How about that weather huh?

 Every Monday through Thursday I bike into campus to attend class. I’m studying History at Boise State University. To be entirely honest I had never even once considered going to Boise State when I was applying to schools during my last year of high school back in Wisconsin. I applied to three schools, got into one, and began my freshman year of university at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. I lived in Surrey and took most of my classes at the Surrey campus that housed the Sustainable Energy Engineering program. I’m not entirely sure why I applied to Engineering programs. I despise math and I’m not super interested in science. 

I chose to apply for SFU because it was in the Pacific Northwest, an area that’s always felt like home. I spent the better part of seven months in BC. Most of that time it was cold, rainy, and gray. Most days it was alright, but it would grate on me, until one day it would hit me like a truck, and I’d desperately want to see the sun. I enjoyed my time in Canada, there were highs and lows as is true of any time in my life. But the highs were higher than other periods in my life. And the lows were briefer. Then March came around. On St. Patrick’s day, a holiday synonymous with americanized symbols of luck, my life took a sour turn. To the south and the east. 

I moved to Boise, Idaho when the pandemic initially shut down the world. I was living with family, but Boise took a long time to feel like home. Not wanting to return to the engineering program or attend an international school virtually, I transferred schools. I considered culinary schools, a smaller state university back home in Wisconsin, and of course Boise State. I got accepted into the Boise State History Program, finally studying something I cared about and was good at. The first two semesters were not good times. The latter half of the spring semester was alright, but most of the eight or so months of the fall and spring terms were boring at best and crushing at worst. There were highs sprinkled throughout, but they were few and far between. 

I moved out of my Dad’s house in Boise this August, and into an apartment near campus. The apartment feels more like home to me. I can walk places and feel like I’m actually in a city instead of the soulless suburbs. My apartment is only about an eight minute bike ride from the far side of campus. There is a great deal more sun here in Boise than in BC, and most days so far this semester the weather has been gorgeous. But today when I woke up it was cold and rainy. I made sure to wear clothes that would keep me warm and dry. I left a couple minutes earlier than usual, so that I could bike more slowly. The chilly air felt comforting on my skin. The familiar feeling of raindrops slowly coating me was a welcome change from the constant sun. I’m still not any closer to the home I left some 18 months ago. But, today the weather made Boise feel a bit less like Boise, and a bit more like home. It was enough to remind me that, just like living in British Columbia or in Wisconsin, Boise will have its highs and its lows. It reminded me that I shouldn’t miss the forest for the City of Trees.