Spring. The very word conjures up images that have been ingrained on our brains through years of conditioning. Blossoming flowers, cherry blooms, green leaves -- they all form part of the package. Spring is the epitome of new life. It engenders all the clichs we know and love, clichs about new possibilities and opportunities, about hope and revival and renewal. In many ways, spring symbolizes the true beginning of a new year. In fact, several cultures celebrate it as such. The expectation, then, is that spring will impart a breath of fresh air in our lives, just as it does in nature. I have always looked forward to spring for these very reasons, but this pleasant outlook was hindered somewhat when I remembered a small, tiny detail that I overlooked: I live in Hanover now.
It's not as though this realization just dawned on me today. I assure you I've been conscious of my place of residence for quite some time now. It's easy to forget about it sometimes. Once you begin classes and work and all those other things that consume 24 hours of your day, it's relatively easy to forget that you're in a small, rural New Hampshire town. I didn't realize how small Hanover really was till I went shopping at the mall back home and saw more people there than I had ever seen on Main Street. I always knew Hanover was small. I always knew New Hampshire was cold. I just didn't realize how small or how cold till I got here. And yes, I know that it's been a warm winter, and I'm not complaining. But no matter how mild it's been all winter, I still long for spring.
Having lived in the D.C. area for some years now, I have become accustomed to the annual spring cherry blossoms that attract tourists from around the globe. It's absolutely breathtaking, the sight of the blossoming trees lining all the streets in the area. The flowers are accompanied usually by fairly warm temperatures and picture-perfect, cloudless blue skies. All these conditions simultaneously descend on the unsuspecting Washingtonians who get pleasantly surprised every year, despite the fact that the local news talks about nothing else for the week leading up to the peak of the cherry blossoms. Regardless, it's always a time to go out and enjoy some of nature's bounty, to soak in the sun and the flowers and the birds. A pleasant picture, isn't it? Alas, things are quite different in Hanover.
It's still mild in Hanover by New England weather standards, but it's no spring either. Perhaps it's not fair to expect the same kind of spring from Hanover, but I would be lying if I said that I did not wish it would stop snowing or that it became truly warm again. I remember my Dartmouth Outing Clubs trip, orientation and the first days of fall term when I could still wear shorts and lie on the Green. Those days seem like a distant past, and what remains vivid in my mind is checking Weather.com every morning before piling on layers of clothes and trudging to class in the snow. It wasn't entirely unpleasant, but face it, we could all use a little warmth, a little sun.
All this whining and complaining won't get me anywhere, I realize that. My mantra has always been to think positive and make the best of every situation. So I guess the only thing I can do in this situation is forget about the spring delights I leave behind at home and focus on other things. In many ways, it's still spring at Dartmouth. It's time once again for new books, new classes, new professors. I can still reinvent myself by trying out new activities and interests. There are so many things I want to try -- from yoga to tango to swing dancing. I can bring spring to Hanover with me, with my memories and my attitude. But alas, no matter what I do, I don't think even I could ban the snow from Hanover.
