Remember when your high school teachers used the classic line of “College is completely different than high school?” They were right, though most college students would argue that college life is better. Living with your best friends and new opportunities come with the lifestyle. However, there is one thing that seems to have stayed in our childhood: snow days.
The lack of snow days seems to be a hot topic on campus, especially with the cold months of winter coming to an end. Questions buzz from room to room about what the rules and regulations about snow days should be. Should we have them or not? What qualifies a “college snow day?” Several students shared opinions from both sides of the matter, especially when it comes to who should make the decision to cancel classes.
“I think it is okay to leave it up to the professors whether or not we have certain classes,” Allyson Taylor. “I do think there is a certain point though where the President and head staff should step in and make the call.”
Others seem to think that snow days are just all-around horrible.
“I do not like snow days because it usually means it’s cold outside.” Rubin Charles said. “I’m from Haiti, so why would I like the snow when it’s warmer back home.”
The truth of the matter, however, is that we are likely not to have snow days at Northwestern. According to a weather document created by Nate Phinney, NW’s vice president for academic affairs, a full closure is a rarity.
“When making inclement weather decisions, we prioritize two things,” Phinney said, “Number one is the safety and accessibility of the campus itself, and number two is delivering the educational experience we promise to our students.”
Other faculty members also state the rarity of the situation, saying that they can barely remember the last time there was a snow day.
“The only time I remember class being canceled was during an ice storm and trees were breaking all over campus,” said Public Relations Professor Ann Minnick, “I think there was concern that a branch would fall on someone and hurt them.”
This occasion is so rare, that most current college students have never experienced a snow day at NW.
“I have never had one,” Taylor said, “It’s almost a culture shock because I was so used to having them in grade school.”
Taylor also added her thoughts on why they are both good and bad for college students.
“Snow days are good in moderation because a day to relax is good if you need to do some catchup,” she said, “But if they happen too frequently, you start expecting them and get disappointed when you do not get them.”
In the end, the argument over snow days at NW focuses on the balance between student safety and academic responsibility. While the staff prioritize holding students accountable when showing up to classes even during inclement weather, students remain divided on whether the occasional snow day should be welcomed or avoided. For some, it’s a reminder of their childhood, while for others, it is just another inconvenience brought by winter. Whether snow days ever return or remain a distant memory, one thing is clear: The conversation around them will continue to swirl like snowflakes in a blizzard.
