Community Rejoices in the Winter
Written by Anna Baldwin
As a freshman, I came to Hillsdale ready for college to challenge everything I knew. I was prepared for my college experience to give me a new understanding of “the good,” “the true,” and “challenging workload,” and it did. However, there was one particular idea that I did not expect my Hillsdale experience to radically change: my idea of winter.
This change began one October morning when I was walking to class, loudly complaining about how cold it was outside. I suddenly heard a professor behind me say, “You’re not from around here, are you?” I told him I was from the South, but he had already figured that out for himself, since it was only 52 degrees. Little did I know, 52 degrees would soon feel warm to me, too. By the time I survived my first true winter, I had completely redefined my definition of cold.
I’ve been cold before (everyone has), but I wasn’t prepared for the kind of cold that goes to your bones. It isn’t impossible to stay warm, however. Some of the best advice I received from an upperclassman was that one has to be humble to stay warm. Never pay attention to how others dress–just wear what will keep you happy, even if that’s seven layers and a knee-length coat. And eventually, almost everyone will be wearing the same thing.
In addition to wearing layers and a warm coat, I had to learn how to walk properly on ice. I had to ponder which shoes to wear during freezing temps, and how to stay balanced, or otherwise fall gracefully. My roommate and I kept a chart in our room through the winter to tally our slips and falls. We scored one point for slipping on the ice, and two for falling. This little game was useful, because every time I wiped out, it was consoling to know I was getting credit for it. As for shoes, you can’t go wrong with a reliable pair of boots. Keep in mind, the best kind of boots have a balance of tread and flexibility. Stiff shoes are not ideal if you want to stay on your feet. Heels are not impossible, but they do take some skill. Although the maintenance staff works hard at clearing the icy walkways, sometimes nature can’t be stopped, and so a reliable pair of shoes is always a good idea.
Hillsdale also redefined my idea of snow. I was excited my entire first semester to see a real blizzard. One day in early November, my roommate and I looked out the window and saw flurries. “It’s snowing! It’s snowing!” we cried, running outside. The Northerners thought we were crazy. This wasn’t real snow yet, but where I come from, snow looks like powdered sugar on a cheap doughnut, so I didn’t know.
Finally, I woke up one morning in December to a blanket of white snow on the ground. I was upset that I had to go to class and couldn’t play in the snow before it melted, but the snow was there when class was over. It was there during lunch. It stayed through dinnertime and even until breakfast the next morning. It stayed through the weekend so I could play in it. I was overjoyed by this until I realized that the snow wasn’t leaving until April.
Winter builds the Hillsdale community. There’s a certain bond you feel with another student when you enter the student union on a January evening with fogged glasses and snow in your hair, frantically removing coats and layers. You look at each other and just say, “Golly, it’s cold out there,” before heading for the fireplace and hot coffee. Saturdays are for sledding. We grab our makeshift ‘sleds’ – cardboard boxes, tub lids, or whatever will work – and head outside. Last year, the snow was so icy we were able to make a decent sled ramp behind the football field.
Students slow down in the winter. No one is in a rush to leave the comfort of Penny’s or the library, and we all flock to the fireplaces in the student union and the Heritage Room. Students pile in cars together to drive 30 seconds down the road. Spontaneous snowball fights are not uncommon, nor are cheerful snowmen on the quad or in the Olds Residence garden. One night in the dining hall, I looked out the window just in time to see a friend lay down and make a snow angel.
So while a Hillsdale winter taught me what true cold and true snow are, it also taught me more about the Hillsdale community, and how our college is a little bit better for the weather we endure and the fun that winter brings. I can’t say I haven’t wished for the beach a few times during the cold months, but at the end of the day, I wouldn’t change the weather here for anything. Strength rejoices in the challenge, and community rejoices in the winter.
Anna Baldwin, ’25, is from the countryside of Tennessee, where she spends her time managing her chickens and drinking coffee on the front porch. At Hillsdale, you can find her managing her assignments and drinking coffee at Penny’s.
Published in January 2023