Bye Bye Snow Days

Ridimerb Diaz-Ramirez | Published April 5, 2023

Technological advancements have caused many changes, but the one thing college students might notice the most is snow days now becoming virtual days. 

On Feb. 28 and March 14, students didn’t get the chance to enjoy their “snow day” the usual way. Instead they were informed that classes were transitioning to remote learning due to inclement weather.

Laylah Lopez, a sophomore majoring in education said, “it just seems like a waste of brain power when students can use the time to recuperate, catch up on work, or even just go outside to enjoy the snow.”

Prior to this academic year, while universities were still navigating during the pandemic and learning how to regain control post pandemic, snow days were days where classes were canceled and students would stay in and be encouraged to enjoy the weather and the day off from school, with no classes, no meetings and to ultimately take a wellness day.

On Feb. 18, 2021 University Relations sent a blast email to all students, faculty and staff that said, “Snow Day: All Classes and Activities Canceled on Thursday February 18.” Then a follow up email was sent from university president Lamont O. Repollet Ed.D. that asked the question, “did you enjoy your snow day yesterday?”

Again on Jan. 29, 2022, students were given a snow day. However, classes that were remote weren’t offered the opportunity to get the day off.  

This year, all students and faculty were told that they had to meet virtually. No snow day for anyone. 

Students like Lopez credits this to the development in technology in online learning platforms such as Google Meet and Zoom, an effective way of learning virtually since the pandemic. 

“I know the school wants to stay on track with everything but a lot of the time students are spending most of their days on a computer,” Lopez said. “So what makes the school think we want to be on it any more than we already are?” 

Lopez used to take snow days to relax during the school week, which she feels as though didn’t happen very often with all the workload students have. 

The level of productivity is also something that Lopes acknowledges as being low when students spend all day in classes and then suddenly have to change it to being online as requested by the university in its Feb. 27 email blast. 

The email said, “Kean Union classes to transition to remote after 4:30 p.m. today due to forecast for inclement weather; all campuses will remain open for scheduled events.”

While Lopez is against missing out on snow days, Bianca Nunes, a senior studying Communication Studies, views the change as productive and feels indifferent towards it. 

Nunez sees and acknowledges the importance of not falling behind in class regardless if she has to switch to remote learning, but are professors making the switch on these “snow days”?

Nunez said during the last two snow days, instead of going virtual most of her professors canceled class. 

Nunez also feels like the recent pandemic has in fact been a big reason for why the change from snow days to virtual days have been made.

“Ever since COVID started, we all had to learn how to have a different life, I guess I will say,” Nunez said. 

She explained that if individuals didn’t learn how to navigate and effectively use Zoom and other programs that help them meet virtually, they would have been out of work and school for a long time. 

Nunez said she believes that individuals found a way to not miss school or work by using technology and have incorporated it into their daily lives, like switching classes to remote learning when necessary. 

It has not been confirmed or officially announced by the school that this change is a permanent change, but many notice it and they think they have a clear understanding of where the change comes from.

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