As the calendar turns from November to December, it is wild to think how fast 2023 flew by. As a child, the passing of a year felt like a long time. It took so many years to be able to ride in the front seat. Then it was so many years until I could drive the car. I could not wait for the next year to help me get closer to my goal. It is the opposite for an adult. The year flies by at a surprising pace. One part which has not changed during my life is my feelings towards certain months of each year. This calls for power rankings.

The 12th is February. February is too cold. The weather is always chilly. Winter is in full swing, and sometimes, there is an extra day added to this month. Not much to get excited about during this cold month.

The 11th is November. While November has Thanksgiving, the impending doom of winter is too much to bear. The month may start with warm temperatures but the steady decline and usually downright cold temperatures by the end of the month are no fun.

The 10th is March. March starts off too cold, but it has St. Patrick’s Day while slowly turning warm by the end of the month. It does not have enough warm days or other significant days within it to make it farther up the list.

The ninth is July. It has the Fourth of July, and it is a great warm month. The problem is it gets too warm. The humidity at this point has kicked in and the real onset of summer has arrived where one sweats immediately upon going outside.

The eighth is August. Like July, August stays warm for far too long. The dog days of summer feel worse during this month than June or July. The good news is in August football starts back up again and this starts the rhythm of the next four to five months.

The seventh is June. This warm month can be a toasty one, but it is still the early part of summer. It also brings back the good vibes of getting out of school for summer memories. The prospect of a full summer ahead is exciting.

The sixth is October. October is during harvest. Harvest is hard but fulfilling. For most of the month, the temperature is not too warm but not too cold. This month makes wearing comfortable clothes outside easier. The worst part is the end of the month starts to get chilly, and snow sometimes makes an appearance.

The fifth is December. The only redeeming quality to this month is Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Having a month with two holidays close to each other makes it fly by. Otherwise, this month would be dead last because winter begins, and it is cold.

The fourth is January. This is like December. The cold is too much, winter is in full swing, but it is this high on the list for one reason, my birthday. If it were not for being born in this month, there is no way this month would be close to the top of this list.

The third is April. It starts warming up this month, and planting gets into full swing. The days are getting longer, and I can wear shorts again. Spring begins and the prospect of warm weather is exciting.

The second is September. Football is in full swing, and the temperatures start to moderate. Harvest typically starts this month, and the summer heat has hopefully gone away. It is comfortable to be outside again.

The first is May. Planting is either still happening or has been completed. The warmer weather has mostly arrived, and summer is about to begin. Everything about this month brings happy vibes.

Another person’s power rankings might differ, but these will stand for the test of time. While each year may fly by, the months stay the same. Enjoy the months and remember, do not be a February, be a May.

Sean Dengler is a writer, comedian, farmer, and host of the Pandaring Talk podcast who grew up on a farm between Traer and Dysart. You can reach him at sean.h.dengler@gmail.com.