“Things You Gain When Seasons Change” by Camila Mora
Seven years ago, I moved to Illinois from Florida. Thinking about it now, it was a huge change of culture, language, and event to a season's changing weather. This is something that definitely impacted my perspective on life in a totally different way. Because of this change, I have become more flexible and adaptable, always finding small details in everyday life, and have learned to appreciate those. Before my parents and I moved to Illinois, many people told us, “I feel so sorry for you. You are moving away from paradise and sunny weather all year long”. Later, when we already settled in Illinois, people would ask us, “Is there a reason why you moved here? There is no way people would want to leave sunny weather like that to a place that changes seasons.” In my opinion, they were very incorrect. While they thought it was terrible, I thought it was an open door to more opportunities of different experiences and change of perspectives and learning to adapt.
When I lived in Florida, it was always sunny and humid and when the weather went down to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, people would grab their coats as if it was the end of the world, and to be honest, that would happen maybe two days a year. In Florida, there is no necessity to have to adapt to another type of weather and every day is predictable.
When I moved to Illinois, I realized nature had so much to offer than just sun and humidity all year round. I moved to Illinois during the summer, so I did not feel any immediate change, but when Fall came, I remember the happiness that I felt, but also the allergies that got introduced to me that came along with the change of seasons. I was sneezing like crazy. That was the first time I had allergies and they help me appreciate the little things in life especially when I do not have them all year long.
I remember the first leaf that fell right in front of the window in our kitchen. I was studying for a biology quiz the next day, but got distracted by the beautiful amber, gamboge, auburn, crimson colors on the tree when I suddenly saw a scarlet colored leaf fall off of the tree. When it reached the floor, I could not believe it. It was so beautiful and I ran outside and picked it up. That was one of the happiest moments of my life at the moment. It is a memory I gained that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
I also remember when it changed from fall to winter. I remember seeing empty branches, snow on the ground, and having a runny nose. It was the first time in my life that I had experienced weather below 40 degrees. I ran outside with my parents and dog and started to jump in the snow. I grabbed a piece of snow to throw it at my father, but he was quicker and threw it at me. As revenge, I threw the piece of snow I had in my hand at him, but he ducked before it hit him, and as a result, my mother was hit. We all had a snowball fight, which grew more intense once my mother kept on getting hit, and at the end of the day, we had hot chocolate.
I also remember having to go to the doctor not understanding why my nose was always so runny and why it would especially start to act insanely emotional when I would go indoors or outdoors. When my parents and I were explained really carefully what was happening, we finally grew to understand why that was happening and laughed so much our stomachs hurt.
When spring came, I recall experiencing plants coming back to life after a long-cold winter. I saw the flowers start to bloom in the backyard and felt the pollen reach to mine and my mother’s noses to the point where we could not stop sneezing and crying (because of the dry eyes that we got at that point). I remember those wonderful moments where we would go to the gardens and see the plants have beautiful colors once again.
Finally going back to the summer where families reunite and where people go to take walks or hikes in nature. People find it relaxing, especially when they observe birds, trees, wildlife, and more. I always see people complaining about the heat and for some, having allergies once again. I find those moments beautiful once again.
When seasons change, I noticed that I needed to adapt along with them. Clothing changes, weather changes, you get allergies, the view changes, and activities all changed my routine. When you think about it, because seasons change, your ability to adapt is greater compared to places that have the same weather all year long.
My abilities to adapt have become better after having to change along with the seasons of the year. For example, I have learned to adapt more quickly in different environments such as having to change schools without knowing anyone and having to start from scratch. It has also helped me adapt to different cultures and languages. I constantly have to change from English to Spanish and from Spanish to English, and before moving to a place that has constant change of seasons, it was hard for me to go back and forth between languages, but now I can change between them in less than 3 seconds. Also, I have learned to be more patient with other people and adapt to them. No one is ever going to be the same, and because seasons change moods and auras because of the change in weather, it allows me to be more patient with other people and actually grow closer to them.
The solutions you need to find for how to stay warm or colder, or how to help with allergies, as well as where to find clothing for that time of year, or even activities that will entertain you during the weekends is something that definitely will help in the long run when you have to figure out how to plan an activity for your job or how to manage time throughout the year.
Seasons changing is not only about adapting, but it is also learning to grow and to have fun while the time of year is different. Like I said before, you grow with other people. When I have had to learn how to adapt to them, I learn how to grow with them and explore the change of moods and exposing our true selves. This makes me learn smaller details about others that I did not know before. It makes me appreciate them more and learn that we are never perfect, but still beautiful in our own ways.
Seasons change and have small details that make us learn and appreciate life more. It changes our perspectives. We learn to find the little things in life, for example, after a long winter, we see life and color come again, which make people happy or when it is winter and can take the small amount of time to go drink some hot chocolate in front of a fire with family and friends, or engage in activities that you would not normally do all-year-round.
For me, one of my favorite activities when seasons change is going to festivals or seasonal activities that make me and my bonds with other people better and grow with one another. One of my favorite memories was when my parents, a friend, and I went to an apple festival. We spent the whole day there walking, talking, eating, playing games, and doing some fall activities. Throughout the whole day, we enjoyed each other’s company while also noticing how we grew from the previous year and celebrating those differences with one another.
In conclusion, I have achieved a greater appreciation of life when the seasons change. This is where you need to adapt to different weather and activities, where you get together with people and grow with one another. And yes, although I come from Florida, I love these changes of weather. For me, this is paradise. Every allergy I encounter and every activity, memory, change that I would have never had if I were back in Florida, is something that I look forward to every year. And yes, although there are many imperfections along with these seasons, I have come to love them and see them as beautiful. It has changed my perspective and my views on life. The change of seasons allow us to learn to find the little things in life, to see color and light in a different way, to see the beauty of how seasons change and adapt along with other people and environments. And yes, I love the cold weather!
Camila Mora is a student at the Ross School of Business in UMICH with a minor in writing. She is passionate about DEI, fostering multicultural environments, and the arts (music, writing, dancing, reading, and etc.). She is bilingual and bicultural, as well as a dual-citizen in the United States and in Costa Rica. Her future plans are to work internationally and explore different areas of business (marketing, PR, sales) and include her passions for the arts in those plans.
