WINTER by Henry & Ian

Imagine this. A person sits down on their couch after walking home from school through the snow. Their cheeks are red and puffy. It’s cold but not freezing. There is hot chocolate waiting for them at home. After drinking it and watching a Christmas movie, they get cozy under the covers as they watch the snowfall, and out their window, they watch as the snow amasses to a beautiful sea of tranquility piling ever so slowly and steadily outside of their window. That person then proceeds to have the best nap of their life. This is an experience you can only get in Winter.

To start, winter has the most holidays compared to the other seasons. According to the New York Times, “We actually are happier than usual on holidays. In fact, Christmas Day, though not celebrated by everyone, is the happiest day of the year by a significant margin. Spending time with our friends and family turns out to be a robustly positive predictor of our happiness.”¹ Besides the positive social impact these holidays have, there is a major positive economic impact associated with them. According to the National Retail Federation, the average person is expected to spend around 1000 dollars during the winter holidays, more than any other holiday event.² This massive economic activity is good for the economy and keeps money flowing. Even not on the holidays, every winter day has many benefits.

Winter’s weather is favorable because it allows you to layer up as much as you want, whereas the heat of summer and other seasons requires you to layer down to a certain point. And, even then, you might still feel hot. Additionally, colder weather and colder temperatures have been associated with referential creativity, the type of creativity where you think out of the box.³ Winter also leads to deeper, more restful sleep cycles because of colder weather and sunlight’s effect on your circadian rhythm.⁴ 

Winter also allows for many sports that cannot be played at any other time of the year like skiing and snowboarding, and to some extent hockey and ice skating.

During spring and summer, allergies due to grass, trees, and pollen affect over 60 million Americans, a problem which winter does not have.⁵ Spring advocates often try to argue that they have the best month of the year (May), but just because they have the most popular month doesn’t mean that it is the best season. One may argue that summer is the best season because schools have a Summer break and therefore families can travel more and do more activities. But, as previously mentioned, summer is extremely hot, humid, and sticky. Due to climate change, from now on every single summer this vexatious weather will only make the season more uncomfortable. It is also an arbitrary decision to put the longest break of the year during summer.

Winter is the best season, full stop. The holiday density, the lower temperature that allows you to layer up as much as you want and kills bugs, the health benefits from the cold weather, as well as the special moment of piling up a bunch of blankets and watching the snowfall proves that winter is the best season.

SOURCES:

1. https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/12/23/why-arent-people-happier-during-the-holidays/we-are-happier-on-the-holidays
2. https://nrf.com/topics/retail-holiday-and-seasonal-trends
3. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320214?c=1281631051267
4. https://amerisleep.com/blog/ask-science-is-cold-good-for-sleep/
5. https://www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth/effects/allergen.htm

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SPRING by Aidan & Tiana

The erratic weather of the Northeastern United States is one of the worst things about living here. The dull and frigid winter sucks the life out of you and the muggy, torrid summer makes you want to stay inside with a fan or A.C. running. However, the weather during the spring is sublime. The moderate temperatures create the perfect hoodie and sweater weather and it is finally pleasant outside again as the cold embrace of winter finally loosens its grip.

There are scientific benefits to spring as well. The humidity level during the summer is often too high for sweat to evaporate. Because of this, the body is unable to effectively regulate its temperature and this causes increased chances of heat-related disorders like heatstroke. Paired with the extreme temperatures of summer in an urban environment, the heat index in Philadelphia often surpasses 95 degrees¹ which can be very dangerous.² In the United States alone more than 720 people die of heat-related illness each year.³ During winter humidity levels are low which can lead to dehydration, worsen skin conditions like eczema, and can impair your body’s ability to fight respiratory illnesses like Covid-19 due to damage to one’s mucous membranes.⁴ However, spring’s humidity level is in the optimal range of 20-50% where your body is able to cool itself down properly and mucus membranes are healthy and functional.⁵

The longer daylight following the spring equinox benefits us in many different ways. A study from Brigham Young University in 2016 found that there is a correlation between longer daylight hours and less mental distress. Not only does sunlight work as a mood booster, but it also benefits your memory and creativity. A study by the University of Michigan in 2005 showed that as you spend more than 30 minutes outside in the sunny spring weather will affect your brain: more open to new information and creative thoughts. Furthermore, spring is safer as the longer daylight reduces crime. A study by the Review of Economics and Statistics stated that the robbery rates fell when the daylight time is longer. Statistically, the robbery rate dropped 27 percent during that extra hour of evening sunlight.⁶

While many people suffer from tree pollen allergies in the spring and summer, the other seasons also cause issues for those that are allergic to other types of pollen. In fact, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, the most common kind of seasonal allergy is ragweed pollen which is released during the fall and early winter.⁷

Spring is a happy medium between the more extreme climate of seasons like winter and summer. The weather conditions of spring also have many health benefits, from far lower chances of heat-related disorders and better resistance to respiratory illness to the mental benefits of the increased amount of daylight. Despite our views and evidence, this is a subjective argument. What is your favorite season?

SOURCES:

1. https://www.weather-us.com/en/pennsylvania-usa/philadelphia-weather-july
2. https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/faq.html
3. https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/high-temperatures-result-in-about-702-deaths-in-the-us-each-year/2020/06/26/8a5f0064-b6f5-11ea-a510-55bf26485c93_story.html
4. https://blog.getawair.com/6-health-symptoms-associated-with-humidity
5. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/in-depth/humidifiers/art-20048021#:~:text=Ideal%20humidity%20levels&text=Generally%2C%20humidity%20levels%20are%20higher,and%20make%20your%20eyes%20itchy
6. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/55573/15-scientific-reasons-spring-most-delightful-season
7. https://www.aafa.org/pollen-allergy/

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