Bad Weather Day 2k9

I woke up this morning to the tell tale darkness that comes with a snowday. My window was completely covered in snow, try as I might, I couldn't see anything out of it. I was so giddy I did a little dance. I did a spin move over to my computer and logged into my e-mail. THERE IT IS! MIKE HILL! AND THE SUBJECT LINE DOESN'T SAY CLASSES ARE STILL ON! I open it to discover that today has been named a bad weather day. The bus is not running, non-essential staff should not come in, everything is closed....but classes might still be held. While not officially cancelled they were putting it into the hands of the professors to decide whether they wanted to hold class or not. My heart sank, my professor would never cancel class. The woman was born and raised in Germany, she's not afraid of a little snow. Last time we had a possible snow day she brought her 3 kids to class because their school had closed. The fact that she's very pregnant with her forth child is a non-issue, the woman would drive through fire and brimstone to make sure that we learned about the architecture of oil. She would probably make us stand in the fire and brimstone and take pictures of it for use in discussion on it's effects on the oil industry later. There was only one thing to do....go back to bed and sulk for the next hour. 

The dorm was sleepy as I made my way out to class. It was 10 am but most people's classes were cancelled so they were sleeping in. I opened the door to a gust of wind and snow blowing at me. The paths looked like someone had tried to shovel them about an hour earlier but just given up. I sighed and trudged the 15 feet to my classroom building. A minor victory for the day in that I lived 15 feet away from the only building I had class in. When I got to the classroom the early discussion group was still in there. The class is divided up into an hour and a half of classtime with a discussion group before and after class, I'm in the post-class group (that's your fact about me for the day). Another person soon joined me and together we whispered our anger at each other. "WHAT THE HELL!" "SHE'S PREGNANT! SHE SHOULDN'T BE OUT IN THIS WEATHER!" "IT'S A BLIZZARD OUT THERE!" To say we were angry would be an understatement. We also knew that as she had driven through snow on unplowed roads to get here this morning....we had no right to complain. That's the worst, when you want to complain but you just have no leg to stand on. 

A member of the first group was sent out to fetch us. Even she, normally so chipper, couldn't contain her displeasure at being there. I settled in for an hour and a half of presentations. The Blue Bus wasn't running so as half the class is from Haverford we were only about half the size we usually are. I was mad because the people I like in that class all go to Haverford, so no one laughed at my jokes. About twenty minutes into the class a boy comes stumbling through the door. "Sorry I'm late" he stuttered "The bus wasn't running so I had to walk from Haverford". Wow....that's just....dedication. We had nothing to say to that. Well, I always have something to say. This time I chose "Um....make sure you get lunch before you walk back". He thanked me for being so considerate, however I did detect a hint of sarcasm, and we continued on with class. 

At 11:30 the members of the first discussion group left and our group remained. My professor sat back and said "so...lots of snow out there". She knew what she was doing, she knew she was opening up a can of anger and we took it and ran with it. Passive aggressive remarks began about how class should have been cancelled. My remarks might have even bordered on purely aggressive. Gradually it eased off and we began a discussion on what constitutes non-essential staff. I commented that it must suck to get a job here and then be told "by the way, you're non-essential to this school". My professor laughed and told me that my presence in class was always "essential". I'm still trying to figure out if this was a compliment or a firm reminder that no matter how cool I think I am, she will notice if I'm not in class and will make me pay for my sins. I'm going with the latter. 

We eventually got around to class related discussion, that went well. I tried to not make a fool out of myself as per usual, did not succeed. There is something about that class that just makes me shoot my mouth off. I don't do it in any other classes, but something about that prof eggs me on. 

After class I attempted to get lunch. It was cold, there was snow blowing at me from all angles and the paths still weren't shoveled. Cursing ensued. Since I live so close to the classroom building I didn't bring a scarf or mittens with me. Bad idea. By the time I got to the dining hall I was considering killing a squiril or something to make me some mittens and a hat. Luckily it did not come to that.

The rest of the afternoon was spent pretending to do work. It was hard because my room was cold, so I turned on the heat, then it was too hot so I opened a window and it became too cold. Repeat cycle. The 20 feet between my dorm and the library was much to far to travel too, so instead my studies failed. I'd rather fail at school that get the flu (not true, do not quote me on this). 

I had cancelled squash tonight because the Blue Bus wasn't running. Plus Mike had e-mailed me all concerned about the weather. Since he's British I'm sure he was a bit overwhelmed by the snow, as the Brits don't really do snowstorms that often. Rather than stress him out I told him we'd cancel tonight. That gave me a nice cushion of time tonight to do work that I wouldn't otherwise have. Unfortunately I found out that I had a book to read and respond to for class tomorrow and that it's only location was on reserve at the Haverford library. In the ultimate blow to my will to live I had to dig my car out, maneuver it out of the snow bank it was parked in, drive at about 10 miles per hour over to the 'ford, read the book, write down choice quotes for my response paper, and drive back at about 5 mph as it was dark and the roads were freezing. Apparently Lower Merion just said screw it this morning as those roads are terrible. 

Bad weather days suck. They sound cool and fun, but really they're just regular school days with an obstacle course thrown in there. Unless I am going to be rewarded with some kind of prize for completing the hypothetical obstacle course, I'll pass on bad weather days in the future.