As the weather starts to cool down, campus dies down. There are even fewer people on campus and everyone seems to stay indoors. While some might look at this as being cozy, it’s actually depressing. Our campus is too beautiful to be ignored, but once the sun stops shining, it is forgotten in a gloomy haze. 

The cold brings out all of the bad things in the world: sickness, seasonal depression and god awful dry skin. The cold represents restriction, suffocating you in thick sweaters and layers of sadness. Warmer weather represents freedom from all constraints and it makes every waking moment feel like when you get home, kick off your shoes, and relax. 

Physical warmth can even act as an antidepressant, according to recent studies. Dr. Christopher Lowry, an associate professor of integrative physiology at the University of Colorado, is one of the leading experts in this new study. Dr. Lowry said in an interview with Linda Wasmer Andrews, a writer for Psychology Today, that he believes “warming of the skin increases electrical signals in sensory neurons. These neurons relay signals to the spinal cord, and neurons in the spinal cord then pass along the signals to the brain.”

Aside from its mood-lifting capabilities, warmer weather also allows for a wider array of activities. You can cool down at the pool, have a nice picnic, indulge in festival season and even just sit outside and admire the beautiful weather. Warmer weather also increases sociability, so you’ll be much more of a joy to be around and have a better time in the heat. Another study tells us that heat helps us be more alert and have  better memory. So not only will you have a better time, you’ll be able to enjoy other people’s company and keep the memories you make under the sun with you forever. The same can’t be said about the memories you make in the cold, as you’ll be too busy shivering to be fully present in the moment.

Once the weather cools down, people are limited to boring bonfires and movie marathons under sweat-worthy blankets. This isn’t the life we deserve to live. You can say that you’re excited cold weather is finally upon us, but you’re truly lying to yourself. We deserve to be in the sun and bask in all of its glory. 

When was the last time you were excited to leave your warm shower and step into your chilly bathroom? Exactly. People don’t like the cold per se; they like the holiday spirit and nostalgia that comes with it. The cold only brings extended naps, lower productivity and seasonal depression. It’s a sad time filled with sad skies. 

Fortunately, the cold weather doesn’t last long here in Austin. We don’t have to endure this torture for much longer. Just a few more months and the sun will be back to warm our hearts again.