Remember in elementary school when the weather forecaster predicted snow later in the week? Remember how this made kids start urging each other to wear their pajamas inside out or sleep with a wooden spoon under their pillow to help that prediction come true? All of the silly things we did were desperate attempts to have a day full of sledding, snowman building, slushy snow boots, hot cocoa, and warm fires. And the most joyous part: A day without school.
As college students, we know now that wearing our pajamas inside out with a spoon under our pillow has no power over anything other than creating a poor sleep environment and discomfort for the next morning. However, we still hope and pray to get the email saying that classes are canceled so we can spend the day either basking in all of the white fluffy snow or moseying along in our sweats and fuzzy socks and binge-watching "Grey's Anatomy" while we eat bag after bag of Lay's.
Snow days can be a lot of fun when you're living in a dorm. You're stuck in a building with all your friends for hours, forcing you to connect and bond with one another. Last year, a group of friends and I crammed into one of our tiny dorm rooms and played silly games like "Heads Up!" and "Never Have I Ever" in our pajamas while binging on snacks and wine. It was one of the most fun and memorable days for me in college so far, and I would give up any night out at the bar to do that again.
In addition to snow day parties, an obvious benefit to being stuck inside all day is that you don't have to go to class. This is when you truly realize how long a day can be and how much you can actually do in 24 hours. Having this surprise day off can either provide you a mental health day to destress from your everyday routine or serve as a day to be productive and catch up on work you may be behind in. Or if you're really feeling diligent, you can even get a head start on the work for next week (unlikely).
However, if you don't want to be stuck in a confined space all day—because that can make a person go crazy—there's a ton of stuff to do outside when there's a blanket of snow on the ground. Sledding with your friends can be one of the funniest and most entertaining things you do all year. Channel your inner seven year old, dive in, and make a snow angel or three—or maybe even a giant snowman. It's also finally that time of year when you can show up at your friends' doors and serenade them with, "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" from "Frozen."
Snow days can either be fun and adventure-filled or lazy and relaxing depending on how you choose to spend it. They can be either the best or the worst. Last winter, it began to feel like we had too many snow days, and the four feet of snow that suffocated campus began to get old. After about the seventh snow day, I found myself bored and frustrated with being confined to my stuffy dorm room. I even had the urge to get dressed and actually go to class just to feel like I was doing something—anything—with my life. Not to mention, becoming an Eskimo and trekking through the tundra just to get breakfast only enhanced my exasperation.
Snow days really only become negative after there have already been so many. Most of the time when your phone dings with that email saying classes are canceled, you can look around campus and see people jumping for joy, maybe even clicking their heels.
