When the weatherman announced the forecast, I didn’t yet realize how the snow was going to affect me, but there’s something about it that made me realize how glad I was that I came here. Maybe after reading this you’ll realize it too. The snow is a beautiful thing, and only after it’s gone do we understand how much we miss it, but if you go deep enough, you can make the most of it while it’s still here.

Personally, I didn’t realize how beautiful snowflakes were. I remember when the snow first started falling; I looked outside my sixth-floor window, and something about the wind and flakes felt like home. Life can be busy, and times can be tough, but sometimes all it takes is a moment to look outside from your window to bring you back down to earth.

Those snowflakes can also make you feel more connected to those around you. I mean, they are all different and unique. The water molecules that they’re composed of might have come from all over the world before they got here, but yet they’re here now. They don’t know how they got here, but they all ended up in the same place at the same time, kind of like us. I guess we have more in common with snowflakes than we thought we did.

There’s just something about snow that brings people together, whether it’s friends, family, or even complete strangers. Everyone forgets about work and school for a little while. When the snow starts to stick, you can’t help but run out with whoever you’re with and spend some time outside. Maybe you’ll make snow angels or have a snowball fight. Maybe you’ll just stand and look around. Either way, that cold fluff reminds us that part of being human is spending time with other humans and enjoying a moment with nature.

Snow is fun. Snow can be powerful, and in other moments peaceful. The winter weather can take you outside, or it can keep you in. Let’s face it, it’s just as special to keep warm with a cup of hot chocolate as it is to play outside. With stores closed and classes canceled, it really gives people plenty of time to spend with those you really care about.

So now, before all the snow on the ground melts away and we are forced to go back to our lives, just take a second to think about what this “blizzard” really meant to you. Whether you spent it alone reflecting or with your favorite people, I hope it brought you closer to who you really are and served as a reminder of the beauty life has to offer. We sure feel a little lost in our lives sometimes, but every little snowflake out there came together to make something great, and maybe we can too.