As I sit at my desk, looking out at the glorious combination of snow, wind, and more snow, I feel thankful. I’m so fortunate to live in a city that keeps everything interesting. Boston must know that it’s filled with hundreds of thousands of college students, all of them yearning for adventure, because it never disappoints.
Last night, I made the long trek through more than a couple of inches of snow from one side of campus to the other. I saw only a handful of people at a time when Comm Ave is usually bustling with students on their way to hang out with friends, cars filled with business people on their way home from work, and the T, the 57 bus, and the BU shuttle going every which way. I thought how unfortunate it was that so many people weren’t experiencing what I was experiencing! Granted, I am from Wisconsin (I deal with winter’s fury a little better than the next guy). In the moments that I stood still, knee deep in icy powder, glancing around at the serenity around me, I realized how lucky everybody here really is (and not only because Friday classes were cancelled).
People found great, productive ways to spend their snowy Friday. Snowmen were popping up everywhere over campus, probably the products of Floridians and Californians who didn’t experience the building of snowmen in their youth. Marsh Plaza was home to an entire army of Snowmen and Snowladies. It broke my heart to see a few of them tumble over with the blustery winds – may they rest in peace. A few students (and by a few I mean a couple hundred) – conquered the Esplanade in what was named Snowbrawl 2013. Boston PD didn’t have quite as much fun, but it isn’t a real snowball fight until the police show up, am I right?
I found that a blizzard is a great way to catch up on things you usual don’t have time to do, like sleeping and homework! Just kidding, it’s actually a great opportunity to put on some long underwear, make some hot cocoa with that Kuerig machine (that doesn’t really exist because everybody knows those aren’t allowed in dorm rooms, silly!), grab all the blankets, and read a book, write a poem, watch a movie, or anything else that suits you. The only thing that could’ve made it better was a fireplace. If only I lived in StuVi2 where every room has a fireplace, a butler, and king size beds. I’m kidding they don’t actually have fireplaces.
You can make Boston as great as you want. You can look outside and see inconvenience and frigid temperatures or you can look out and see opportunities for new experiences. As always, make sure to help others have as great a day as you are having. If you see an ambulance with its tires spinning, go out there and give it a budge. If you see somebody get hit in the face with a snowball, help them seek revenge. And if you see a snowplow coming, just get out of the way!
Happy sledding,
Will Dowsett
