How often do you get a completely free day off from school in college? Well, I’ll tell you that at Boston University, it’s extremely rare. When I received an alert on my phone from the school saying that the Charles River and Medical Campuses would be closed last Monday, the relief I felt was inexplicable.
I know we had only been back in session for a week at this point, but the second-semester slump was already beginning to hit me (and I’m aware how concerning that is, considering we had only just wrapped up syllabus week). I just needed one extra day to get back on my feet after lazing around my hometown for an entire month. It takes me a minute to get back into the grind of schoolwork after not doing any for a while.
While some people spent the day isolated in their rooms getting work done, I knew I had to seize the opportunity of a snow day. It’s not common for BU to completely cancel classes, including virtual meetings. Needless to say, I was thrilled to wake up naturally at 10 a.m. on Monday morning instead of in a panic trying to race to my 9 a.m. on East Campus.
So, you might be wondering, how do you spend the perfect snow day in Boston? Stay tuned, and I’ll tell you.
I had recruited my two friends, Ella and Lila, to frolic along with me on Newbury Street. We made our way down to Arlington Station on the T, where our first stop was Tatte for a delicious iced latte and breakfast sandwich. It was the perfect start to the day.
We sat and talked about our classes, catching up on all that had been missed from the weeks we spent away from campus. Despite the frigid temperatures, we were all ready to be back in Boston. And no cold weather could keep us away from a fun snow day, especially considering we all call some of the coldest states in America our homes.
After a good yap session at Tatte, we found ourselves at the Boston Common, taking pictures in the snow and admiring all the adorable people who had also gathered in the Common on this snowy day. As we were snapping pictures and taking videos, we ran into our friend Miriam! So naturally, we excitedly greeted her, and the four of us had a winter photoshoot.
We then moved on to frolicking in the snow. We made snow angels and had our own four-person snowball fight, and I’m not being dramatic when I say the snow was up to our ankles. We stayed like this for a while, chronicling our adventure on my digital camera.
Eventually, we ran into a swarm of people sledding down a hill in the Common. Kids and teenagers (and even some adults) gathered, hurtling down the hill on cardboard sleds. We spent time people-watching, taking in the sight of a community gathered together on a statewide snow day.
How many times will you find yourself in one of the greatest cities in America, with rosy-cheeked friends covered in snow?
Our next stop was Beacon Hill! We found ourselves in a little café called Cobblestones, where we came across a friendly elderly man who told us he lived in the neighborhood. He spoke to us about the cafe’s friendly neighborhood mouse who pays visits, and asked us about our studies.
We ate soup and sipped on hot chocolate for a while before moving on to exploring the cobblestone streets. While doing so, we came across another friendly local — a Harvard business professor — who gave us a quick rundown on the history of the neighborhood. Boston is unique in that way; you’re way more likely to find kind locals than you are in New York City.
We ended the day by taking more pictures in front of the quaint townhome steps on Acorn Street before taking the T back toward BU.
The day was incredibly successful at healing my inner child. Participating in activities as simple as a snowball fight warmed my heart, and in that moment, I truly felt that Boston was my new home. My advice to you through this experience is to get out more often and prioritize time to go on little side quests with your friends.
Truly, you never know the kind of amazing people you’ll meet or the fun little memories you’ll create.
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