Nearly three weeks ago, a snowstorm of the decade hit Baltimore. The city received 11 inches of snow, and, although the initial snowfall made Loyola’s campus a proverbial winter wonderland, after a week and a half the snow became a hassle for students, faculty, and administrators alike.
For some students, winter storm Fern was their first exposure to a significant amount of snow. Andres Socarras ’26, who is from Florida, said he was shocked by the snow.
“This is by far the most snow I have ever experienced. This time around, I actually felt the need to prepare … When I first went walking outside, I literally [sank] in the snow, which I’ve never experienced before,” Socarras said.
During Loyola’s campus closure between Jan. 25-28, students including Socarras seized the opportunity to partake in a host of activities made possible by the snow. Throughout campus, students were seen sledding and making snowmen. However, being a week and a half removed from this storm, many on campus are looking ahead to spring,
“I loved the snow for two days, but now I’m ready for it to be gone and for spring to come. I would love a crisp 60 degrees right now,” Socarras said.
Although some students enjoyed their reprieve from a normal week of classes, some found that their stress, much like the snow, has compounded as a result of this delay in academics. With these snow days comes less time for students to interact with professors and staff in a classroom setting and therefore less time to prepare for the inevitable quizzes, tests, and exams.
Ben Zelaya ‘26 felt the pressure of academics even as he enjoyed the snow.
“Yes, the snow days were a ton of fun, and I enjoyed them thoroughly, but in the back of my mind I’m thinking about the time I’m gonna have to spend making up for those days we missed,” Zelaya said.
Car maintenance was also a concern for many, as for the better part of a week, many Loyola students were snowed into their parking spots and could not clear the snow around their cars without a shovel. Some students are still solving car problems that came about as a result of the storm.
“Dealing with all of that snow around my car was not fun. Especially because I did not have a shovel, or any sort of equipment to help,” Zelaya said.
In the midst of these problems, the Office of Residence Life & Housing did their best to make the necessary accommodations for students, including providing shovels and ice scrapers in the aftermath of the storm.
Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students Tiffany Kinnard, reflected on Loyola’s management of the storm, noting that she and her team have begun to make plans in anticipation of any future weather event of this magnitude.
“We are always evaluating what worked well and where we can strengthen our response,” Kinnard said.
A winter storm of this magnitude is certainly out of the ordinary for Maryland, and many would be shocked if another storm like Fern were to make landfall in the next few months.