Spring, Where art Thou?

Published March 25, 2008

By Lea McLellan

Spring is finally here! Or is it? As last Thursday proved, spring in Vermont really isn’t much of a spring at all. At least not the “bunnies leaping, bluebirds singing, people dancing in rain puddles wearing Technicolor raincoats” kind of spring. It’s a Vermont spring, which is blustery, cold, damp, and icy. I guess it can be compared most effectively to other states’ definition of winter.

I realize we’re in Vermont. I prepared myself for this — I packed long johns and everything. I knew it would be a long, cold winter, but not being a native Vermonter, I didn’t know that winter could be this long and cold.

For some reason, I thought that after we came back from Spring Break, it would actually be spring. The birds would sing, snow would melt away for good, grass would grow greener, and I might even trade in my heavy winter coat for something lighter…like a windbreaker.

Even though this belief was completely illogical and unfounded, it didn’t lessen my depression upon arrival back in Burlington. It was still snowing, no chirping birds were in sight, and it’s hard to imagine seeing the green grass or budding leaves ever, ever again.

Remember those days when we all walked to class smiling in our sunglasses and shorts? People happily read their textbooks on the grass and then went to class, where the professor would turn on the fan and open the windows to let in the warm breeze. Remember? Remember when we weren’t all pale and grumpy?

You know, before the winter forced us inside where reading textbooks seems like way more of a drag since the classroom floors are flooded with muddy slush water from everyone’s boots. Remember feeling the warmth of the sun on your bare shoulders? No. Me neither. Anything above thirty degrees seems like a distant memory…a pleasant, but impossible dream.

The effects of weather on student morale are never more apparent than during my dreaded, 8:50 a.m. walk to math class. It might be my subconscious rebellion against a too-long winter or my sauna of a dorm room, but I never wear the necessary hat, scarf, or boots. As I walk to class, sneakers soaked with slush, hands shoved in my pockets, I observe my fellow classmates through my watery wind-blasted eyes.

Everyone looks miserable. Faces are drawn into frowns and shoulders are hunched. People rarely look up from the ground-their focus remains on the icy patches that could send them sprawled out on the sidewalk. The fact that people are on their way to class at the ungodly hour of 9 a.m. might account for some of the frowning faces, but I’d be willing to bet there’d be a lot more smiles if it were sunny and warm.

However, to avoid falling into a deep depression when we’re almost at the end of the winter months, it’s important to maintain the hope that a real spring will show up soon. There have been some encouraging signs including rain (April showers bring May flowers) and joggers.

I even saw a whole flock of robins in the tree outside my dorm. Granted, the sighting took place before Spring Break, there have been some considerable snowfalls since then, and I haven’t seen any robins since. I hope they made it…

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