“Let it snow!” and “Walking in a Winter Wonderland,” both praise the winter season, sung by carolers in the snow. However, these cheery songs forget to mention that this time of year contains seasonal depression, extra stress and icy roads. On the flip side, summer provides more happiness and a golden brown tan; it must be the superior season.

The first immediate summer benefit is an increase in happiness. According to Mental Health America, an individual’s mood is controlled by the neurotransmitter serotonin, which can be affected by levels of sunlight. In short, more sunlight means higher levels of serotonin. The summer season offers longer and hotter days to spend outside in the glorious weather, increasing serotonin, along with happiness levels.

The greatest part of summer, especially for high schoolers and teachers, is the simple fact of having no school. This long break means no homework, no stress and more free time. In a study done by the American Psychological Association, teens reported that their stress level during the school year far exceeds what they believe to be healthy (5.8 versus 3.9 on a 10-point scale). Therefore, without the constant worry of grades, summer is the time of year that students actually get to enjoy themselves.

Another positive about the summer season is how much safer the weather conditions are compared to winter. According to Safe Winter Roads, more than 116,000 Americans are injured and over 1,300 are killed on snowy, slushy or icy pavement every winter. With 80 degree temperatures in the summer, the likelihood of unsafe road conditions is much lower and student drivers can be seen with their sunglasses on, not worried about hidden ice patches.

Called the “winter blues” for a reason, the winter months lead to decreased serotonin levels, and these lower levels have been linked to depression. More sadness is brought to winter because of the requirement to wake up at 6 a.m., go to school and deal with the stress that comes with it. Of course snow days provide relief and are always welcome, but unsafe road conditions lead to greater dangers that outweigh the days off. Seeing how many problems winter causes, summer must be the superior season.