Winter doesn’t leave Central Oregon silently—it lingers, melts, refreezes, surprises you with a 60-degree afternoon. It keeps a tight hold on us until it slightly loosens with the arrival of March. Sunlight and false confidence convinces students that spring has finally taken over when that’s far from the truth. The seasonal overlap is frustrating but predictable. The trick is learning to live with it. As Colleen Cordis, a postgraduate student at Central Oregon Community College pursuing personal management, put it, “Your idea of what a season should be— just forget about it. You’re in Central Oregon now.”
The first rule of the winter-to-spring transition is simple: prepare for two seasons at once. Dressing for the day means thinking beyond the forecast. Mornings and evenings still demand warmth while afternoons often invite lighter layers. The most reliable system is layering with intention—light sweaters instead of heavy hoodies, windproof jackets instead of insulated coats and accessories that can be removed and carried throughout the day without hassle. If it fits easily into a backpack it belongs in the rotation.
Footwear matters more than students like to admit. Snow may be melting but sidewalks remain slick in the early mornings, and puddles are unavoidable. Fleur Prade, associate professor of French and Italian at COCC, advised, “Make sure your tires are ready for the icy roads. Stay cautious, because you never know how the roads could be.” Shoes that can handle moisture without looking like full winter boots are a necessity. The goal is not to look like it’s spring but to function like it isn’t quite here yet.
Beyond clothing the transition requires mental adjustment. After months of cold and short days, the appearance of sun creates a rush to move faster than the season allows. Students want to sit outside, start spring routines and mentally close the door on winter. While that impulse is understandable it helps to treat early spring as a trial period rather than a promise. Enjoy the warmth when it shows up but don’t pack away the cold weather patience just yet. Asked whether the “fake spring” ever fools her, Cordis laughed and said, “No, because I was born here.”
Prade, on the other hand, recalled her shock at seeing snow as late as May when she first moved to the area some years ago. “So… yes, I have been tricked,” she admitted.
Finding ways to engage with the season without overcommitting is key. Outdoor activities become more appealing but flexibility matters. Short walks, outdoor study breaks and low-stakes plans work better than full-day commitments that depend on ideal weather. Central Oregon rewards people who plan loosely. Cordis described the season as something to take day by day, explaining that one might see a foot of fresh powder on the slopes one day and be out hiking the next.
Daily routines also benefit from adjustment. Keeping both sunglasses and gloves within reach feels excessive until it isn’t. Cracking a window during the day while still running heat at night becomes normal. Prade noted that days this time of year can be “icy in the mornings, but fine in the afternoon.” This is not inconsistency, but adaptation.
The academic rhythm mirrors the season. As midterms pass and the end of the term approaches, energy fluctuates. Motivation rises with the sunlight and dips with the cold snaps. “Be kind to yourself,” Cordis advised, a reminder that productivity doesn’t need to be perfect during a season that isn’t. Prade added that stretches of cold, gray weather often come with lower student motivation and attendance, and that limited sunlight can affect energy levels. She recommended taking vitamin D to help stay alert during the darker months.
The winter-to-spring transition in Central Oregon is not something to rush through. It is a season defined by overlap, contradiction and gradual change. Learning how to exist comfortably in that space—between coats and t-shirts, between winter routines and spring plans—is part of living here.
Spring will arrive fully, eventually. Until then, the guide is simple: layer smart, plan flexibly and let the season unfold on its own terms.
