Cold, rainy weather might not be a college-decision deal-breaker, but if you're like the majority of future college students, sunny skies definitely make their way onto your wish list. And that's not a bad thing. Consider these reasons why the weather should factor in to your school selection.  

At warm weather colleges, you can:

Play, play, play.
Whether it's water sports or good old-fashioned fun on the ground, heading southwest rather than northeast guarantees a lot more time spent outdoors. Do you really want to go running and rowing in the rain?

Beat the blues.
Seasonal affective disorder (a.k.a. winter depression) affects more of us than you'd think. So why spend a dark, blizzardy winter in Chicago when you could bask in the bright sun in Fort Lauderdale?

Stay strong.
Sunshine benefits your body as well as your soul. When you skip the cold winter, you can avoid some of its complications (cough, flu, pneumonia, etc.). A steady dose of vitamin D does a body good.

Broaden your education options.  
Warm weather universities offer so many more opportunities for hands-on learning outside classroom walls. It's just not the same to study marine biology, equine science, and organic farming in the cold.

Hit the beach.
Face it - life is just better at the beach. What can compare to the cool ocean breeze in your hair, warm sand between your toes, and healing salt water on your lips?

See how the other half lives.
If you've spent your life freezing your toes off in Buffalo, heading west can expand your horizons - literally. Should you return to your roots after school, at least you can say that, once upon a time, you had your moment in the sun.

Befriend the locals.
When you reach your warm college destination, you can make friends with students who grew up in the area. So if you ever leave town, you'll probably still have someplace warm to crash when you're passing through.

Go for the glow.
Instead of shocking your skin with only three months of sun per year, you can maintain a healthy base tan through the seasons. Warm weather colleges keep the pallor away and give you confidence in your appearance all year round.

Maintain motivation.
Studying in a bleak classroom gets old. Instead of going to college in a dungeon, why not head someplace where you can study outdoors all year round? After all, any work worth doing is worth doing in the fresh air.

Be your own vacation destination.
If you choose a warm college town, you won't have to pay an arm and a leg to book a hotel once spring break rolls around. Invite your friends from less-desirable locations to stay chez toi, and let the fun come to you. You'll be the envy of the cold-weather college contingent.

With so many great colleges to choose from, why not pick someplace warm? Choosing a fair weather college is not frivolous, it's sensible. Get ready to soak up the sun!

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