One of the best feelings in the world must be walking outside in February and feeling the warm sun on your face and a gentle breeze in the air.

My first instinct walking out of school Monday was to take off my coat and feel the sun’s warmth against my skin. I smiled at myself as I hesitated for a moment, remembering my dad’s lectures about catching a cold without a coat on in the winter

It’s hard to believe just last week we had two days off of school; one for snow and one for cold. The cold weather made headlines and was the topic of conversation in school.

Now this week it’s nearly 60 degrees, and it is as if people have never seen the sun before.

Why the warm sun would feel good to people in the dead of winter is obvious, but what intrigues me more is the way the sun seems to improve everyone’s mood. Although we all know it is scientifically proven the sun can affect our mood, I had never really thought about how it affects me personally.

I have just as much to do this week, if not more than last week, but looking back, I remember everything felt like a chore, and I felt overwhelmed imagining how I would get it all done.

This week, the sun is shining and I seem to check things off my list with ease, confident that I’ll get everything done. I’m more productive in the evenings after school, too.

Not once in the past three days did I curl up in a blanket early in the evening or feel tired when it got dark out. With the drapes and the blinds open each day to let the sunshine in, there is a clear difference in how I feel being in my house. Natural light is so much more inviting than artificial light.

Also, with the blinds open this week, I noticed the days are getting longer, and I realized it won’t be long before I step outside and think, “It smells like baseball season.”

I know by the time this column is published, it will probably feel like winter again, and it may even be snowing, but I’m hopeful you had a chance to enjoy the warmth and sunshine, and that we all remember to take the time to soak up the sun whenever possible during these cold winter months because it really does influence our outlook.

Griess is a senior at Williamsport Area High School. Her column is published in the Education section. She can be reached at education@­sungazette.com.