“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…”-Charles Dickens

‘Tis the season for snow drifts and icy roads! The salt truck and plow barrels down your street at 5 a.m., your dad (or you…maybe) is out shoveling the walk, and everything generally looks aesthetically pleasing. But what horrors could lie beneath the sparkly, white façade of this winter wonderland? Every student/employee/average Joe’s nightmare: being late.

Too often, I hear complaint upon complaint from students in the hallway. Because their bus was late, they couldn’t drive up the hill, the salt got all over their Uggs. I understand that your problems, your first-world-est of first-world problems, are very real. And I understand that you are feeling highly inconvenienced. But all of your wintertime struggles are really just solutions to what could potentially be far more pressing issues. Think about it.

So your bus was late today. Maybe you showed up a few minutes into first period. Maybe you missed out on some quality homeroom socialization. But this is all water under the bridge when you take a minute to understand why you were late, so just hear me out. You’re late because your bus driver was taking their good old time, but did you even stop to consider the fact that the roads are covered in ice? Icy roads and speedy busses do not make for a good mix, so that slow crawl to school was absolutely necessary. This sounds morbid, but the next time you complain about your laborious trek up the hill, think about how your slow speed was potentially life saving. And thank your bus driver for getting you here safely.

It was difficult getting to school today, wasn’t it? Are you going to complain about it and let that pre-7 a.m. struggle make your day go sour? No, you have to move on. Because this time, it wasn’t a bus driver keeping you safe. You kept yourself safe by being careful, by driving slowly. Icy roads are unavoidable, yeah, nature happens. Don’t let it affect your emotions too harshly.

Your boots! Oh no! Covered in salt stains and all wet from the snow. Sadly, this is also a necessary evil. The salt on the roads is crucial, and may help to alleviate main winter issues one and two (see above). And snow is real. Snow is there. Snow is wet. You spent all of December wishing for a white Christmas, and sure it’s a little late, but better late than never, right? Besides, water evaporates. Your boots will dry. And the salt stains can be easily removed with a little bit of good old soap and water.

Okay, okay. I do have one wintertime complaint, but it’s completely valid, I assure you. For whatever reason, as soon as the temperature begins to drop, everybody’s Snapchat stories include a selfie with the temperature filter overtop. Yes, I understand that it’s nine degrees outside. No, I don’t need seven different people to let me know. I already hit that handy-dandy drop-down news menu and checked the weather.

Another valid complaint, and this pertains specifically to the underclassmen, is having to carry your coat around all day. I sympathize with you guys, I mean, you have to make the journey all the way up to the third floor to get to your locker. And tucking your coat away for the day and retrieving it without missing your bus can be an impossible feat. So upperclassmen, next time you see your younger pals dragging their winter coat through the halls, cut ‘em some slack. It’s either hauling your coat around or freezing to death out there.

Yes friends, the winter can be a wonderful time. Full of merriment and the occasional blessing of a snow day…life could be worse. But it’s also a dangerous time, a period in which Mother Nature tests our coping abilities, every single year. So remember to sort out your priorities, and before you complain, take a minute to think. Is this a real annoyance, or is it simply a side-effect of a very necessary safety measurement? Explain before you complain, people. Spring will be here before you know it.