When I graduate from SUNY Oswego in a few months and move on to something different, I’m going to miss a lot of things about this campus and about this region. One of those things is one of my favorite events of the year, and I know it’s many others’ too—the first snowfall.
No matter when it happens or how it happens or what happens afterward, it always seems to be something we look forward to. Snow is undoubtedly Oswego’s biggest legacy. Getting an average 150 inches of snow each winter, it is one of the snowiest parts of the country. Some people love it. Some people hate it. But generally, there tends to be a little bit of excitement when you hear someone say “It’s snowing out!” in early December, or November…or October.
Students will be taking pictures everywhere and when you go onto Facebook, you’ll see a picture of a white Campus Center every few posts. When you see people you know, they will each tell you their own story. How they “almost slipped and fell here” or “I couldn’t even see my building” or “some freshman were thinking this is bad. They haven’t seen anything yet.” Then there’s always that thought in the back of your head that says “class cancellation” even though you know there’s no chance of that happening.
It’s very hard to explain what exactly it is. Last Thursday while walking home from The Oswegonian office, it started coming down pretty good. It was a very pretty walk back to the Village with some of the other Oswegonian editorial board members. The wind was actually not blowing so the snow was just gently falling to the ground and not in your face. You could hear people shouting in the distance, obviously excited about it.
I can remember every first snowfall in my college years. Not that I’m not used to the snow that Oswego gets. I grew up around here and had my own share of 40 inches in five hours, impassable whiteouts, and watching snow pile up faster than I could shovel it before I came to Oswego.
I don’t know what it is though. Is it the change in seasons, the beginning of a different era, something new happening on campus, something cool to talk about? I’m not sure.
Maybe the snow brings us students closer together. We can’t bask out in the sun or play Frisbee or football out in the lawn anymore. The snow forces us inside to enjoy some warm food, lots of laughter and good company and to make some memories that won’t happen anywhere else when the snow starts to fall.