New Beginnings: Spring

Spring: the season of new beginnings. When warmth comes back from hibernation, sunbeams emerge from dark clouds, and birds sing from the twigs of blossoming trees... at least that’s what it used to be like. But we now seem to face the ugly truth: spring is not the promise of a new beginning anymore — no, spring is the promise of apocalypse.

Does that sound too cynical to be true? Or do you just refuse to believe it? Just take a look outside your window — it is likely that instead of blossoms, illuminated by bright sunlight, there are still remains of dirty snow on the ground, reminding us of the most recent snow storm. In the last few decades, spring has arrived later and later in the year, not only confusing poor local plants and animals trying to get through their seasonal cycles, but also Princeton students, who face the challenge of deciding what to wear each morning, and sometimes get trapped in libraries all day long.

Here’s how some of these students have described adjusting to the changes in season:

“When the winter months were approaching, I remembered to heed the warnings of my parents. I began digging out my thick coats and gloves while stocking up on canned goods in case of malevolent blizzards. However, to my surprise, I survived December with little more than a thin jacket. As spring came around, I decided to stick with my shorts and t-shirt combination, seeing no reason to layer up. It wasn’t long until I realized that my hubris was gratuitous! Rather than spending my spring playing kickball and spin-the-bottle, I’ve been stuck inside with a little more than a pair of Bean boots and a handle of [apple juice] to keep me company.” — Ben Clarke ’20

“[I feel like] I’m stuck in an iceberg. It’s like a never-ending stay in a freezer.” — Lencer Ogutu ’20

“I love the diffuse light that pervades these days. When the fog set in the other day, I reveled in the way seemingly forbidding weather can really caress you.” — Akiva Jackson ’20

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“Late winter produces in me the vain excitement which comes in anticipation of new beginnings.” — Christian Lawson ’19

“It makes me feel excited for the warmth.” — Renee Louis ’19

So despite our long wait for the spring and our knowledge of the imminent end of the world, maybe our spirits could derive some comfort from a little positivity. After all, who could have guessed that the rustling sound of snow, falling down on newly blossomed leaves, could be so beautiful?