As a Southern Californian, “seasons” is a vague term to me. It’s either “hot-outside”, “nice-and-warm outside”, or “cold-outside” in SoCal (Southern California). These three temperature categories about sum it up. In the winter months, we get mid 50s to 60s weather, some rain in March and April, and then May gray. As it starts warming up, June gloom can persist into the first week of June, so it’s sometimes still “cold-outside” at the beginning of summer. Then, before you realize it, by mid-June, we’ve safely entered the “hot-outside” category. Finally, summer fades to fall and we have the “it’s still nice-and-warm outside” range (an improvement from it’s-brutal-out-here hot outside in the summer).
Case in point, in the second-to-last week of October, I could wear a short-sleeve or sleeveless top every single day of the week. Sunny, fall mornings in California may not have the beauty of New England foggy, crisp autumn mornings, but the persistent sunshine brings me much joy.
Every day at lunch, the area outside Red Door and Browne (our main dining options at Caltech) is filled with people sitting at tables. If you sit at a table directly in the sun, you will overheat. I’ve spent many hours working under the sun umbrellas on sets with my classmates, only forced inside when my computer runs out of battery.
Thus, while I have no complaints about the weather, I have been told by many that I am missing out on the joy of the seasons, especially autumn.
I recently visited Boston for a research conference (through a Caltech grant for undergrads!) and, boy, was I in for some weather. Real weather. Not Southern-California-sunny weather. The first two days were pleasantly sunny but a bit chilly in the mid 60s (yes, that’s on the cold side), so I thought “ah, so this weather isn’t bad”. Pair this with a beautiful sunset over the River, and I was enjoying “New England fall”.
But it was a sham. Complete and total sham. The third day of the conference was in the low 50s (cold!), wet, and windy. No sunshine. No joy. (Ok, my apologies, some joy but no sunshine-joy). Now, I have no pictures to prove this (why would one take pictures when you are miserable?), but you will have to believe me. As a Southern Californian, perhaps I have yet to understand the joy in being damp, cold, and miserable (and somehow simultaneously enjoy the pretty fall colors?!).
I will admit that I do understand a part of it. I got a taste of winter weather during my time studying abroad at Cambridge. Unlike Caltech, where the walk to class is a less than five minute affair, in Cambridge I’d bike 15 minutes to get to lecture. This biking was the only way I’d survive the cold mornings, as by the time I’d arrive at the lecture hall (shown below), I’d be warm from the bike ride over. (At Caltech, I admit, this same affect can be achieved if you think you can make it across campus in under one minute to your meeting with a professor, only to realize you’re late and have to run/speed walk across campus!)
As I boarded my flight back from New England to the land of eternal sunshine, I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of those “real seasons” I was told I’d been missing. Sure, New England (and England!) has its colorful fall leaves and crisp air, but SoCal’s got its golden glow of endless blue skies and the warmth that never quite fades. We might miss out on the beauty of autumn, but our pumpkins bask in the sun well past Halloween (my pumpkin’s paint has often melted in the sun!). And as for the joy of cold, damp days? Well, I think the jury’s out on that one—maybe it’s an acquired taste, but for now, I’ll happily stay on team sunshine.
Bonus! A SoCal Christmas
Every Christmas break, my family inevitably visits the beach. During my sophomore year we went to the Manhattan Beach on Christmas Eve (it was a balmy 70 degrees) and took these photos!
