The sun is shining... (the tank is clean)

It is very basic and far reaching, but outrageously truthful, that we are manipulated by our surroundings and environment.  Whether it is your roommate, your family, the classes you take, the shows you watch, where you live, or the season of the year, we are constantly being manipulated by our surroundings.  I take the last from this list, "the season of the year" as a particularly pertinent manipulation.  As the snow has finally melted away and the bean boots shoved under beds or hidden in closets, the beautiful weather of this past weekend made me realize how dependent people become on the weather.  After walking just the short distance from Dunham to North I witnessed and abundance of people outside playing various games, such as volleyball, frisbee, something involving a good deal of running and tackling, or simply lounging in the grass.  I was overwhelmed with content and happiness being outside.  I realized during this walk that we, as Hamilton students, allow the weather to dictate our moods.  The sun seemed to have woken campus up.  After months of grey skies and snowy fields, the campus was worn down and tired.  Yet after this weekend there is a much livelier and excited vibe that seems to be hovering over campus that has not been felt since arguably October.  The fabulous weather has cheered people up from the crankiness that was set in by Clinton's long winter.