Fall Semester vs. Spring Semester
Fall, as we all know, is gorgeous around these parts. The evenings are hard to beat, especially when afternoons of porch and firepit chatter extend into the warm evening. I deeply enjoy when my classes take me outside, to sit in the grass under canopies of orange and red leaves—yes I’m an English major, and thank you, Enchanted Forest. It is always exciting, too, to see friends after the summer eternity, and I cannot recommend biking around campus enough: mobility with the added benefits of accessibility and fresh air. Fall traditions as well—raft day and tent party, in particular—certainly have their moments.
But enter my quandary: autumn weather, as with many things in this life, never lasts. The slow descent into winter is often accompanied with cold rain and winds, which generally occur as classes are picking up in intensity as we near the end of the semester. I, for one, begin to feel restless as I am trudging to class in the aftermath of an ice storm. The Richardson Hall hill becomes treacherous, and I feel the loss of my bike as I walk across the Canton plains to reach Dana Dining Hall. Then, as finals begin, people leave without a backward glance to embrace the familial warmth of home.
We arrive back to the full-on North Country winter. I, for one, am stoked. Winter is my favourite season, and skiing is my favourite activity. I understand my bias, but SLU’s spring semester takes the cake. Don’t write me off too soon. I have reasons.
First of all, we all arrive back to campus prepared for the winter ahead of us. Shorts have gone back into storage and winter boots now grace dorm room floors. Jackets hang on bedposts; hats adorn heads; we become mentally ready for the journey to class.
My house (the Outing Club) lead skiing and sledding trips. We jam rails in the afternoons and come home rosy-cheeked and happy. A few brave souls bundle up and watch the snow fall on Park Street from the comfort of our porch sleeping bags. Camaraderie flows are the wind howls outside. Instead of hibernating all winter, I encourage everyone to embrace the snow. Put your layers on and enjoy the sweat-free experience that is colder temps.
The traditions, too, are better! TITUS rocks (read the Boot ‘N’ Paddle for a better run-down). Spring Fest is an incredibly entertaining all-school event, as is the Greenhouse’s Folk Fest, which brings in booths from artistic people from members of the SLU and broader communities as well as several live performances.
Most importantly, however, as our attention wanes in class and projects start to pile up, the weather begins to change. As the snow melts, the daylight pushes later into the evening, and more people return to picnic tables. Instead of the downward spiral into fall semester’s end, the spring acts as a launchpad into the
summer. The first day heading to class without a jacket, even if I’m swamped with work, never fails to bring a smile to my face. Spring in the NoCo is something special.
Mind you, I’m only a sophomore. This will be my second spring semester here, and I am purposefully omitting the April slush puddles, but I thoroughly enjoy all stages of this semester weather-wise. From big snow piles to budding trees and baby grass, spring semester is simply superior.