The Sunshine State
Welcome to Florida, The Sunshine State...most of the time. Florida really is sunny almost all the time, (nearly too much for my liking, honestly). But there are days where it rains! Some days it’s just drizzly and wet, and other days it’s like the big bucket in the water park dumped all over campus.
While I was jumping puddles last night after the Sunday evening service of Missions Conference, I thought, “This would be a good article.” So here it is! Feel free to comment or send me your suggestions if I missed some! Here are some essentials and tips (more lists!) to handle everything from the sprinkles to the monsoons:
- Get an umbrella. It’s basic common sense, but something few realize is that the rain in Florida can come down sideways, and dinky little compact umbrellas shield the rain about as much as a wet towel or newspaper. Invest and get a heavy duty, big umbrella that you can share if need be (a great way for the guys to make lady friends).
- Find a good raincoat. Again, kind of common sense, but not everyone has one. These are helpful when you have a full class day and it’s only kind of raining. A decent one with a hood is a nice commodity. Bonus points if you have a trench coat for church (just don’t wear it when it’s sunny). Also, ponchos can be messy and really stuffy, so you may want to stay away from those.
- Waterproof your shoes and backpacks. You might laugh, but two years working on security taught me that even with 4” high boots, water will get in. So I found a $5 water proofing spray and sealed them along with the rest of my shoes and backpack. This is nice for the puddles that can form on campus, and when your backpack is sealed you don’t have to worry about your books and computer getting wet. Invest in a good spray that seals well and will last.
- Wear the right clothes. This means that when there are thunderstorms predicted, don’t pull out your nicest light gray suit (guys), or your prettiest long skirt (ladies). Between splatter on the ground and the puddles, loose and long clothing will get soaked. Don’t go with thick sweatshirts or coats on a rainy day; either the person or the coat will stink when they get wet.
A side note: having a small towel in your backpack is nice to dry a table or bench off.
- Stay informed. You have to keep an eye on the weather. Just because it’s sunny outside doesn’t mean it will be when you get out of lunch. Some of us find an app that sends notifications with the day’s weather, and some of us just check it every day, whether on Eagle's Nest or our own app.
These ideas can work for the freshmen who have just gone through their initiation to Florida weather, and the seasoned upperclassmen who might not have heard it all. Perhaps they’re nothing new, or they were just laid out in a way that made sense. Either way, I hope they helped! Maybe you’ll be more prepared for the next round of liquid sunshine.
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