As routines began to take shape at the start of the semester, a winter snowstorm interrupted schedules, canceled classes and slowed down campus life. 

Due to inclement weather and icy conditions caused by Winter Storm Fern, Marshall University closed its campus to students, faculty and staff Jan. 26-28, putting a pause on the university’s third week of classes.

For Daniella Ewing, senior social work major and resident adviser in the freshman residence halls, the sudden closure was met with relief. 

“I smiled,” Ewing said, “and I went and got food with my best friend to celebrate.”  

Ewing said the snow days allowed her to rest and enjoy time with friends without the pressure of coursework. As a senior with a lighter class schedule, the storm did not significantly disrupt her academics. 

“It has not affected my classes or assignments at all,” Ewing said. “My professors will just put things on a Teams link if they need to.” 

Most of Ewing’s day was spent resting and catching up on simple routines. 

“I slept in really late, then I got up, got ready and got food,” she said. 

Living in the freshman dorms, Ewing said the shutdown created more opportunities to connect with others nearby. 

“The most memorable part was just hanging out with my friends,” she said. “Since we both had nothing else to do, we just got to hang out more, talk, eat every meal together and just chill.” 

Ewing said she would not change how she spent the short break if given the chance again, though she acknowledged she might do a little more schoolwork next time. 

For Justin Gainer, sophomore majoring in chemistry and Spanish, the snowstorm brought both academic changes and personal flexibility. 

“When I first heard about it, I silently celebrated,” Gainer said. 

Gainer said the first of his snow days was a mix of productivity and personal hobbies. He spent time working on homework, watching playoff games and practicing speed cubing, a hobby that involves solving Rubik’s cubes as fast as possible. 

“I practiced that [speed cubing] for probably an hour and a half to two hours,” Gainer said. “It keeps me off my phone and lets me focus on getting better at something.” 

The storm canceled several of Gainer’s classes, including participation-heavy courses and an organic chemistry lab, reshaping his academic schedule. 

“It canceled two of my classes and at least my lab, which really mixed up my schedule,” he said.

Despite the disruptions, Gainer said the cancellations eased the pressure surrounding deadlines. 

“The biggest thing that changed for me mentally was knowing my lab was canceled, which helped shift my priorities and made me feel more relaxed completing assignments,” he said. 

While most of Gainer’s routines remained intact, the storm did cause him to miss one important activity. 

“I didn’t go to church since the services were canceled, and that was by far the biggest change,” he said.

Looking back, Gainer said the best part of the unexpected break was the reduced urgency surrounding schoolwork and being able to connect with friends. 

“I was glad that I could hang out with my friends whether that was texting, playing basketball or just hanging out,” he said.

While the snowstorm has disrupted normal schedules, both Ewing and Gainer said the pause provided something rare during the semester – time to rest, reconnect with friends and recharge before returning to their usual routines. 

Jimmy John Jacob can be contacted at [email protected].