Writer vs. Writer: Does Campus Look Better in the Winter or Spring?

by The Cowl Editor on February 28, 2019


Campus


Students sitting on Slavin Lawn doing homework.
When the weather gets warm in the spring, PC students migrate from the library
to Slavin Lawn or the outdoor classrooms to get their homework done. Nicholas Crenshaw ’20/The Cowl

by Emily Ball ’22

Snow, holiday cheer, sledding down the hills on campus—winter on a college campus is something indescribable.

As students get excited for the holiday season, school becomes more bearable and winter activities such as tree lightings and drinking hot chocolate occur.

The Providence College campus is more beautiful and far livelier during the winter season. 

People argue that the spring and summertime are better because it is too cold on campus during the winter months. However, the heat in the dorm rooms and academic buildings during the spring and summer is often intolerable.

“It’s pretty hard living on campus during the summer when the dorm rooms get very hot,” Lauryn Anthony ’22 said. “I definitely find it more tolerable when all the buildings cool down in the winter.”

With snow comes snow day cancellations, which are far more enjoyable in college.

When classes are cancelled, students have the opportunity to hang out with their friends who live in close proximity.

Further, the campus is full of excitement during the winter months as students who came from far away experience snow for the first time. First experiences are a big aspect of the college experience, and winter provides a first exposure to snow for many students.

During the winter, the campus becomes more dynamic as dorm rooms across campus blast Christmas music. Students are excited for the upcoming break and also for the holidays that are approaching, so the energy on campus picks up.

In contrast to spring and summer nights, students are outside during the winter nights to play in the snow and go sledding down the small hills on campus.

“A bunch of my friends and I brought a tube and sled down one of the little hills near our dorm,” said Maddie Guth ’22. “It was really fun to bond with my friends over such a fun night.”

With all of the holiday spirit and fun opportunities on campus, the winter season is far superior to the spring and summer seasons in college.

 

by Andrea Traietti ’21

Whether it is playing SpikeBall and KanJam in front of the Slavin Center, spreading a blanket on the quad to sit and chat with friends, or listening to the music blasting out of some open window in McDermott Hall, you simply cannot beat springtime at Providence College.

That is not to say that winter at PC does not have its benefits, like the lit fireplace in the Fiondella Great Room, the Christmas lights outside of the Ruane Center for the Humanties, holiday activities on campus, and maybe the occasional snow day if we are lucky.

But as the snow quickly begins to melt away into a slushy, dirty mess, the magic of winter melts away with it. We are left with nothing but grey sidewalks, days that get dark at 4 p.m., and freezing cold weather.

With spring, on the other hand, the benefits last longer than a few hours, and they have an even greater effect on the campus community.

On the first warm day of spring, everyone and everything seems to burst back to life, and this liveliness could not come at a better time.

With finals right around the corner, the warm weather and sunshine creates a mood of hopefulness and positivity that permeates campus and makes everyone forget about their exams and papers, at least for a little while.

And speaking of things that come back to life, the PC grass returns to its incredibly vibrant green color, the trees have leaves again, and flower buds pop up all over campus. It is hard to not feel enticed to go outside, and the fresh air after a winter trapped in stuffy dorm rooms is much needed.

The list of specific reasons why spring is the best season at PC could be 20 pages long. But the biggest reason is one that really cannot be described. Seeing everyone outside with their friends, relaxing, playing games, and listening to music on Slavin Lawn or in front of Aquinas Hall, there is simply a different energy on campus.

Amidst the business of jam-packed schedules, the fact that everyone takes a moment to slow down and gather together cannot help but make you feel like a part of the Friar Family and grateful just to be here at PC.