Why do boys wear shorts in the winter?

Victoria Wendt, Staff Writer

Although winter has come, and snow covers the ground, it’s still common to see boys walking around wearing shorts. Most people wouldn’t dare going out of the house without a coat during the 32 degree weather, but many guys get up in the morning and reach for their favorite pair of pants- or should I say, shorts.

“Sitting down for seven hours each day in pants or khakis gets pretty uncomfortable. You know, sometimes it’s 70 degrees inside school, and it’s just much more comfortable wearing shorts,” Junior Adam Miller said.

Most guys will agree that they wear shorts in the winter and it isn’t for any type of fashion statement but because it’s more comfortable. Waking up at 6AM for school isn’t that ideal, so possibly wearing something you feel comfortable in makes the day a little easier to tackle.

“I wear shorts in the winter when I get the chance, but my youngest son definitely wears them more,” Biology teacher Paul Duffy said. “Here’s my philosophy on it: like I tell my wife all the time, I’m not the one in shorts, and I’m not the one who’s cold. So if he chooses to wear the shorts and he chooses to be cold, that’s his choice, so why does it matter to me.”

It is also common for boys to wear both pants and shorts together.

“I don’t have enough pants, but I do have a lot of shorts, so I choose to wear them over pants,” Freshmen Matt Weiderhold said.

Being from Michigan, it’s easy to get carried away buying shorts as soon as the weather shows any sign of spring, even if it will snow the next day, warm weather is definitely cherished in Michigan, because it doesn’t come often. So it’s easy to find yourself having more shorts than pants. Not to mention they’re far less expensive than pants are, another reason boys go for a pair of shorts other than a pair of pants.

“I like to wear something warm for a shirt when I wear shorts, something like a hoodie,” Junior Bert Nagy said.

Depending on the person, different parts of the body are cold or warm compared to the others. Balancing out a warm hoodie or jacket when wearing shorts is smart. Nagy finds it more practical, instead of completely dressing like it’s summer, when really it’s snowing out.

Coming from a scientific background, Duffy can put facts into why boys choose to wear shorts during the winter time. Again, it’s not for a fashion statement, it’s a source of comfort, and a personal decision.

“People’s body temperatures are different, some people are just warm. I mean they have a high metabolic rate so they’re just warm all the time, and some people are just cold all the time. So again, [relating back to biology], people’s bodies use energy differently, which really dictates how you dress too,” Duffy said.