This is Just Strange: The Epidemic at Marist College

I remember being a college student like it was yesterday, but I didn't act like this... did I? The baffling behavior seen all over Poughkeepsie, NY made me wonder what I had conveniently forgot about my own higher education experience.

We've had some strange weather recently in the Hudson Valley. On Tuesday morning, most counties woke up to snow-covered lawns and frigid temperatures, only for the powder to be quickly washed away as the thermometer rose and rain poured down for the remainder of the day. That's when the inexplicable trend reared its head... again.

Strange Trend at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY

Students at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY seem to have everything. You can spot them all over town with everything from the newest shoes to the latest laptops. It even seems like nearly every student has their own supply of western wear, as was evidenced by the crowd of roughly 50 young adults recently spotted in cowboy hats and flannels walking down West Cedar. One thing none of them seem to have though, is an umbrella.

Why Don't Hudson Valley, NY College Students Use Umbrellas?

Before I go any further, I know how this sounds. Wondering why no college student in Dutchess County uses an umbrella is tantamount to yelling "get off my lawn!". But what gives? During Wednesday's downpour I witnessed everything from backpacks to books being used to block their scholarly heads from the falling rain. Apparently, Marist students aren't alone.

@stephaniedchen 🌧 ☂ #college #collegelife #rain #embarassing #pepperdine #pepperdineuniversity #OscarsAtHome #WomenOwnedBusiness #umbrella #zoey101 #malibu #pca #socal #usc #ucla ♬ well - steph !

College Students Go Viral for Umbrella Use

In a viral Tik Tok video viewed more than 1 million times, this exact phenomenon was investigated. "Things college students find embarrassing and humbling: using an umbrella when it's raining", the caption reads. What's so repulsive about using the one thing that's actually designed to keep you dry?

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There's even a Buzzfeed article titled The Confusing Case of Why Dudes Refuse to Carry Umbrellas. It's an interesting read, although this dude (hi, I'm the dude), has a car umbrella and an office umbrella, just in case. So be free, college students of the Hudson Valley! Free from judgement, free from self-doubt, and most of all, free from the need to shiver through your next hour-long lecture after you show up soaking wet from our latest rainstorm.