Despite the sucky weather, I walked past two people yesterday hating on umbrellas! Here’s a secret: I used to be one of them.

I didn’t own an umbrella until this year. My freshman and sophomore year I was convinced they weren’t worth it. Every time the wind blew they were always turning inside out. Additionally, when I walk holding an umbrella the tines are right at eye-level for most people I’m walking past, and I wouldn’t want to be responsible for partially blinding anyone. Also, doesn’t your arm get tired?

However, this year, after two years of raincoats whose hoods won’t stay up in the wind, water running off of the same raincoats to soak my pants, and stepping in all the puddles our brick walkways spawn, I was willing to splurge  the $20 and give umbrellas a second chance.

Guys. Umbrellas are awesome.

First of all, this thing has a button that extends it and opens it. The button ALSO collapses it, and then you just have to push it back in. MAGIC.

This magic rain tent is also waaaaaay smaller and more portable than a raincoat. If I had to carry around my raincoat, it would fill up my entire backpack, whereas this guy is smaller than my water bottle.

It’s also significantly easier to open and close this push-of-a-button umbrella than it is to put on and take off a raincoat, which always leaves me soaked anyway since it’s still sopping wet.

Most importantly, not only does the umbrella prevent hood hair, it also means you won’t end up with WET hood hair, as the hood inevitably never covers the entirety of your luscious locks.

Also, I just think people look less frazzled and more put together if using an umbrella instead of a raincoat.

The choice is yours, but I’ve switched to team umbrella.

Katie Crane is a junior in SEAS who still has no solutions for the puddles around campus because she hates rain boots. For now.