We all have stepped in a puddle one time or another, and we all know that as soon as your foot is submerged even the slightest bit, your socks, shoes, and feet are absolutely soaked as if you stepped in a tiny lake (which you kind of did). Even though they can be a burden while trying to get to class, puddles are actually a very important part of ecosystems everywhere. Animals of all kinds rely on puddles as a source of water, and many plants also rely on puddles to trigger their germination.

Puddles are also a fun source of entertainment in the winter. As long as you’re willing to get a little wet and muddy, playing in the rain can be a boatload of fun!! Why not get a group of friends together and see who can make the biggest splash? You could jump from puddle to puddle without touching any “dry” ground. You could go on a rain run and dash through every puddle you see!

I would like to warn you, however, that you should make sure the puddles you are playing in are not acid puddles. An acid puddle is exactly what it sounds like: a puddle of acid. Chances of you stepping in one are quite rare, but it’s best to take these safety measures before jumping in. For starters, assess the puddle: what color is it? If it’s green and bubbly, you should probably avoid it. Next, what is the puddle doing? Is it still or bubbling? If it’s bubbling from an unidentified source, you might want to go around that one. If it’s green and bubbly, and near a big “STOP! DON’T STEP IN ME!” sign, you should be very careful not to step in it if you want to keep your feet!

When asked, Alexandra Person, a student at Union High School said, “I’ve never stepped an acid puddle before, but if I did, I’m not sure what I would do!” As a precaution, she recommends you consider wearing acid-proof shoes, just in case. As far as I am concerned, there are no acid puddles at Union or anywhere else, for that matter, but you never know.

Okay, so now you’re hopefully hyped about playing in puddles, and you have the possibility of stepping in an acid puddle in the back of your mind, you might want to know some good spots to find some great puddles. For one thing, you can pretty much find puddles anywhere! Especially in this time of year when it rains all the time, you’ll pretty much see a puddle at any angle you look if you’re outside, and you can pretty much puddle jump anywhere there are puddles.

However, if you’re looking for a specific place, you might want to check out Heritage Trail. It’s down the road about a mile from Union and contains puddles of various shapes and sizes, which is perfect for a game of “Don’t Touch the Ground.” There are also various amounts of puddles around Union, not just in the courtyard, but back behind the baseball fields is home to many large-sized puddles. A caution towards grass walkers: the grass can become quite swampy as well as slippery during these rainy months, be cautious about where you cut through in the coming months to prevent slippage.

Look outside right now. I bet you it’s raining. If it isn’t, I promise you that it will be soon, and there will be puddles everywhere in sight, so why not have some fun?