As the snow began to fall late Sunday night, Bowdoin students fantasized gleefully about only one thing: a snow day.
"I was really hoping that classes would be canceled since it was supposed to keep snowing throughout the morning," said Julia Eldridge '11. "I could have used the sleep."
But Eldridge's wishful thinking was ultimately in vain; though students in local Brunswick schools were given the day off, the first snowfall of the year did not cancel classes at the College. According to Director of Safety and Security Randy Nichols, the advance weather warnings and gradual build-up of the snow combined to produce merely a "very routine storm."
Unlike the storm that canceled classes last April, this storm caused no power outages. "One of my main concerns is power outages," said Nichols (see story, page 6). "When the power is on, most of our worries are small during a storm."
There was enough snow to warrant a parking ban however, and later, a "weather emergency." An e-mail sent to students and college employees Sunday instituted a parking ban on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, affecting 10 campus lots. A parking ban was also issued for the town of Brunswick.
According to Nichols, parking bans are usual occurrences during snow storms in order to allow for the removal of snow from designated parking areas. Nichols said that three vehicles were towed in violation of the ban this week.
Another campus-wide e-mail declaring a "weather emergency" was sent Monday afternoon, informing all non-essential personnel that they were permitted to leave the campus after 3:00 P.M. According to Director of Human Resources Tama Spoerri, the e-mail was issued because "we kept hearing that the storm was going to get worse, and we wanted people to be able to get home during the daylight hours."
Despite the slippery conditions, the Department of Safety and Security received only one report of an injury: a student slipped and fell, injuring his shoulder.
Students seemed to enjoy the snow, even though it was not accompanied by a respite from classes. Zac Skipp '11 made snow angels with his friends. Skipp, who hails from Florida, was unfamiliar with winter apparel.
"This is the first time I've had boots, and also the first time I've been warm in the snow," he said.