Jeana’s Declassified College Survival Guide: Snow Day Edition

While I’ve had my fair share of snow days throughout my academic career, I never thought I’d have enough to write a whole survival guide on it. However, after having two snowstorms this month alone, and one impending later this week, I feel like lending my advice based on what I’ve learned from the many snow days we’ve had this semester.

For those of you who have not read my columns before, my name is Jeana Pierson. I am a senior writing major, and this is my Ned Bigby-inspired column where I help Millikin students through the chaos that is college life in the Millibubble.

Here are my tips and tricks, dos and don’ts, ins and outs, on how to get through (and hopefully not too many more) snow days.

Stay home and relax. The blessing of a snow day though is that you can’t really go anywhere anyway. Unless you’re playing in the snow, stay inside, stay off the roads, and give yourself a break.

We were blessed to have NO school (not even e-learning) the past few snow days, so take advantage of that. Use it as a day to recuperate, refocus, and take care of yourself.

Best ways to relax: get plenty of sleep (eight hours baby), binge a show (my show of choice is Gossip Girl), spend extra time thinking over that Wordle, scroll through Yik Yak (no hate though), or bundle up and play in the snow.

Don’t fall into old patterns. I know for many of us it feels like the semester still hasn’t officially started. I mean we had a virtual week, a snow week, and then in-person/snow day/e-learning day kind of week. We’re currently in uncharted territory for a spring semester and it’s easy to slip back into winter break mode.

While I 10/10 recommend relaxing on your snow day, be mindful of the slippery slope into winter break mode. Don’t let your sleep schedule, work ethic, and mentality revert to its pre-February ways. 

Keep in mind what you have to do once school is back in session and don’t neglect your planner just because there’s nothing to check off that day.

Put your health and safety first. Don’t drive if you don’t have to. I think we all know by now that Decatur plows aren’t the speediest and road conditions have been all over the place. Put your safety first. Is driving to Starbucks worth ending up in a ditch? (I mean maybe, but don’t risk it).

Along with safety, stay healthy (and no this isn’t referring to Covid for once). The temperatures this month have been all over the place. I mean today’s high is like 60 degrees and then it’s supposed to be below freezing and snowing by the end of the week. 

Sickness is bound to follow this roller coaster of weather, so take extra care in your health and avoid being out in the cold for extended periods of time.

Be understanding. Just as we as students are at a loss of how to do things and go places on snow days, so are professors. These snow days have thrown them off just as much as us. 

In fact, most of my professors have had to rework their syllabus because of them. They’re stressed and confused about the snow days too. Professors also typically live farther away from campus than we do which puts them at that much more of a risk coming to campus with bad weather conditions. If they cancel class: respect that they don’t want to put themselves in danger and if they drive to campus for class: respect the fact that they’re willing to travel despite the conditions.

Be patient with your professor and allow them time to catch up and sort things out too. No one of us expected the month to go like this, but we have to work together to continue past it through the rest of the spring semester. 

Although I can manifest, there is no guarantee we will have another snow day this week. However, in the chance we do, I hope my advice and thoughts were helpful for you in navigating your way through this weird weather month. As always, I am Jeana Pierson, and this is my Walmart-brand Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide.