THE SNOW DAYS BROUGHT JOY, IT WAS BEAUTIFUL

A rare winter storm brought 5.5 inches of snow to Troy last week, according to AL.com, in what was the first real snowfall Pike County had seen in a decade. For safety and road concerns, Troy University cancelled classes for three days, in which campus was transformed from a boring green landscape to a magical, fluffy wonderland.

My friends and I ventured out into the cold, and witnessed many students literally frolicking with joy, throwing snow up in the air and laughing. Resourcefully, we grabbed a plastic tub lid and used it to sled down the hill behind Rushing Hall. I saw someone else launch off the slope, stomach-down, in an inflatable pool tube – and they graciously asked if I wanted a turn on the tube, to which I said HECK YEAH. Students who didn’t own gloves used socks instead. Others tied blankets around their shoulders like capes.

We built snowmen, made snow angels and caught snowflakes on our tongues.  There were snowball fights. There were photoshoots. My roommate and I made vanilla-flavored snow cream. (It was delicious.) All day, we all walked around and looked at each other in amazement as if to ask, “is this really happening?”

For many students, it was their first time ever seeing snow. It was like a miracle. Some parts of the state received more snowfall in one day than cities like Chicago and New York had the entire winter.

Seeing so many students out on campus, making memories that will become an integral part of how they remember Troy, was a wholesome experience too good for words. The last few weeks have been burdened with politics, divisions, hate speech and disappointments.

Yet, here in a small Alabama college town, none of that mattered for a couple of days.

A little bit of snow was it all took to remind me of how human we all are, and how we’re all just kids on the inside who want to appreciate the experiences we are given.

My goal for 2025 is to hold on to that joy, that child-like wonder, that cold, flurry of carelessness. I want to find these emotions in all the small pleasures that I might be taking for granted. I bet people who live in the northern United States would not have reacted the way us southerners did, and that’s a shame.

May the good things of life never become so normal that they are no longer miracles.

Just like we ignored the political tension for a couple of days, maybe finding time to appreciate a sunny day or pretty flowers can help alleviate some of the stress of school this year. Maybe I’ve become sappy because I am sad the snow days are over. Either way, I am grateful.

Thank you, Trojans, for loving the snow as much as I did.