The Recent flurries of snow have been a time of delight followed by frustration for many. People always seem thrilled at the sight of the first flake falling but frustrated when they slip and fall on ice. I am hopeful that for others, these past two weeks have been a learning experience. There are the obvious lessons learned, such as not parallel parking before a snow storm and charging your phone ahead of time in case of a power outage. However, I would like to concentrate on the subtle, yet more important, lessons that may have gone unappreciated.
University Housing, University Dining, and everyone employed by the University handled the weather crisis with dedication and timeliness. The University's response proved to be a huge bright spot even though the snow attempted to darken our days. To shovel and salt sidewalks, just to repeat the process again a few days later truly shows the resilience and commitment of the University's employees. I am confident that I speak for every student in voicing my gratitude for these wonderful employees. After this, they deserve some much needed vacations. If you happen to walk by someone shoveling snow or serving up food in a dining hall, be sure to show your appreciation, especially during these times.
Another potential inconvenience is actually a blessing in disguise. Many Charlottesville residents have been either unable or unwilling to clear their cars and have been confined to the University area. Though there are individuals that actually needed to use their cars to get to jobs or other commitments, many students unnecessarily used their cars. For those that remained snowed in, however, many discovered that as long as they were surrounded by family, friends, and food, everything else flavoring the world is superfluous. Sometimes, eating plain mashed potatoes really makes you appreciate the taste of simplicity.
Along that point is our decreased dependence on electricity and technology. For instance, when "snowpocalypse" was predicted to bring 30 inches of accumulation, my roommates and I braced ourselves for a possible power outage. We had candles and matches, running water, some snack foods, and board games. Although a power outage did not affect our apartment, we went on with the activities as planned: snowed in, eating Cheez-its and playing UVAopoly. A few hours later, we made it out of our apartment alive having spent valuable time bonding.
I also learned that when it comes to cancelling classes, the University has done a great job in is forecasting. They were cautious when they should have been but were also rightfully skeptical of some of the unfulfilled hype surrounding other weather predictions. The administration has also been very clear on scheduling announcements by posting them on the online home page in a timely manner.
The last lesson that I hope many took away from these past few weeks is to take a deep breath. Between studying hard on the weekdays and partying hard on the weekends, perhaps being trapped inside for a couple of days caused people to slow down, if just temporarily. You did not have to go as far as meditating in solitude, but taking a day or two to collect yourself is good every once a while. Think of it as a form of recharging your battery for the road ahead.
As clich
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