Unpredictable Weather: Be Prepared and Keep Your Chin Up! - Geneva College
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Unpredictable Weather: Be Prepared and Keep Your Chin Up!

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Campus Life Everyday Living

As many residents and college students know, the weather in Western Pennsylvania during a transition from season to season can be unpredictable, to say the least. On a spring day it can start out in the teens in the morning and the sun can set on a lovely 60 degrees. It’s easy to complain about the unpredictable weather, but how much better it is to prepare for it! That’s the better course of action.

Newcomers should know how to prepare for bipolar weather, and long-term residents could use the reminder. Here are a few tips on how to prepare for the ever-changing Western Pennsylvania weather:

  1. Dress In Layers

When leaving your home or residence hall in the morning, dress in layers. If the weather is cold and then becomes warmer, you can easily remove a layer to keep yourself cool. If the weather remains cold, you are all good, too.

  1. Check The Forecast

It is always important wherever you live to check the weather forecast on the news, your laptop, computer or smartphone. This is especially crucial in areas like Pennsylvania where weather can change in an instant; it is good to know what you could be dealing with that day.

  1. Have an Umbrella Close

In the spring season especially, it is a great idea to always have an umbrella in your car or even your purse, bag or backpack in case of rain. If your local forecast predicts even the slightest chance of rain, it never hurts to be prepared for rain. Nobody likes to have to dash halfway across campus dodging raindrops in a downpour.

  1. Try to Be Early

When going out during the winter or early spring months, it never hurts to leave your home or your residence hall a little earlier if you are driving or walking. Poor weather in Western Pennsylvania is known to pop up out of nowhere. If bad weather hits on your drive or walk to class or work, it will be nice to have the extra time to take it safe and slow.

  1. Have a Good Attitude

As poet William Cowper wrote in “The Task,” his 1785 poem, “Variety’s the very spice of life, [t]hat gives it all its flavour.” This attitude should work when considering the weather, as well. Life will always be a bit unpredictable; Western Pennsylvania weather is a good way to build up your resilience for the predictably unpredictable ups-and-downs to come.

So, if you find yourself having to deal with variable Western Pennsylvania weather, it is good to be prepared by dressing in layers, checking the forecast, having an umbrella handy, giving yourself extra time and taking it all in stride. If the weather outside is looking good, go out and enjoy it. If the weather is not looking so good, it is never a bad idea to be prepared for it.

-Jacob Yarnell ‘19

Opinions expressed in the Geneva Blog are those of its contributors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official position of the College. The Geneva Blog is a place for faculty and contributing writers to express points of view, academic insights, and contribute to national conversations to spark thought, conversation, and the pursuit of truth, in line with our philosophy as a Christian, liberal arts institution.

Mar 3, 2018

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