Most Texans are familiar with the fact that the weather here often changes rapidly and is usually unpredictable. One day it’s hot and sunny, and the next day it’s frigid and snowy, just like the freeze that swept Texas into a chilly winter wonderland late this January. This year’s winter weather froze roads, brought extremely low temperatures, heavy snow, sleet, and hail. This frigid freeze also meant snow days off from school, giving students a time to chill in these chilly conditions. Students also took this time to have fun, whether it was sledding, baking, or playing hockey on the icy streets.
While students took time to kick back and relax during snow days, as well as catch up on work or study for other classes during this unexpected break, they also fit in time to have fun.
“Even though the storm was happening, I still had tests at school, so I spent part of the time studying,” freshman Manha Khan said. “After that, I went outside with my brother and played in the snow. We built mini snowmen and just enjoyed being outside,” Khan said.
“I watched a lot of movies with my grandma because she was in town, baked a bunch of cookies and hot chocolate,” freshman Charlton Wiener said. “I was even able to go outside and play all the hockey I wanted,” Wiener said.
While students took the time to play and have fun, before the winter wonderland arrived, parents took time to prepare for the more hazardous consequences that come with an extreme freeze. Preparations went from leaving faucets dripping to keep pipes from bursting, stocking up on food and ingredients, and even getting backup generators to revive power in case it went out because of the snow.
“My family made sure we had enough groceries and supplies before the storm started. Since Texas winters are known for power outages, we prepared for that by setting up tons of battery-powered lights and flashlights instead of relying on electricity,” Khan said. “We charged all our devices ahead of time and kept the faucets dripping slightly to prevent the pipes from freezing or bursting.”
“I began preparing for the storm 3 days in advance of the projected arrival time,” parent Dwane Ballard said. “My biggest concern about the storm was losing power for an extended period of time.”
However, as the days went by, ice melted, and some schools around Texas reopened, including LTHS. The dreaded return to school finally came, and students were disappointed to go back to school after the previous snow days.
Looking back, the frigid week was a well-deserved time off for students to chill from the long and strenuous schedules at school. Students look back on their fun and freedom from school and reminisce about the memories they made and the pleasant time they had.
“I thought this snowstorm was awesome because I got to miss a lot of school and spend quality time with my family, which is the most important thing in the world to me,” Wiener said.
“Overall, I thought the snowstorm was really fun. Seeing everything covered in snow and being able to go outside and play in it was fun. I also think it gave me a well-deserved break that I didn’t even realize I needed, plus some extra study time,” Khan said.
The snow storm, while dangerous and extreme, was an opportunity for students to take a ‘chill pill’ from school and just be able to spend time with friends, family, and just have some time away from a periodic school schedule.
