

The one thing I can’t defend about the winter is the driving conditions. As soon as the first snowflake drops, people suddenly forget how to drive. I’ll also admit it’s annoying to spare a little extra time in the morning to get snow off your car, but to me it’s a small sacrifice. I personally prefer that over when my car becomes an oven from sitting in the heat all day in the summer. 

All of this being said, I think winter takes the cake on being the superior season.  

Summer versus winter. Graphic by Neako Hallisey. 

Photo from npr.org.