It is difficult to deny the beauty of Wofford’s small but mighty campus during any season. The bright colors of spring or the warm colors of fall make this campus a sight to behold. Regardless of the angle or the time of day, whether it’s walking to class in the afternoon, venturing home from the Row at midnight, or dragging yourself and your books away from Milliken in the wee hours of the morning, the beauty and grandeur of Old Main is always striking. Yet, whenever there is snow on campus, something even more magical happens. With a fresh blanket of pure white snow, the campus transforms into a winter wonderland or, if you will, a Wofford Wonderland.Any time snow is in the forecast feelings of excitement and joy emerge with the promise of sledding, snowmen and beautiful flurries. But as we in the South tend to dramatize any and all weather situations that waiver from sunny and warm, snow brings feelings of panic, caution and often a declaration of a State of Emergency. South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley declared such a State of Emergency for 31 counties in the Upstate, Pee Dee and Midlands of the state on Feb. 25. While most people around South Carolina rushed to the store for the essentials (milk, bread, water and hot chocolate) to prepare for the impending “snowpacolypse”, in typical Terrier fashion, Wofford students were busy brainstorming ideas for making the most of their time with the snow. Rumors flew of cancelled classes, plans for campus wide snowball fights were made, talks of building a Phase VI of The Village entirely out of igloos were in the works. As the first enormous fluffy white snow flakes fell, the excitement in the air was palpable. Then, the email came that Thursday classes would be delayed a whole two hours and the party really began.

Snowballs flew all across campus, from porch to porch in The Village, across the horseshoe, between the freshman dorms and even in the parking lots. Some students channeled their inner Michelangelo and sculpted snowmen, such as the Snow Jedi equipped with a light saber that was created by senior and snowman enthusiast, Worth McMillan. Senior Leah Hunter took a more adventurous route by choosing to sled in Gibbs stadium, a task that she says she’d always wanted to do.

“It took me four years but I finally managed to cross sledding at Gibbs Stadium off of my Wofford bucket list. Although, since we used a plastic storage bucket lid, I’m not quite sure you could really call it sledding – more us just pushing each other down the hill.”

Regardless, sledding, pushing and flopping at Gibbs Stadium is a legendary Wofford tradition all students hope to experience.

As with most traditions at Wofford, how students choose to spend their “snow day” hasn’t changed much over the years. Dean Bigger recounted similar experiences from a snow day in 1981 when she was a Wofford Student.

“Like today’s students, my friends and I loved when it snowed,” says Bigger. “First, because it made the campus even more beautiful. Second, because one or two of our classes were cancelled because a professor could not get to campus. Third, it broke up one’s weekly routine and you may find yourself playing in the snow with students with whom you normally did not cross paths.”

Regardless of what students choose to do, whether it’s snuggling up in your dorm with a cup of hot chocolate or making snow angels in front of Old Main, there is something magical about snow days at Wofford. Even though classes continue, tests are taken and studying is unavoidable, students manage to find the beauty, and especially the fun, in experiencing Wofford in the snow. Though it may not get them out of classes, what snow at Wofford does do is present the students with an opportunity to see and experience their beloved campus in an entirely different light – a brilliant bright white light that makes the campus sparkle and shine unlike anything imaginable.—Sara Frances Koontz