On Friday evening, the student body received an email informing us that even if campus is closed due to weather conditions we would still have class remotely. On Sunday, we received a Rave alert saying that campus would be closed due to weather. Soon after we received alerts from teachers on what we would do on Monday.

And thus, we saw the end of “snow days” as we’ve known it our entire educational lives. No more lounging around being lazy, building a snowman and relishing the unexpected day off. Now, these extreme weather days are filled with remote learning.

I think this is absolutely terrible. One of my main reasons is that most college students, including myself, don’t really get a break. I do count myself lucky that I have a good work schedule that is flexible with my schooling but not every student has that.

If a student normally goes to school in the morning and works in the evening, then a snow day allows them a morning to take a break and sleep in.

In my own case, I wake up at 6 a.m. every day of the week. I attend classes half the day and work the rest of it. When I don’t have school, I work all day. When I get home in the evening, I have to spend that time doing homework.

I love to sleep! (I’m sure many students would agree with me.) I don’t get to sleep in at all. I used to love a free Saturday of lounging around and sleeping forever. As a working college student, I don’t get that anymore.

You know what would help me and other students? A good, old-fashioned snow day!

I will admit that while normally few and far between, we have had quite a few snow days this school year. Each time we have had one, I was at a breaking point of stress but the snow day allowed time for a mental health break. It gives us time to have fun, which can be a great destresser.

The point you should be taking from this rant is that snow days should remain what they have meant to students through the ages — a day off; not remote learning days.

As a prelude to my second point, with the other snow days this year, never have they sent out information about us still having class. Campus closing announcements always meant no classes.

In my conspiracy theory mind, I think Pancake Day being Tuesday had something to do with last week’s announcement. In Liberal, no one has school during the annual town celebration. I believe that the only reason we are suddenly having school on snow days is that they didn’t want students to notice how nice it would be to have that long four-day weekend IF we had Monday off as well. Students might go on vacation instead of staying for Pancake Day.

I think this because of the ridiculous pre-planned schedule of this week.

Another important note about this week is that Monday was a national holiday, Presidents Day. Go anywhere else in the state or country and the schools are closed, even businesses.

I get that the rest of the country does not celebrate Pancake Day but none of this adds up. (my personal opinion, of course)

My point for this part of the rant is that we shouldn’t have had school on Monday in the first place. I think the only reason we are having remote classes on snow days is because of this minor detail in scheduling.

For anyone who might argue that we went remote learning for snow days so we can finish on the semester on time, I have an easy and simple answer. When the schedule is made they could add an extra day at the end of the year so that we may have Presidents Day off.

Taking away the old-fashioned snow days just smells suspiciously like a conspiracy to me.

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