With additional snow flurrying onto Guilford’s campus throughout Saturday, it appears the ice and snow blanketing campus will not be melting anytime soon. While many students enjoy a snow day here and there, the prolonged winter weather has made a noticeable impact on the beginning of the spring semester.
Although Guilford held mostly remote days during the winter weather and plans to continue doing so over the upcoming week, students still found ways to enjoy the snow. Student Sam Bao said his favorite part of snowy weather is “playing with my dog, Murphy, and not having in-person class.”
Along with spending time with pets and loved ones, snow provides a rare opportunity to wear gloves, coats and hats that often sit unused in storage bins. Students also took part in classic snow-day activities, including building snowmen and participating in snowball fights. Other staples include perfecting a hot chocolate recipe, making snow angels and sledding down the biggest hills available.
While snow can feel nostalgic and fun, ice has proven far less enjoyable. The ice across Guilford’s campus this past week created safety hazards for students walking to class and posed barriers for commuter students attempting to attend in person. Guilford commuter Mohna Saroha said that although she dislikes remote classes, she “couldn’t make it down the icy driveway” at her home and was forced to attend class virtually.
Parking lots across campus were also affected, particularly near the Frank Family Science Center, where sheets of ice-covered large sections of pavement. Given the conditions, it was surprising that more students did not slip and fall while exiting their cars.
Considering the challenges the ice presented through remote classes and hazardous walks across campus, Saturday’s snowfall of softer, powder-like snow was a relief for many students. Defrosting cars was easier, and falls felt less dangerous. The hard ice from the previous week posed a greater risk, with falls potentially resulting in bruises or injuries, while falling into several inches of soft snow was far less harmful.
It remains unclear how this new round of snow will affect Guilford moving forward. With continued subfreezing temperatures, the ice beneath the roughly six inches of snow that fell Saturday is unlikely to melt soon. Classes will likely remain virtual, potentially affecting syllabi and exam schedules. Additionally, campus closures may limit access to tutoring resources through the library, teaching assistants, STEM-911 and other academic services, which could impact student performance.
However, Guilford professors have demonstrated a history of understanding during weather-related disruptions. Students struggling due to winter conditions are encouraged to reach out to professors or campus resources for support.
While snow days have both advantages and disadvantages, it is safe to say this level of winter weather is not typical in North Carolina. For many North Carolina natives, the conditions have been a rare and memorable sight.
