Cabin Fever on Steroids

I'm just back in my seat after shoveling off the driveway. Again. There are now two piles of snow out there that are taller than me. (Admittedly, I am not terribly tall.)

I actually quite enjoy digging out—not because I find it terribly delightful, but because every time I do, it gives me the satisfaction of knowing I'm still capable. This morning's snow was lovely and light and required no effort at all, but the snow of two days ago was heavy and deep and took three hours (with one short break for a bowl of hot oatmeal).

Still… much as I appreciate (and need) the exercise, it's beginning to wear on me, and I'm sure I'm not alone. In fact, this year I'd imagine I have far more company than usual in my spring fever.

As I type, Texas is still in a state of emergency, with more bad weather on the way. We're quite used to snow on top of snow on top of ice on top of snow with weeks of temperatures that never rise above 25 degrees here in the Chicago area, but I feel for our friends in the southern parts of the country who really don't have the machinery (from large-scale power generation to the smallest-scale human-powered shovels) or the clothing to handle these kinds of temperatures and this kind of weather.

The cabin fever is widespread this year. And that's just the itch to get back outside caused by the weather, whether it's the usual (as it is here) or record-breaking (as it is there). There's also the cabin fever we're all feeling after spending nearly a year now in various degrees of lockdown.

Many of us have been able to get outdoors for recreation, exercise and socializing, but through the long deep freeze of winter, you need to be a real lover of the outdoors to keep that up.

And so, I've no doubt that as the weather thaws and the world reopens, people are going to be chomping at the bit to break their fever—to get out and enjoy the activities they love most, whether that's a few laps at the local pool, a bike ride with friends, a soccer game with the kids or a trip to the playground to blow off the kids' pent-up energy.

Are you ready?

Be well,

Emily Tipping
Editorial Director,
Recreation Management
[email protected]