Olivia Collins – Contributor

It’s no secret that getting outdoors is great for your physical and mental health; we’ve all heard this before. But in the winter months, spending time outside has a seriously bad reputation, to the point of being avoided at all costs by many people. These days, the only time most of us are outside all day is the journey from home to school or work. In the summer, when it’s sunny, 25 degrees and the sun sets at 9:30 p.m. every day, people have a completely different perspective on getting outdoors. Who doesn’t want to walk along a river or lie in a grassy field when it’s so beautiful out? I think we can all recall some memories of the first really nice day of past years, usually in early May, when football fields and tree-lined trails are lively and everyone seems to have come out of hibernation. The fact is that most people hardly go outdoors throughout the winter. These months are written off as having ‘bad weather,’ and most hunker down and wait for the snow to melt. 

Photo courtesy of Olivia Collins

Personally, I feel as though my day is not complete without a walk. Maybe I am a little biased, as a club lead for the BU Outdoors Club, but I truly go a little stir-crazy if I don’t get out and stretch my legs. My favourite trails in Lennoxville include L’Axe de la Massawippi off Queen St as well as the trail parallel to the train tracks, the entrance to which can be found on Samuel-Gratham St. At the risk of sounding like an advertisement, these are well-maintained trails that are covered by a beautiful tree canopy and run parallel to the river. These trails are two of my favourite places in Lennoxville, and I have spent a lot of time in them over the past four years. On sunny summery days, L’Axe can be packed with people – in September it’s filled with cyclists, runners and hikers alike. On sunny days in the winter, I’ll run into some cross-country skiers or people snowshoeing. 

However, on rainy or snowy days, I never see anyone on the trail. Yesterday I trudged through puddles and slush all down Queen Street, but once I arrived at L’Axe trailhead, I was pleasantly surprised: the trail was in great condition, with hard-packed snow that wasn’t slippery or icy at all. On my walk, it rained a good amount, but I just zipped up my raincoat and pulled on my hood. Pro-tip: if you wear a baseball cap and a raincoat with a hood, your face will stay totally dry. I listened to the sound of the rain hitting the trees, pattering on the river and colouring my boots with little spots. It was the perfect end to my day full of classes on campus. I got some steps in, listened to my music and cleared my head. 

We tend to describe any weather that’s not sunshine and rainbows as ‘bad.’ In the winter, you’ll constantly hear the weather described with negative words like awful, terrible and horrible. Even in the summer, people believe rainy days are bad days and spend their free time inside. I think it’s very important to dismantle this perspective that days without sun are bad days, meant to be spent indoors. Of course, it would be much nicer to have a picnic in a park on a sunny day rather than a rainy one, but rain and snow don’t have to be synonymous with staying in your house. Unfavourable weather is simply a natural, inevitable state of our experience on the Earth – one we can learn to enjoy. Taking a walk around in the rain can be incredibly peaceful; all you need is a pair of boots and a good raincoat. Sometimes it’s nice to go out without these, too. The wisdom of Natasha Bedingfield teaches us to feel the rain on your skin, because no one else can feel it for you. What’s the worst that can happen? You get a little wet?