If you’re as socially awkward as I am, talking about the weather could be a lifesaver in many social interactions. Unlike another classic conversation starter, “what time is it?”, there are countless ways to pose the weather question without sounding too stupid in this age of smartphones and smart watches. From how strong the winds are, how humid the air is, to how perfect the weather is for a picnic, our lives are tied to the weather in more ways than we think. Maybe it’s the inherent inevitability of seasonal changes, or simply the charm of the mysterious celestial phenomena that we are yet to fully comprehend, even after centuries of observation. We may have already domesticated plants and animals, resculpted the Earth’s surface, and sent people to the Moon, but we are years away from perfecting artificial rain and sunlight.
At the time of writing, the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. The small pink-white flowers and warm weather are calling KAIST hermits out of their hiding spots, myself included. If it weren’t for the COVID-19 pandemic, this would’ve been the season of strawberry parties and pre-midterm picnics, on the grounds of a weather too perfect to not bask in. I, too, feel like I’m enjoying my bicycle ride to the lab a bit more than I did last month, and more willing to leave my warm blanket to hang out with friends. Apparently, it’s not only me or KAIST people; spring is a symbol of new beginnings and hopes in many cultures, a herald of rebirth, growth, and joy. And as we get closer to summer, the hopeful associations ensue. The warm weather seems to mysteriously bring us closer to one another, as what we often observe in popular culture and real life. From Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream to Walt Disney’s Summer Magic, summers are linked with new love, new beginnings, and new fantasies.
On the contrary, fall — as its name implies — often signifies downfall, gloom, and (bad) endings. As the weather gets colder, we become more reluctant to go out and spend time with one another, and soon enough social events are replaced by loneliness and depressive episodes. While summer is represented by bright, lively colors, winter is associated with muted, dull color palettes, expressing the chilling cold that keeps us confined inside our warm rooms. Likewise, cold rainy days are often used as a symbol for dejection and lost hope, like the picture of a person looking down under the pouring rain we have seen all too often in movies and television shows. Perhaps it’s not a coincidence that my grades and overall life quality are significantly higher in spring semesters, compared to fall semesters.
Indeed, various studies have found relationships between weather and human behavior. For instance, hot weather has been suggested to drive more optimistic and aggressive behavior, resulting in more trust, open-mindedness, and generosity on one hand, and increased crime rates on the other. Meanwhile, the cold and darkness of winter has affected so many people that there is an official term for a type of depression caused by seasonal changes — SAD, standing for seasonal affective disorder. SAD starts showing its symptoms in late fall and continues to winter, but usually disappears with the coming of spring and summer. It’s easy to underestimate the effects of weather, as it is something that we encounter daily since the day we were born. However, on the grand scheme of things, weather fluctuations have been observed to influence sales, market stocks, felonies, and accidents, and if you factor everything in, you will notice that the cumulative impact is actually profound.
When I first realized this, it all seemed so crazy to me — it’s hard to believe that whether the sky is clear or not today could possibly change the world decades from now. But looking back on how many appointments I have cancelled due to bad weather and how much work I have neglected to take pictures in the nice weather, I don’t think I should be too surprised. Acknowledging this fact has helped me gain more control over my life. Before I leave to check the weather forecast, I’ve promised myself to finish my homework today, whether it rains or shines.