Do: Cool Off

I live far enough north, in a place that gets plenty of snow in the winter, with cool enough that people tend to say that an air conditioner is unnecessary in the summer.  I beg to differ.  While the temperatures may not ever really pass the low to mid 80s, the humidity is another thing altogether.

I grew up with central air conditioning and then went to college out west where the air was dry desert air.  Trying to survive a humid summer without air conditioning is just not possible.  So last year, I bought a window air conditioner.  I installed it in my bedroom and for the most part while I was pretty warm elsewhere in my apartment, I survived without too much trouble.

This year, the humidity is much worse and the air just stagnates in my apartment.  No matter how or when I open the windows and position the fan, the apartment is just plain uncomfortable.  The act of breathing causes beads of sweat to break out.

I mused that maybe I needed to buy more fans.  Not wanting to spend money, I came up with the brilliant plan of putting aluminum foil in select windows to reflect the heat.  That worked okay for a while, but then the humidity got even worse.

Finally, after my sister pointed out that buying fans was pretty expensive and not a good way to combat humidity (which is my real problem), I decided to just go ahead and buy another air conditioner.

Well, I’m telling you right now, that was the best choice I’ve made in recent days.  Sure, I’m sad I had to part with a good chunk of change, but now I can stay in my apartment and turn on the lights without fear of becoming too hot.  I can even cook without becoming a puddle of sweat.

I realize that air conditioning is a luxury, but staying cool makes a big difference between whether I can actually be productive or not.

Lesson: If you can control something that makes you uncomfortable, then do it.  Even if it means a little bit of monetary sacrifice.