Fall Semester at Ohio University is marked by a mix of excitement and nerves for the new school year, football games and Halloween weekend. And, yes, in my humble opinion, fall is the best time of year to witness all of the natural beauty that Athens has to offer.
But that doesn’t mean the other seasons in Athens have little to offer in both opportunities and beauty. In fact, the opposite is true, and I’m trying to remind myself of that fact every time I have to leave for classes a little earlier than usual to defrost my car.
Over this past weekend, Athens received a noticeable amount of snow. It was the first major snowfall of the season, putting Athens County under a Level 3 Snow Emergency. There was, unsurprisingly, chatter over whether professors would switch their classes to virtual for Tuesday, or if OU as a whole would cancel classes.
But that wasn’t all there was chatter about.
On Monday night, a swarm of several hundred OU students took to College Green for a snowball fight to celebrate the snowy weather. Our projects editor, Taylor Burnette, spoke to some of those students, who said they heard about the snowball fight through word of mouth, Snapchat stories, Yik Yak posts and group chats. After the snowball fight, some students migrated over to Jeff Hill, sledding down it on moving carts, laundry baskets and bin tops.
The students who participated in the winter festivities came from different majors, classes and hometowns. One student from Florida said it was his first snowball fight. Another student said after two years of the pandemic, seeing so many people outside having fun together was “really nice.”
In many ways, winter is a symbol of new beginnings. A fresh layer of snow can resemble a blank sheet of paper. We’re invited to trek through it, leaving our mark as we embark on new adventures. Where we go is up to us, and if we’re willing to brave the cold and get our socks soaked from snow slipping into our shoes, we can grow.
Snow can also cover up a lot. Fall Semester was hard on students in a plethora of ways. The return to in-person classes, and for some, their first time on campus, was overwhelming. If your Fall Semester didn’t quite go the way you wanted, it’s not too late to change your path this academic year. Student organizations are still accepting new members, and you have a chance to explore different classes and make new friendships.
The same holds true for The Post. We are always accepting new writers, photographers, coders, designers and more, and any student interested in joining can email us at thepostrecruitment@gmail.com. We’ve already made some changes this winter, including debuting our new newsletter, Daily Rundown. You can sign up to receive the Daily Rundown every weekday at the bottom of any edition. As you navigate this Spring Semester, continue to read The Post for important campus and Athens news — that will remain the same no matter the season.
Fall Semester feels symbolic of new starts because, well, it is. But that doesn’t mean Spring Semester, or the emergence of winter, can’t also be a clean slate. Next time you step on the bricks adorned in snow boots and a puffy winter coat, remember that it’s never too late to make a change in your life — change is what college and its many seasons are for.
Abby Miller is a senior studying journalism and political science at Ohio University and the editor-in-chief of The Post. Have questions? Email Abby at am166317@ohio.edu or tweet her @abblawrence.
