“Let it snow!”: South’s first snowflakes bring some smiles, some tears

Livia Lund, Features Editor

South students leave school in the snow, their hoodies up and fighting the wind. While some students are in denial of the cold, others are pumped for their winter activities: “It's the first time I've been on the team, I'm excited” explained senior and German exchange student Caroline Seybold, who is part of the Nordic ski team. — As the first snowfall of the season fell today, many South students shivered and pulled their coats round them tighter. Others, however, enjoyed the beauty of the flurries. “It turns Minnesota into a whole new place and you feel like you’re in a snowglobe. I love it,” said senior Molly DeVore. Photo: Eli Shimanski

2:15 PM, SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL —

As the first flakes of the winter season began to float down on our school’s rooftops, students gathered at the windows and exclaimed at the gusts of winds outside. So far, 2016 is on track to be the warmest year on record, so for many South students this snow was long awaited. As the school day finished, Assitant Principal Mercedes Reynolds’ voice could be heard over the speaker system warning students: “It’s a wet one out there!”

Senior Molly DeVore was one of the students passionate about the sudden snow. “It turns Minnesota into a whole new place and you feel like you’re in a snow globe. I love it,” she said. Junior Caroline Seybold, an exchange student from Germany, agreed: “[Snow] looks pretty. It makes me happy.”

Besides the beauty of snow, Seybold has a another reason for her joy. As part of the Nordic Ski team, snow is a necessary part of her sport. “It’s the first time I’ve been on the team, I’m excited” she explained.

However, not all of South had such light-hearted reactions to the snow. When interviewed right after school on Friday, Junior Maddie Tennant was in a state of denial.“I don’t believe it’s snowing yet…I haven’t seen it, I’m not believing it.” The cold weather is not good for Tenant who has plays soccer in an indoor dome, which gets which get colder when the temperatures outside drop.

Junior Morgan Hill shared a similar opinion, and explained that her afternoon plans in the snow were “going home and getting some hot chocolate. I’m not going to be outside, it’s too cold for me.”

South's courtyard, on the northeastern part of the building, covered in snow. Students rushed out of school to get home as the first snowflakes fell in Minnesota. Junior Morgan Hill's winter plans were: “going home and getting some hot chocolate. I'm not going to be outside, it's too cold for me.” — South’s courtyard, on the northeastern part of the building, covered in snow. Students rushed out of school to get home as the first snowflakes fell in Minnesota. Junior Morgan Hill’s winter plans were: “going home and getting some hot chocolate. I’m not going to be outside, it’s too cold for me.” Photo: Eli Shimanski

Fortunately, fun winter activities were something that united both groups, with both Tennant and DeVore expressing a love for ice skating. Tennant, who used to be a figure skater, explained that ice skating is a good way to exercise and have fun with friends. DeVore, on the other hand was more mystified by it.“You’re on blades on frozen water. Like science how did you do that?”

At the end of the day, whether you plan on hibernating inside this winter or embracing the outdoors, there will be friends at South to join you.