Students at Westminster College woke up yesterday to find that the college had canceled classes for the day due to hazardous road conditions.
Around 6 a.m., some students received a call from the college with an automated voice informing them that campus was closed, classes were canceled for the morning and potentially for the evening as well. Later that afternoon, evening class were official canceled.
The announcement, which was sent out via Westminster’s emergency notification system, was also sent as an email and text message.
Most students said the snow day meant one thing — hit snooze and get back in bed.
Westminster Students Deaun Saxby and Ashlyn Talcott put on facemasks in Hogle Hall on Feb. 6. Since classes were canceled due to hazardous weather conditions, Saxby and Talcott said they celebrated with charcoal face masks and hot chocolate. (Photo by Sean Cole)
“I shut off all of my alarms and just jumped back in bed and went to sleep,” said Diana Khosrovi, a junior public health major. “[I felt] exuberant, joyous. I cheered and jumped into bed and put the covers over my head.”
While most students said they were happy to hear about the snow day, some students said they were also shocked.
Students who grew up in Utah said they were surprised the college canceled class. They said they are used to still going to school during chaotic winter days.
“I remember past years we’ve had huge snow storms and even when the driving conditions were unsafe, we’ve never had [a snow day],” said Ashlyn Talcott, a first-year business management major. “I am pleasantly surprised and proud that [Westminster] did [canceled classes] because it was a safe decision for students.”
Once students got over their initial shock of a snow day, they said they used the time to catch up on homework and spend time with friends.
Friends Robert Rehermann, Kate Blaire, Emily Riforgiate and Taylor Fuchs said they used the day to catch up and spend time together. They said they all did a little bit of homework, had a snowball fight and played spike ball in the snow for a few hours.
“It honestly felt like Christmas,” said Fuchs, a sophomore biology major, whose friends all agreed in unison.
While some students used the day to catch up with friends, Deaun Saxby, a first-year international business major, said that she used the day as a self-care and mental health day.
“It was really good because I’ve been failing quizzes and exams,” Saxby said. “I needed [the snow day] because I was about to emotionally blow up.”
