Dear ND weather… please read (and chill, but not literally)!

I have lived through 16 ND winters, and as the 17th is now in full swing, I have come to the conclusion that they never get better.
I despise the fact that I need to wear layers upon layers to walk outside without shivering. And sometimes, even with 15 articles of clothing, I still find myself freezing. I’m sorry, but I feel like at this point in time, Fargo should have created some type of transportation that connects to our houses so that we don’t have to ever actually step outside for the months of November through February… just a suggestion.
The need for alternative transportation is very real for the fact that most people’s main mode, cars, don’t particularly like below zero temperatures. It is very common to hear of somebody’s car not starting throughout these winter months, which for those people is very frustrating. If we had to sit outside for hours in a North Dakota blizzard, we would probably die too. Honestly, as humans we would not live. But if you are lucky enough for your car to start, you still have to cross your fingers that the roads are good enough for your car to get from one place to another because let’s be honest, winter driving is scary.
Even if you think you are a good driver, there are many people who aren’t. And you’re sharing the road with these people. Even scarier, sometimes the best drivers are still no match for the slippery conditions that the intense winters provide.
Another downside to the roads is they are often covered in large amounts of snow that need snow plows to get rid of it. After a storm, it can take hours for certain parts of our city to get the snow removal attention they need. This affects people’s ability to leave their houses for serious things like food, work or school.
Winter not only impacts our transportation, but it can also take a toll on our bodies too. Have you noticed your lips getting chapped or your skin feeling dry? Yeah, me too. The cold, dry air outside makes the water in your skin evaporate, and thus leaves you with chapped lips and rough skin. Yay!
Winter can also mentally impact people by giving them seasonal depression. Many people joke about this disorder, but it is actually clinically treated for over 3 million people a year. According to Psychology Today, it is estimated that about 10 million Americans are affected by SAD.
From your experience and this rant, I’m sure we can all agree that ND winters are rough. But stay strong fellow North Dakotans, only a couple cold months left until we get to see it all melt… and then deal with a flood!