I experienced my first actual winter this past semester and it was great! I’ve lived in the South my entire life (and have only seen snow once), so this was all new to me. Here are my thoughts on it.
1. Water Freezes?
Okay so, I know this is a stupid one and I obviously know that water could freeze, but that did not stop my bewildered stare at the first frozen puddle I came across this winter. And then, the Charles River froze. I had heard about it, but actually seeing it was simply mind-boggling. Like wow, it’s that cold.
2. SNOW. IS. GREAT. And not so great.
Photo Credit: Boston University
The first snowfall of winter was amazing; I had been looking forward to it since I decided to go to BU. Seeing the entire city covered in a blanket of snow was absolutely mesmerizing. Walking in the snow and feeling it in my hands was surreal. I loved it and couldn’t grasp why people hated the snow. Then I realized the difficulty of walking in the snow. Getting snow in my eyes and worrying about falling over slippery surfaces. The visual appeal of the snow also started to fade after a couple of days. Despite its cons, I still love it and am looking forward to the next snowfall.
3. Snow Freezes Over?
The one time it snowed in my hometown, my joy lasted for less than a day because the sun melted the bit of snow that fell to the ground. I was expecting the same thing to happen here—stupid, I know—but it didn’t. I was surprised at how long the snow lasts on the ground. I was even more surprised when the snow simply turned into ice after a few days, like what???
4. Southerners Exaggerate When the Temperature Drops Below 50°F.
Not only does everyone pull out their big coats and boots, but schools close. My younger brother’s school started a few hours late and allowed everyone to wear sweatpants because it was “cold”—the mid-30s. Universities have weather days when there is a “possibility” of snow.
It was interesting to be able to compare my typical “winter” to an actual one. Overall, experiencing an actual winter was such a good experience, and honestly, Boston winters aren’t as bad as people make them out to be.
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