The Mycenaean

On Monday, January 10, weathermen across the Triangle preached endlessly that severe winter weather was fast approaching. Families stocked up on necessities while Wake County students waited on the edge of their sofas to hear the news: would school be cancelled on Tuesday? Promised only a two hour delay, they went to sleep with their hearts heavy.

Early Tuesday morning brought the much-anticipated news that Wake County public schools would not be open on January 11. Agitated but thankful, students shut off their televisions and climbed wearily back into bed. But as the day wore on and students woke from their winter stupor, a glance outside showed nothing terribly wrong. The immediate Leesville community received what can only be described as a “dusting” of snow, and less than a quarter-inch of ice.

With the loss of a teacher workday in February and essentially a day and a half lost from studying for finals, Leesville students were anything but excited about this “snow day.” Instead of the thrill that comes with staying home on a weekday, the Pride cursed the WCPSS board’s decision and slandered the choice over every Facebook “news feed.”

The less-than weather event brought about the question that has been buzzing around the school in what has been a shockingly season-appropriate winter for North Carolina – why is it that we stay home so often, when hardly ever does weather occur that demands we do so?

The sad truth is is that there is no reason. On the rare and exciting occasion, we will see a few flakes, but that is certainly the extreme end of the winter spectrum.

Of course, not all snow days are undeserved. Mounds of built-up snow and foot long icicles absolutely warrant a one-day reprieve from school, and the decisions to cancel classes on those days are easily understood and appreciated, but at some point, discretion should be left to the people with a higher tolerance for icy roads.

Coming from a junior with two AP classes this semester and limited time to review for those final exams, having a day off from school to avoid the “blizzard” burying the area with exams still scheduled to happen two days later made me reasonably outraged. I personally would have braved the storm to get the review that I so desperately need to pass AP Environmental Science.

I am grateful to see the winter months passing and am hoping that they will take their make-up day inducing climate with them. Once in a while, a day off from school can be a relief, but as I’m sure my peers can attest, lately these breaks have been too many-too often. While spring will bring unfortunate make up days, it will also bring reliable and predictable weather that will keep our schedules constant.