It’s 8 PM. You’ve turned your PJs inside-out, put a spoon under your pillow, performed a little “snow dance,” and are now impatiently pestering your mom to check her inbox for an email that school is canceled tomorrow or there is at least a delay.

There is something magical about snow days: the excitement of getting to sleep in or preparing to endure the trek to school, then opening your blinds to discover unplowed roads and a fresh dusting of snow. The last blizzard in Maryland was in 2016, when many current high school students were in elementary school. Schools closed for a week, and it seemed as if our biggest worries were finding the tallest hill to sled down or making sure that all the cocoa in our mugs was mixed. But, unexpectedly, eight years later, only a couple of weeks into 2024, Marylanders finally got another real snow day. But why, unlike many other childhood joys, have snow days never lost their charm and are again and again so exciting? 

Lucie Goldberg ‘25, likens the anticipation and “surprise” of a snow day to a Christmas present: “It sits under the tree for weeks and weeks, but you can’t see it, and you don’t know what it is–but that’s what makes it fun.” Snow days are an unexpected treat. The school gives students a spontaneous but critical day to, as Lucie describes, “just have fun.” Many students, such as Nandini Negi ‘24, recall reconnecting with the same neighbors as snow days were a designated time for kids to reconnect. Nandini lives in a more rural area, so besides hiking through the snow with friends, she would also enjoy time with family. Snow day activities were centered around feeling cozy, consisting of warm fires, baking, and binge-watching movies with her parents also trapped at home. Having snow days draws Nandini and countless other students back into nostalgic feelings and habits that may not have been experienced since 2016. Likewise, this past snow day, Ms. Klein and her kids tried snow ice cream, a dessert comprised of cream, sugar, and snow. And senior Bella Rosen’s dog explored the novelty of snow. While the ice cream did not suit Ms. Klein’s palate, and Bella’s dog ran back inside the house for the warmth of a heated blanket, snow days give families time to experiment with something new that other settings do not provide. 

Nevertheless, global warming continues to impact the world, and Baltimore is experiencing milder winters. The University of Maryland Extension describes the introduction of “false springs,” which happens when trees and plants restart their cellular activity earlier due to the warmer weather. As seen in these past eight years of no substantial snow days, these effects of climate change may lead to fewer or no snow days, and even if in-person school is canceled due to inclement weather, Zoom is rising as a replacement. 

But true magic is created on snow days. There is excitement in living in the nostalgia of the snow days from our childhoods, whether that fun is lazing around with no work or diving into the powdery cold to make snow angels. So, even if climate change or technology threatens these days, continuing these surprise-mandated breaks from school for youthful entertainment might still be beneficial. As shown by the toddlers and seniors sledding down Gordon Hill and teachers like Mr. Stephens, who shared crazy stories from horrific past snow day traffic, a few inches of snow and a day off from school awakens a fresh sprinkling of joy in kids and adults alike.