By Brandon Ladd
“Fool’s spring” is known as the time after the first cold snap in winter when temperatures warm up significantly and people start to believe that the coldest part of winter has already passed. It is also put satirically on the list of 12 seasons describing New York’s ever changing weather.
It is just plain mean. Between Groundhog’s Day and the first signs of spring showing, you would think the frigid Oswego winter is just about to break. Well, the answer seems to be that it will not and can lead to a never ending seasonal depression that so many students at SUNY Oswego experience this time of year. As the walks to class become laboring through the cold temperatures and treacherous as ice develops on all walkways throughout campus. The lack of sunlight also plays a role, as students can start lacking vitamin D.
A New York Times article from 2018 explored how the winter months affect vitamin D levels in the average person. The findings show that sometimes, seasonal fatigue can help explain why you might be sluggish just about this time of year. Studies “consistently show that vitamin D status drops during the winter, with levels peaking in September and at their lowest in March. So for some people at least part of the year, it may be important to rely on dietary sources of vitamin D or supplements.”
So, do not feel any shame in going to a local store and buying vitamin D supplements or continuously having eggs and cereal throughout the day. These two simple ways to get your levels up, might make the difference between you waking up for your morning class or not. All of my years at SUNY Oswego have shared one common way to start every single winter day, that is orange juice. I always make sure that I am taking in a form of vitamin D to start the day.
As for falling for fool’s spring and being naive about the temperatures outside, that is a personal choice. This past week, I decided to treat the near 50-degree temperatures and actual sunshine with a sense of urgency. Realizing that they will not last for long. So, I went outside for a bit and enjoyed this time where I could actually feel my fingers while walking to and from my car, trying to lift my spirits for the next burst of arctic cold.
Winter will carry on for a few more weeks before the warmer air moves in for good. It will not be a trip to Miami Beach but it will make the walk around campus more reasonable. The average highs for the months of March and April for Oswego are 40 and 52 degrees. So, if this is your first Oswego winter, realize that relief is coming soon enough. For winter lovers, realize the chances for snow are beginning to drop as the calendar soon flips to March. The average snowfall for the area is 15 inches in March. Meaning that each and every last burst of snow might be the last for the season. Treat it with urgency, do not make an excuse, get outside and enjoy your favorite precipitation while it lasts.
In closing, stock up on vitamin D, run outside whenever the temperature gets above freezing and make the most of your last snowfall opportunities if that is your thing. Oh, one last thing — the wind is not going to go away whatever the temperature is.
Brandon Ladd | The Oswegonian
