As Colgate students, we’re used to waking up in the morning to a few new inches of snow. But Monday brought more than two feet — and the first full snow day since 1993.
Classes were canceled, and only those deemed essential personnel were required to brave the weather and head into work.
Those personnel included members of the buildings and grounds department, some of whom came to campus Sunday night to start the snow-removal process and struggled mightily to get back to campus the next day.
Several grounds workers got to campus by 3 a.m. Monday, a few after getting their cars stuck in ditches and fighting through nearly impassable roads, according to Mike Jasper, associate director of facilities. Custodial crews helped with shoveling, and campus safety officers and Sodexho dining services employees were among those who somehow got to campus early.
Frank Dining Hall and the Coop were open at 7:30 a.m. and 11 a.m., respectively. The Office of Admission even offered a 9:45 a.m. information session for a small group, and a few students were spotted leading some unguided visitors on impromptu tours of the snowy campus later in the day.
By 10:30 a.m. we received text messages, e-mails, and phone calls from the emergency notification service, announcing that Colgate had a snow day. The same thing happened at Hamilton College, Morrisville State College, and Syracuse University.
Most of my housemates at Delta Delta Delta celebrated with a lazy morning spent watching movies and marveling at the buried cars in our driveway. Despite snow up to our hips on the front porch, we also managed to push open the front door.
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• Photo gallery of Monday storm
Just as we were deciding whether or not to watch a second movie, Hilary Nicholson ’12 announced that she was going snowshoeing, and invited anyone to come along. Nine of us decided to join, so we bundled up and set out for Outdoor Ed’s Base Camp.
Along the way, we helped some fellow students push their stuck car out of the driveway of the Creative Arts House, and then staged a cross-street snowball fight at the corner of College and Broad. We spent an exhausting and fun two hours traipsing through (and falling in) the snow as Caroline Callahan ’11 led us along the trails, and we enjoyed the gorgeous view of the snow-covered valley when we reached the top.
We know we had it easy compared to a lot of staff members who will be working over the next two to three days to clean up campus. We couldn’t believe how much snow we got in a pretty short amount of time.
Our day ended with hot chocolate, curling up with homework, and more than one wish for another snow day, but given their legendary rarity, we were perfectly happy with the one we had.
