Courtesy | Elisabeth Hansch
Hillsdale College attracts students from all around the country, and some students have never experienced weather in the Midwest. Specifically, the fall is unknown territory for students from states like California, Arizona, and Nevada. These students may have never experienced the leaves changing color or the breezy season that some people in the Midwest love dearly.
Midwesterners are familiar with the beauty and traditions of fall. However, for those coming from out of state, this change can be drastically different from what they had imagined. Coming from a hot climate to a cooler and muddier environment comes as a shock to some.
Freshman Sami Mandel, who is from Las Vegas, Nevada, said that the average temperature in Las Vegas is about 80 degrees, and the weather is windy but dry.
“To be honest, I was expecting sweater weather by now, but this temperature reminds me of home. Except here, it rains, which is definitely a change,” Mandel said.
Mandel said she loves fall decorations, pumpkin spice lattes, and has enjoyed the leaves changing color around campus. But she is not a fan of getting stuck in the rain, she said, nor the unpredictability of the weather compared to back home.
“My neighborhood had many pine trees that would shed its needles during the fall time. Jumping into a pile of pine needles is definitely not as fun as jumping into a pile of leaves,” Mandel said. “Not that I would know from experience.”
Mandel also said she’s looking forward to consistent sweater weather.
“Bring it on, Michigan,” she said.
Max Kinney, a freshman from Deer County, Arizona, explained that the weather in Hillsdale is very different from Arizona weather.
The average high temperature in Arizona during this time of year would be in the low 100s and the low would be in the 60s, Kinney said. “I like Michigan weather so far. I mean, it’s a little humid for my liking.”
He also said that he’s excited for the leaves to change color, something he’s never experienced in Arizona. Compared to the rain and mud in Michigan, Arizona is very dry and gets little rain. He said he prefers Arizona weather to Michigan’s.
“I like that it’s easy to predict. Here it’s like, ‘Oh it’s raining today, I had no idea,’” Kinney said.
A popular thing to do during the fall in Arizona is to go to the state fair and get ready for Halloween. They don’t have fresh apple cider or pumpkin patches, he said, but most people decorate with a lot of artificial leaves and décor.
Freshman Elisabeth Hansch is from Monterey, California, and said fall is most likely the nicest time of year there, with the temperature usually in the mid-60s and 70s. The leaves don’t change color, so there isn’t a visible change between the seasons.
“The sun’s always out; it’s nice. There’s no rain,” Hansch said.
She said that while there’s more rain in Hillsdale, it’s not as cold as she thought it would be.
“The leaves are pretty though,” Hansch said. That was one of the things I was excited about. There’s a fall-like feeling in the air. Almost like a smell. It’s more crisp.”
Hansch added that she likes the aesthetic of fall, but the rain is a bit of a downside. However, she said she likes the current weather just as much as the weather in California this time of year.
Hansch said she is nervous for winter but excited to witness the change between seasons and the overall fall aesthetic of apple cider and pumpkin patches with leaves.
The differences between states with fall and without vary in temperature, exterior look, or even the cool crisp air. At Hillsdale, students from all around the United States get to experience the change of season and the traditions Midwesterners enjoy the most. Things like picking pumpkins and apples, drinking hot apple cider, having bonfires, and hayrides are all fun fall experiences that some students may have never taken part in and finally can.
