California, Utah, Michigan and Stereotypes

So apparently that fat-over-hyped-up-rodent was right. Winter is gonna stick around for six more weeks. Blech. I woke up yesterday morning and looked out to a winter wonderland. The only good thing about this is that I have more time to ponder upon the unique conglomeration of humans all congregating on BYU.

Last fall when it snowed for the first time my roommates and I had to take our Californian roommate outside so she could see snow what snow really looks like. As winter progressed I realized that it is incredibly easy to tell where people are from based upon how they deal with the "cold" Utah winters. Coming from Michigan (and not even northern Michigan where it actually gets cold) I found that first winter to be rather temperate. I wore a coat sparingly and enjoyed chortling at those who were freaking out. The southerners are my favorites. Picking them out is particularly easy, especially if they are Freshman and haven't had another winter as reference. They are the ones who come onto campus bundled up and shivering. They look at the snow with a certain level of awe and disbelief like "I remember watching the 2000 Winter Olympics, but I thought all the snow just stayed on the mountain... wow..." (insert the sound of chattering teeth and you've got it). They are also the ones who are really scary on the road: "wait, you mean that shiny glow off of the road means that maybe I should drive slower because my car might slide?" These cars I avoid like the plague.

Those from farther north are almost as amusing. I tell the Southerners I'm from where there's lots of snow, but when it comes to the Canadians I tell them we just get a little, eh. The Canadians are fun because they wear their shorts and Hawaiian tee-shirts all winter. "You mean that light dusting of powder... that's nothing, I go running barefoot in weather like this!"

My other favorite part about winter is when it arrives here. Winter, theoretically, arrives some time around Thanksgiving and departs by the time Easter hits (if not sooner.) I think as a function of MST (Mormon Standard Time, totally different from Mountain Time) winter shows up perpetually late here. Two weeks before Christmas I vividly recall running around in jeans and a tee-shirt, and I wasn't alone. I think the LDS standard of running late for everything has ingrained itself into the weather. Sigh. Perhaps I will see green grass again... someday...

Oooh, as a side note, last night my friends and I were commenting how much we love the boots and capri's look, cause it's so functional... ya know, keep all but your mi-calf warm. Sign me up!