By Mary Atkinson
Virtual school has been an adjustment for students everywhere. We must start thinking about things we’ve never had to worry about before. From wifi issues to broken computers, there’s nothing COVID hasn’t affected. Naturally, comes the question of snow days. It was just a hypothetical considering Virginia rarely ever has snow. However, 2020 doesn’t seem to be done throwing curveballs. Just in time for MP3 Mother Nature gave us a big blanket of snow. Many Henrico students were expecting a free day to play in this Winter Wonderland. Their wishes were not granted and school had to continue on. Was this reasonable? To be fair, the snow was just outside our windows right?
The expectation of this year was, obviously, that it was going to be much different than the previous years. A pandemic is a big issue to deal with and the school board has been very diligent in making decisions for the well-being of their students. However, mental health is just as important as physical health. The youth of Henrico could have been greatly benefitted by a day to enjoy their surroundings. They may get all of the stress off their shoulders for just a moment. That sense of normalcy could have been restored, if only for a day. A day where being stuck at home was not a punishment, but a privilege.
Though we now know that snow is decidedly not a viable reason for canceling virtual school, what should we do with the day? Those crystal-like snowflakes are sitting just beyond our windows. Inches out of reach, but we don’t have to sit and watch it melt away. It’s easy to close your computer at the end of the day and take a nap or watch tv. It’s harder to get on all your warm clothes and head outside to rid yourself of all the stress from the school day, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be worthwhile. The snow is just waiting to be made into a snowman by you and your siblings. The untouched snow in your backyard is begging to be filled with tiny snow angels from your entire family. Though it may seem hard now, the day is not wasted. Allow yourself to have a little bit of fun today. You deserve it.
Fun After-School Snow Activities:
The Classics
- Build A Snowman
- Have A Snowball Fight
- Make Snow Angels
Lesser-Known, But Still Fun Things To Do
- Make A TikTok
- Take Fun Pictures
- Go Sledding
- Make Snow Ice Cream
- Make Snow Pictures (with food coloring or environmentally-safe paint)
Gavel 