After a Long Winter, Students Eagerly Await Spring

Amid below freezing temperatures and high winds on Harvard’s campus, many undergraduate students are anxiously awaiting warmer days ahead.

According to the National Weather Service, Boston received 22.3 inches of snow total this winter as of Feb. 9. This is a little over twice as much snow there was at this time last year.

Students expressed shock regarding the transition into winter weather after arriving back on campus from winter recess in January.

“I went from winter break back home, which is in California, and then coming back here to see snow,” Salma O. Siddiqui ’28 said, “was a whiplash moment.”

“The craziest thing coming here is actually experiencing seasons. Because in Louisiana, everything’s warm all the time.” Alyssa J. Kerley ’28 said. “So whenever it hit fall, and the leaves actually changed colors, that was crazy to me, because I had never seen that before.”

For some, the current weather is enjoyable.

“I’m from Saskatchewan, Canada. It gets really cold down there. I mean, up there, sorry, my geography or whatever,” Yerosen K. Daba ’28 said. By comparison, “This is like a honeymoon paradise, it’s like Hawaii to me.”

Daba nonetheless said he is excited for spring. “I hate wearing pants,” he said. “I’m excited for shorts weather and t-shirt weather.”

Drake M. Hollins ’28, who is from Michigan, said, “I’m used to the cold weather, but I feel like in Boston it’s a lot windier than I had expected.”

“I just would rather be in the comfort of my own dorm room,” he said.

For some, the cold weather came with illness. “I was sick, two-ish weeks ago, being sick, and also the weather being so cold, I just did not leave my room for probably an entire week straight because I did not want to go outside.” Ally N. A. Cook ’26 said.

Luckily, Cambridge is on the way to warmer temperatures, according to weather enthusiast and amateur meteorologist Tyler J.H Ory ’26, who is pursuing a degree in earth and planetary sciences.

“We have pretty much exited winter at this point.” said Ory, a Crimson news editor. “Winter technically ends on March 21, but March 1 in the meteorology community is considered the beginning of spring. The beginning of March can be quite ferocious and can still be really cold. You can still even have the possibility for a couple snow storms.”

Ory also commented on the accuracy of Punxsutawney Phil the Groundhog’s predictions on Groundhog Day, an annual event in which an extra six weeks of winter are predicted if the event’s groundhog faces its shadow upon emerging from its hole.

The groundhog did face its shadow this year and thus predicted an additional six weeks of winter.

“In this case, he happened to get it right by coincidence.” Ory said. “Whether or not he sees his shadow or not is, I think, somewhat between him and his caretaker, and I don't know how much forecasting ability that has.”

For some, spring means an opportunity to spend more time outdoors. “The other week when it was really pretty decently warm, I realized how much I loved walking,” said Coby T. Hayes ’28

“I’m looking forward to just doing more outdoorsy activities,” said Wesal Haroun ’28.

It seems most students are ready for spring to have sprung.

“I feel like spring is the perfect mix just because, it's slightly sunny outside, you're starting to see the flowers grow back," Jonathan Huang ’26 said. “It’s really pretty.”