scarves, scarves, and more scarves

Let's say you're that kind of person who gets excited when the lights flicker at night while the throbbing wind beats against your window, mid-storm. It howls while blankets of snow fall from the sky, decreasing the visibility to zero. You peak outside your window and shiver, inevitably envisioning yourself in this blizzard. The weatherman casts warnings all over the television, internet and radio... and you can't help but to get your hopes up that perhaps the following day will be a snow day. You can't help but to think that maybe, just maybe, classes will be canceled and you'll be able to sleep a few more precious hours.

If you are that kind of person, I suggest you change. Classes will never, ever, ever be canceled as long as you're in university. Ok, I won't say never. SELDOM! Throughout my three years here at MtA, classes may have been canceled twice.

So, before you head off to university you should probably buy some snowshoes or ridiculously high snow boots to assist while you truck through the snow. While you're at it, perhaps you can also buy a shovel so you can shovel your path on the walk to class. Oh! Don't forget salt. You don't want to trip and fall, so you should definitely have salt to sprinkle in front of you before each step.

You think I'm being hilarious and for the most part, I am. But there is some merit to what I'm saying.

Classes will "never" be canceled - this is true. Also, the walkways will never be shoveled and the ice will never be salted. OK, I won't say never. SELDOM! (at least not before 8am, anyway). If you're one of the not-so-lucky ones like me, you'll be cursed with 8:30am classes every morning. I can easily say that campus is NEVER shoveled or salted when the early birds have to fly to their early classes. So, if you happen to be one of the early birds, make sure you take extra precaution.

If you do happen to come to Sackville for school, you can never have too many scarves. Sometimes the temperature drops to minus forty with the windchill. It gets so cold that your eyes inevitably tear up, causing them to freeze. I've walked to class with my eyelids freezing together. It gets so cold that the moisture in your nose freezes. Scarves come in handy to wrap around your face, neck, head, etc. I repeat, you can never have too many scarves!

I'm an overall bitter person when it comes to the cold and especially winter. I was never a child who was really into sledding, snowmen, and snowball fights. I've always hated the cold. In fact, that's a number one reason why I always thought Halloween should've been in the spring or summer. I don't remember one year where I enjoyed trick or treating. I absolutely hated having to walk from house to house while the freezing cold October breeze stung my face. I'd wince in pain while I begged my older sister to take me home.

So, while people get excited about the first snowfall of the year I desperately want to cry. While people pray and beg for a snowstorm, I cringe because all I can think about is walking to classes the next day in two feet of snow. While people happily trot through the snow, playfully throwing snow balls at each other, I concentrate very hard on teleporting into my warm house.

Let's go over essentials for university:

1. drop the 'when it snows, school is canceled' mentality
2. buy snowshoes, or tall winter boots
3. get a snow shovel and ice salt
4. scarves, scarves, and more scarves