As of press time, a massive blizzard is set to hit most places in the United States, including Waltham, with up to 20 inches of snow expected. It’s more than likely that there will still be some of this snow on the ground by the time this issue arrives in your hands. Enough to frolic around in, God willing. So, today we at The Hoot would like to share with you how we feel about snow! What to do with it, who is in charge of the snow, how to eat it, where, why, etc.
Michael: Snow is amazing. Watching the entire world get covered by a sheet of white always triggers my childhood whimsy, bringing up memories of cancelled school and frolicking in the cold. Even the texture of snow itself—ideally crunchy, thick and slowly heating up as it melts in your palm—is magical. Having grown up in New England, snow has always been part of my existence. I still remember the great snowstorm of 2014, when literal mountains of ice were created by snowplows in my school’s parking lot, and we would climb all over them. I’ve been told that my love of snow is only because I’m not a homeowner yet, because I haven’t had to shovel out the drive every winter. The thing is, I have shoveled the snow at my family’s house in high school, and I remember liking it! Maybe it’s because my mind files “snow shoveling” under the same category as “playing in the snow.” To this day, I welcome any excuse to go out into the cold and experience the magic of snowfall.
James: I find myself growing more indifferent to snow as I get older. A lot of that, of course, has to do with the onset of Zoom completely ruining the concept of a snow day. Once upon a time, getting a lot of snow (and, being from Massachusetts, it actually needed to be a lot) meant no school. Now, it just means I’m doing the same classwork while trapped in my dorm. But also, as a kid, playing in the snow was like a magical experience. Now, it just makes me cold and wet. Like I mentioned, though, I’m from Massachusetts. I will go out in the snow if I need to. Even if it’s just for a burrito.
Chloe: Snow is a recent development in my life, at least in comparison to my northern-born compatriots. As such, I love the snow so, so, so, so, so, so, so much. Ice, bad. Rain, bad. Snow, the best thing ever. I would like to eat more of it. When it snows, I look up at the sky like I am seeing precipitation for the first time ever. I never realized weather could be nice; we don’t have that in Arizona. They haven’t invented “good” weather yet. That being said, when it snows, I like to sit at my window or outside under some sort of cover and just stare at it. This is an activity I will engage in for hours at a time. If I’m feeling rather adventurous, I will stare at the snow while listening to music or, perhaps, eating a little snack.
Ethan: My childhood in St. Louis invited wet winters of cold rain and horrible gray slush, which you could not force me to call snow if my life depended on it. Even most traditional snowfalls left a wet powder that didn’t pack well and melted in hours. Some years went by when not a single snowball was pitched, or a single hill sled upon. The only thing that could match the rain was our tears. Once in a while, though, we would be blessed with an authentic snowstorm, and those were truly magical. Having that kind of snow here in Boston has been a blessing. A few minutes aura farming as the snow falls does wonders for my deeply unwell mind. Snowfall is one of the world’s natural beauties. The hellish burning pain of my sins is briefly snuffed. Big fan, tastes great, would recommend it to a friend. It burns.
Jenna: As mentioned by some other out-of-state Hoot staff, I didn’t grow up with snow, so it is still somewhat of a novelty to me. More than that, being from Los Angeles, I didn’t really grow up with seasons. I’ve come to appreciate watching the leaves turn and fall, the snow-covered landscape and the spring flowers that come afterward. That being said, I have been on this coast for about seven years now (crazy) and, while I enjoy the visual excitement of the snow, I can’t say I’ve gotten used to the cold part … On a snow day where the sun is out and there is no cold breeze, it’s not bad! I just experienced my first “who can throw a snowball the highest” contest this week, and it was very pleasant. That being said, getting to class with icy winds and wet socks is not as enjoyable. Basically, I accept the snow WHEN it happens on a day when I am not obligated to leave my house and WHERE I can have a nice view of the landscape under a blanket without any consequences. I’ll leave the why and how to eat it to the professionals …
Anna Jane: I mostly like snow for representing the changing seasons. I don’t find that people really talk about how time passes differently with seasons, but it has been more exciting to me than any part of the seasons themselves. We definitely lack seasons in Florida, so time is just one endless year that they tell you resets in August when you go back to school. I don’t love the winter weather here up north, but feeling the year has been fun.
