There’s snow outside. A lot. So much that school got cancelled two days in a row. So what should you do with all that snow? For those of you that have never seen this much snow before (and those that have, but have forgotten what to do), I have a few suggestions.
One thing you can do with snow is throw it at other people. Fortunately, the snow we’ve got right now is ideal packing snow. It’s nice and wet and can easily be packed into snowballs—or, for that matter, into snow forts, battlements, and tunnels.
Don’t forget the artistic possibilities that a blanket of snow provides. You can build snow sculptures, ranging from the standard snowman, to Calvin-and-Hobbes-esque snow creatures, to just about anything else. If sculpting isn’t your forté, you can write a message on a field of snow, or even draw pictures in the snow sitting on car windows.
Another favorite activity in this weather is skiing and snowboarding. The problem with that is that the roads aren’t ideal for driving to the slopes. Fortunately, RPI is about as hilly as campuses come. Trek over to the Cary Hall slope of Freshman Hill, or even library hill. Bring your snowboard.
An activity that requires less expensive equipment and smaller hills is sledding. For those of us without sleds, dining hall trays work well, though the Commons trays are a bit small for sledding.
Unfortunately, the snow brings work as well as fun. Getting around may require a shovel. In fact, some people may have to shovel just to get their front doors all the way open. Remember—lift heavy shovelfuls of snow with your legs, not your back. Also, it may help to think of this as exercise, not work.
To get your car out of the drift that’s formed around it will require some shoveling, too. Don’t forget to dig out the snow that’s directly in front of and behind your tires, too. You may also need some friends to help push the car when the wheels that slip don’t transfer power to the wheels that grip—if any of the wheels do grip.
Once you’ve gotten your car clear of snow, you’re ready for one of life’s great joys: snow driving. This can be very dangerous, but some people go for that. Everything changes—stopping distances, steering response, even the direction of travel in relation to the direction the car is pointing. This is not something to try on a busy road, but in an emergency, you might have to.
Just because it’s snowy outside doesn’t mean you have to go out. In fact, some people like to stay warm. Also, remember that weather like this is the reason hot chocolate was invented. And for an extra treat, try stirring the chocolate with a candy cane—it adds a bit of a minty flavor.
Oh, and don’t forget that we are still at RPI—snow days don’t mean your work goes away. Maybe the two days off gave people time to get caught up, or at least slightly less behind, in their classes.
Whatever you do, enjoy the snow for now, and get as far away as you can for spring break.
