On Jan. 16-17, 2022, Clemson University saw an unusually heavy snowfall, with reports showing the campus received about 4 inches of snow. For a campus more familiar with sweltering game days and humid Southern heat, the snowstorm was a rare treat. Students took full advantage of it, bundling up and heading outside to enjoy the winter wonderland.
All across campus, there were snowball fights, sledding and plenty of creative snow sculptures. Students made everything from snowmen to more questionable sculptures that sparked laughter and quick photos, with some creations becoming the talk of social media for the day. Bowman Field became a central hub for snow day activities, with groups gathering to take pictures and challenge each other to snowball fights.
Others wandered over to the amphitheater or the Library Bridge, stopping to admire the snow-covered landscape that made campus feel like a completely different place. Even the quieter spots, like the garden near President’s Park, drew students who were just out to take in the rare sight of snow in Clemson.
For me, it was a pretty simple snow day. I didn’t dive into any of the snowball fights or join the groups building sculptures, though I did walk around campus, taking it all in. Familiar places like Tillman Hall and my dorm looked completely different under the blanket of snow, and there was something peaceful about seeing those well-known landmarks in a new way.
It felt like a rare pause in the fast-paced rhythm of campus life; a moment to appreciate how different things can feel with just a bit of snow. Even though the snow only stuck around for a couple of days, the memories (and photos) definitely lingered. For a brief time, Clemson looked and felt like another world, and it was a welcome change.
Fast forward nearly three years later, and snow once again graced Clemson’s campus. Jan. 10 marked a historic occasion: the first snowfall Clemson had seen in nearly three years. With snow falling steadily throughout the day, the campus once again became a winter wonderland. Students who had spent the last few years dreaming of snow finally got their wish. While the area didn’t receive quite as much precipitation as it did in 2022, it was enough to cover the ground in a soft, white blanket, as if the entire campus had been transformed into a wintery postcard.
At the Dikes, one of the most popular sledding locations on campus, students could be seen grabbing anything they could to slide down the hill — tarps, cardboard boxes, cookie trays and even pool floats. But perhaps the most creative, and certainly the most memorable of all, was the student who brought along a wheelchair to use as a sled. While the unconventional sledder may not have had the smoothest ride (sorry, wheelchair guy), their creativity was appreciated by everyone who witnessed it. There was a spirit of friendship and fun in the air, and no one cared that the makeshift sleds were unwieldy — everyone was simply happy to be part of the fun.
For those on campus, it felt like a return to something they’d missed for so long. Three years without snow had given people time to forget how beautiful it could be to watch snowflakes drift down from the sky, how exhilarating it was to feel the crunch of snow underfoot and how sweet it was to come together as a community for a shared experience.
Clemson University doesn’t get a lot of snow, but when it does, the campus transforms into a winter wonderland for students and locals alike to enjoy. The snowfalls of 2022 and 2025 were unique in their own right, but each snow day left students with stories to tell for years to come.
As the snow melts and the campus returns to its usual routine, one thing is certain: The memories of these snow days will continue to warm the hearts of Clemson’s students, faculty and locals long after the snow has disappeared.
