Weather...Too Cold? Location...Too Remote?

lookingforward
Sat, 04 Dec 2010 03:07:50 +0000

Here’s a big weather-related difference between southern CA and snowy areas: when the weather outside is lousy, students in snowbelt areas socialize inside- and tend to stay inside. Obviously, you have mobility; you can still lace up the snow boots, zip up the down jacket and head out for the library or the gym. Kids do play in the snow. But, being more focused on staying inside means kids are routinely interacting on a closer level with the group, over a number of weeks or months. I often think they are forced to develop a different level of social skills. So, it’s not just about how cold it is outside; it’s can you hack all that face-to-face inside, over an extended amount of time? I remember my early days in CA, when, even at a party, kids would wander off, go swimming, start a basketball game, take a drive, maybe run back to their room or apt for something, even run an errand. That was my experience.