I’m a creature of habit. I love waking up in the morning and having a strict schedule of gym, school, work, and any other plans after that fact. If there’s one thing that can get in the way of those plans, it’s the weather. Both of my summer jobs, funnily enough, are directly affected by the weather. If it rains intensely enough, that’s a canceled day of work. When it rains, and it’s been raining a lot lately where I am, it always feels kind of depressing and gloomy. I absolutely hate being stuck inside all day, and there have been a handful of rainy days where staying in my room all day makes me go insane. Here’s how to fight against this gloomy mood.
If you’re with friends or family on a rainy day, go out for an indoor activity. My folks love reading, and they passed that onto me. When it rains, it pours, and when it pours, I can find a book in my mother’s hand. Going out to the local library is a great way to get some quality reading time in, while also not rotting away in your home and feeling claustrophobic. Many libraries will have items other than just books. Libraries can stock graphic novels, movies, television shows, and magazines. Whenever I carve out time in my crazy schedule to go to my childhood library, I can spend hours in there with it feeling like seconds. Give me a comic and a comfy chair with a beautiful view, and it’s over.
Another activity you can do with loved ones on a rainy day is a pretty obvious one. Go outside and just enjoy the weather. There’s something fun, yet strange about spending time out in the rain and just doing nothing. It feels weird, and almost wrong, but it can also be incredibly relaxing. Going on a walk when it’s raining can be a very relaxing experience. It makes you feel like an environmental hippie in the best way possible. The great thing about this activity is you can do this with people, or completely alone. When I feel stressed or overwhelmed, I go on a walk, and it helps. The rain makes it even more relaxing. I feel like I’m a part of the Earth in a very special way. Bonus points if you go on a walk with someone who’s crazy about nature. Fair warning, your walk will take double the time, because they’ll be smelling flowers half the trip. Believe me, my girlfriend has more flowers than there are words in this article.
Let me give you another activity you can do, this time, by yourself. Catch up on any old hobbies that you haven’t had the time to take care of. This could be knitting, meditating, exercising, or anything under the sun. Personally, I’ve become really fascinated with photography as of recently, but I haven’t had the chance to fully indulge in it as much as I’d like. I love taking pictures of the world around me and containing memories, but I’ve been working non stop lately, so I haven’t had the time to take part in being a shutterbug. If I was locked in on a rainy day, instead of scrolling on instagram all day, you bet I’m busting out my three cameras and seeing what cool pictures I can take. You could have this mindset about any hobby, big or small. If you want to rekindle an old hobby, a rainy day is the perfect opportunity for it.
Lastly, why not invite some loved ones over and catch up? Well, if you’re lucky enough to have people you care about live within driving distance, have them over. Board games, a movie, and food are what my friends and I have been doing for years when we hang out, and a rainy day is the perfect excuse for this. If these friends or family or loved ones aren’t within driving distance, give them a call. It hurts to say, but I have countless people I care about who I wish I could talk to more often, but I can’t due to the sheer amount of hours I work, and schedules eventually conflict. If I had a day to myself due to crappy weather, I’d call these people.
That’s what it’s all about at the end of the day, people. We all have people in our lives that support us, love us, and are there for us. It’s easy to take them for granted. Exceptional people don’t ask for much in return. The next time you’re locked in, whether it’s snow, rain, or anything, make an effort to spend time with that friend or family member. Make an effort to engage in that hobby you gave up on a couple of years ago. It might not make the rain go away, but it’ll make the time fly by.