Rain, rain go away, come again another day.

Unless you’ve been lucky enough to escape the rain that has been in Charlotte every day for over a week now, you understand the meaning of that nursery rhyme on a whole deeper level. Of course, it’s a level that could get PG-13 real quick.

I managed to get out of town for the past two weekends. One was sunny, but this past weekend was not in the least. Still, I managed to escape the drama that consisted of preparing for Hurricane Joaquin. (Sidenote: I only learned after multiple run-ins with the Joaquin Phoenix meme on social media that “Joaquin” is pronounced wa-keen. I’m sure readers will judge me for that one. Oh well...)

As the storm drew closer, comments from my co-workers on Thursday included the following: “I’m scurred ya’ll...” “the world’s ending...” “the threat for Joaquin is going down...” “the threat of heavy rain is going up...” and “what do i need to buy to prepare for a storm like this?”

Needless to say, North Carolinians can be dramatic no matter the weather. I was glad I was going to be headed away from the lack of bread and milk in the store. Not to mention, it seems as though most people around here just can’t drive in the rain. If you ever head north, perhaps it’s just the sight of water ­— one look at Lake Norman and everyone slams on the breaks.

Anyway, I headed further north where it still rained all weekend, but the threat of torrential downpour was low. But apparently Joaquin didn’t keep Charlotteans from enjoying the weekend as I watched messages flood — how’s that for a play on words? — my phone from friends about their plans each night.

Great, nothing like a good ole’ case of FOMO (fear of missing out) to continue to dampen my weekend.
Per usual, alcohol saves even the rainiest of days. Staying sane in the rain requires little more than figuring out transportation, and proper clothing, to the nearest bar, just like any other day. My friends chatted about their plans to head to Montford, South End and Plaza Midwood as if Joaquin really was just an actor visiting the East Coast for the weekend.

While rain poses significant challenges for those of us with natural hair, having fun can still be achieved in the Queen City. I especially know this from the ice storm that swept through the city a couple of years ago. My fun that time included stripping down to my tighty-whities with my roommates and rolling down a hill to complete the #snowchallenge.
Here are a few things I noticed on my timeline that kept my fellow Charlotte friends singing in the rain this past weekend.

Best of Charlotte: If you were lucky, you snagged a ticket to one of the many anticipated events in Charlotte, and were able to stay out of the rain for a bit to celebrate the best the city has to offer. From hair salons to restaurants, the people of Charlotte voted on their faves. It all culminates in a party that I must say I was more than bummed to miss out on. I hope someone enjoyed my portion of the drink tickets. Catch you next year!

Netflix and Chill: At some point, you’ve had to come across the latest obsession with the phrase “Netflix and chill” on social media. In fact, it’s become so popular that Halloween-goers may be donning Netflix tees and carrying around a bag of ice to commemorate the night. The phrase refers to the idea that when someone invites you over to watch Netflix and just chill, they are alluding to wanting to hook up with you instead. Apparently, this was a Q.C. fave to avoid the cold and rainy weather.

Booze It or Lose It: Obviously, I’m no stranger to boozing it up with some friends for a night of drinking games and fun. From beer pong to “Around the World” and from chilling at home to pre-gaming for weddings, alcohol was definitely the cure for rainy day blues.

Sunday Funday in South End: It was still nasty come Sunday, but that didn’t stop anyone from heading over to South End in rain boots and jackets to enjoy Sunday Funday. I had the pleasure — I am totally exaggerating by the way — of heading to Slate a few weeks ago after watching the Panthers play at B of A Stadium. I was shocked at the sheer amount of people that take over the small strip which also includes Oak Room and All American Pub the day before normal humans have to go to work. Buying drinks felt impossible, and yet people go there every Sunday for football and fun, even during the rain apparently.

The Queen City survived the storm, but the winter the winter blues are quickly approaching. What do you do when the weather is gross?