Despite the fact that the average snow accumulation in the West Chester area is 19.6 inches annually, in the past ten days, the county received a total of 21 inches of snow. The quick accumulation of snow led to students being blessed with an unexpected five-day weekend.
Though the snowfall wasn’t enough to cancel the Miss WCU pagent last weekend, evening classes were canceled on Tuesday, along with all classes for the rest of the week.
Students spent the days sledding down the hills on campus and generally avoiding any forms of work at all. There were a number of snowboarders on campus, and even a few students who pulled out their skis. One student was even seen using her skis as a method of transportation across campus.
Students without sleds handy showed off their creativity by improvising with trashbags, plastic storage lids and whatever else they had handy in their dorms and apartments.
Even more interesting than the methods of enjoying the snow, were the different ways students improvised when digging out their cars without shovels handy. Students were seen using everything from frying pans to Swiffers to get the job done.
However, while students enjoyed the days off, West Chester employees worked day and night to clear emergency pathways on campus. Many parking lots on campus were closed in an attempt to remove snow and the streets and some sidewalks were salted.
Depite this, though, many sidewalks are still left snow filled.
On north campus, many pathways between buildings are still snowy and icy, such as the paths between Lawerence and the residence halls, and also the path leading behind the Schmucker Science Building around to the buildings in the academic quad.
Furthermore, at the apartments on south campus, sections of sidewalks are completely clear, and others have several feet of snow piled up blocking the path.
Strangely enough, the sidewalks where the south campus bus won’t stop next to are clear, but the path leading from the bus stop in front of the South Side Convience Store to the apartments remains dangerously covered.
With more snow expected in the next week, students can only imagine what will be coming next.
Jenn Rothstein is a third-year English education major. She can be reached at jr649299@wcupa.edu.
Ginger Rae Dunbar is a third-year student majoring in English with a minor in journalism. She can be reached at RD655287@wcupa.edu.