From freshmen to alumni, many students, past and present, reflect on their time at Etowah for its teachers, clubs, and the relationships they made; for others, the campus itself is what they remember from their cherished high school years. The outdoor layout in particular has made students rather familiar with the weather app and even more opinionated about what season best suits the daily cross campus walks outside. Now that the groundhog has put its bet in on early spring, students must decide if warmer weather is what they truly want.  

“I like spring much better than winter because of the warm weather and the breeze. Spring is one of my favorite seasons because it leads up to the best season (summer). I think having nice weather puts me in a much better mood, especially when I have a hard day at school. Having freezing weather on top of tests is the worst feeling ever,” Hudson Turner, junior, said. 

The spring season brings a lot with it: the sun, a time change, warmth, pollen. Spring often makes crossing campus much more enjoyable, as students can soak up the higher temperatures and appreciate the break between classes. The time change, in addition to warmer weather, has students feeling happier and more encouraged in class; a little extra sunshine makes school a lot less dreadful.  

“I like spring better because it is warmer, and it is not as cold and rainy as winter. I feel like winter weather makes me unmotivated and tired, especially when I have to be in it all day to go from class to class,” Julianna Turner, sophomore, said. 

Though spring may have a closer relationship with the sun, it is hard to ignore the pollen and allergies the season brings in tow. Spring can lead to brain fog and stuffy noses for students especially vulnerable to pollen’s yellow takeover. Even more so, some students simply prefer the crisp air that characterizes winter weather, as well as the comfy sweatshirts and slippers that complement the cooler temperatures. While the chill can provide an awakening shock to tired teenagers, it can also make the walk between classes unbearable when the wind packs too much of a bite.  

“I like winter more because I love the snow. I grew up in a city where it snowed all the time during the winter, and I always thought it was so beautiful when the ground was covered in snow. However, I definitely would prefer Etowah to be a closed campus because on rainy/cold days, it is such a hassle going from class to class. The sunny days are great for walking outside, but the rainy days are miserable,” Stacie Angelakos, senior, said. 

March is more than a seemingly never-ending stretch between breaks from school, as it can signal the turn into a newer, warmer season that potentially makes the mini breaks in the school day more exciting for Etowah students. Regardless of what the groundhog predicted or your preference for weather here on Eagle Mountain, the temperatures seem to be rising, hopefully drawing up the final dregs in motivation as the school year comes to an end. For more on Etowah’s open campus, visit here.