By STEPHANIE LANE
STAFF WRITER
For some New Brunswick residents, the recent snowstorms were a welcome diversion.
For others, however, the blizzards were a nuisance and a safety hazard.
With snowfall totaling over 12 inches in February and March, many Rutgers students either loved or hated the winter weather.
Since mid-term exams at Rutgers University began during this time, some students say they were grateful for the storms. The snow provided some leeway for students who were overwhelmed with tough exam schedules.
“If it wasn’t for the snow, I would have been bogged down with three exams and a quiz today. This snow came as a great relief,” said sophomore Britt Chegwidden.
Other students were very unhappy with the snow and said it created problems with their class schedules. Although the snow allowed for extra studying time, some students like Emily Lewis feel consumed by the make-up exam madness.
“Next week, Monday through Thursday I have an exam everyday and on one of the days [in addition to the exams] I have a quiz,” said sophomore student, Emily Lewis.
Many students were also concerned with the safety and well-being of their families at home. Nicole Fucci, a Rutgers junior, and Hamilton, N.J. resident, said her mother called her right after each storm and sounded very upset.
“Our power lines fell down and hit our neighbor’s house,” she said, “There were also several trees that fell from our property onto our neighbor’s yards and houses.”
In addition to causing physical damage to houses and cars, the snow also caused driving hazards for many.
While Rutgers University was twice closed for undergraduate students, many faculty members were still required to go to work under hazardous conditions.
“The roads were unsafe to drive on. So, I was forced to take a vacation day. Snow plows didn’t clear the back roads and parking lots remained as pools of black ice for days and even weeks as the snow took forever to melt,” said a Rutgers employee who declined to use his name.
Commuter students at Rutgers, in particular, had concerns about driving. “I was unable to shovel my car out of my driveway so I had to miss class,” said sophomore, Allison Curry, “I was concerned about missing lecture material.”
Students who live on or closer to campus, on the other hand, had an advantage because they didn’t have to drive onto campus under dangerous conditions.
Although there were many concerns regarding safety and exams, other students enjoyed the snowy New Brunswick scene.
“I enjoyed the day off, it was a good time to catch up on work, but above all, it was a great day for catching up with friends while drinking hot cocoa and sledding.” sophomore student, Lila Colleluori said, “My friends and I went sledding down a hill and loved every minute of this winter wonderland.” |
