Changing Like the Weather Is Not an Option

Photo taken by Antonio Alvarez

Is it winter or summer? No one knows.

As we get dressed to enjoy our day, we often forget about dressing for the weather outside. Although the weather app on our phones could tell us what to expect, how often do we check this? Never.

One day we go out with clothes that we love and with an incredible mood but suddenly, without warning, it starts pouring out of nowhere, sending a shock through our systems and dampening our mood for the day. In my opinion, the weather in Stockton is like dice, you never know what exactly is going to appear or what the day will bring. It is a climate that sometimes fills us with beautiful skies and blazing sun as well as stormy clouds and what feels like infinite rain. As students, this type of weather utterly shocks our minds. Sometimes I will have absolutely nothing to wear because of the random weather decisions. For international students or students from different states who are not used to this type of weather, how are you doing with your clothing stock?

As an international student, I admit that it was a drastic change to adapt to a climate with so many modifications, and not just daily changes, but momentary ones during the day. From sunny mornings to windy afternoons where you feel like you are just another branch that could break and fly off with enough pressure.

So, how do we deal with this change in climate, not just physically, but also emotionally? It is not a game; our health depends on it.

The only thing left for us is to have a wardrobe prepared for whatever the day may bring. It might not be easy but having an umbrella always in your bag might be the best solution. The weather changing all the time might affect not just our clothes but our emotions, so let us try to avoid this in advance. 

One must take care of oneself to live day to day and getting sick from a day of freezing weather and a numbing wind at night is very complicated. There is nothing to do to prevent it because the weather will not change for us, but this is how the weather in California works. So even if it is as shocking as it can be and as fraught as having the worst exam can be, we have to deal with it. There is no choice.

Finally, as students at Pacific, we have to protect ourselves, so the next time we see someone without an umbrella on a rainy day, remember that not everyone checks their cell phone. It is always good to help each other because judging by the sky out of the window, you never know what the day has to offer.