Feeling stressed, cold, and everything in between? I’m sure that’s something we can all relate to during the long, freezing month of January. Which is why I believe that it is the most difficult time of the year, and month in Chicago.
MHS Media conducted a poll of 40 students, across grade levels. Students were asked what they felt was the most difficult part of the month of January and found that 58% of students believe it is returning back to school and work after the holidays. The other (41%) believe that it is the weather that makes the month difficult.
The last thing you want after the long holiday break is the anxiety of returning to school, and with that you’re coming back into frigid temperatures. With January being one of, if not the coldest month of the year, it makes almost everything you do outside of your home or a building unenjoyable, including arriving and leaving from school.
Because of roads covered in black ice, and snow creating an unclear view and slippery roads, it can be one of the most unsafe months to travel or simply drive. It creates an even bigger risk in Chicago, being a busy and trafficked place that creates even more possibility for an accident to happen anytime, especially in January.
With these cons of the month being thought about, students were then asked the month they believe the weather in Chicago is at its worst. According to the poll, a majority (63.4%) of students agree that it is January, followed by February (29.3%), and April (4.9%).
January and the winter season can be a commonly depressing time for people due to the little to no amount of sunlight during the day, and it becomes darker and colder so much quicker than it would in the warmer months.
Students would most definitely rather have all the months in Chicago stay warmer. According to the poll, the majority of (82.9%) said that they prefer the warmer seasons, while only 17.1% of them would rather the seasons be colder. Further proving that students are more likely to be happier in the spring and summer months, rather than winter months.
Everyone who lives around the Chicago area or in it, or has visited during the colder winter months can tell you the weather is harsh, the sunlight and humidity is gone, and as people are trying to get back into the routines they had before things can get much more tiring, and stressful.
Although it can be a very challenging time for some, it can also be a time for new beginnings, starting the new year right, and getting back into the routines you had before.
