For the first time in three years, Clemson saw a snow day this past Friday, Jan. 10.
In the late afternoon of Thursday, Jan. 9, Clemson University anticipated that the winter storm would likely affect students and faculty and sent an email to the general body, stating, “Clemson University’s main campus will close at noon on Friday, January 10.”
“I was so happy to have a snow day! There was some confusion with it being closed at noon, especially the status of classes before then. But teachers seemed to be super accommodating,” an anonymous student at Clemson told The Tiger in an email.
Clemson received about 0.15 inches from the storm, according to WYFF4.
At 10 a.m. on Friday, snow began to fall. As the snow covered outside surfaces, students took to sledding down any kind of hill they could find, including Bowman Field, the Dikes near Lake Hartwell and parking lots.
A Fox Carolina reporter was stationed on Bowman and interviewed students after they sledded down the snow-covered field with all sorts of makeshift sleds. Students brought out plastic sleds, shower linings, cardboard boxes, laundry hampers, mattresses, truck beds, inner tubes, plastic bin lids and more.
If students weren’t sledding, they were building snowmen around campus, some complete with Clemson hats, scarves, stick arms and more.
Many students took to social media to reflect that the snow day was a memorable one when thinking back on their time in Clemson, especially seniors who experienced a snow day during their freshman year in 2022.
In 2022, snowfall in mid-January caused 4,000 power outages, which impacted nearly 120,000 Duke Energy customers in upstate South Carolina. The University closed on the Monday post-snowstorm because of weather. Classes were then delayed on Tuesday until noon and on Wednesday until 9 a.m. due to “lingering ice,” according to an article by The Tiger.
At that time, the city of Liberty saw 6.6 inches of snow and different parts of Pickens County saw 4 to 7 inches, which neared Clemson University’s 1971 record snowfall of 10 inches.
The Tiger connected with several Clemson students to gather their thoughts and feelings regarding the snow day.
“My roommate and I dug some cardboard out of our recycling and used them to sled down the hills in our apartment complex. We met up with a few friends, had a snowball fight, cozied up inside with hot chocolate, and had a Frozen watch party,” Ridgely Jackson, a junior horticulture major, told the Tiger.
“I was elated to see snow for the first time in a decade. One of the most enjoyable parts was being able to see everyone make snowmen on Bowman,” Dom Henriquez, a junior sociology major, wrote to the Tiger.
“As a northerner, I was not as stressed as some others who had barely seen snow. However, I was shocked once I started to see the different objects that people were using to sled,” Meghan Burgos, a senior English major, said during an interview with The Tiger.
“I called my friend at 9:30 a.m. because I had seen the snow start to fall and was so excited just to go out in it! We went on a walk and later went to Starbucks for hot coffee,” Connor Johnson, a junior political science major, told The Tiger.
Additionally, a handful of downtown businesses stayed open despite the snow for students to enjoy, such as Grace Coffee Company, Study Hall, Loose Change, Itsurwiener, Tiger Town Tavern and more.
Study Hall offered an exclusive giveaway with a “best winter gear” contest and offered $500 for first place, $300 for second place and $200 for third place.
“Snow day, let’s drink! We have what you need to stay warm,” a giveaway post on the Study Hall Instagram stated.
Additionally, Itsurwiener offered $5 spiked hot chocolate drinks and free pizza with any drink purchase, as advertised on their Instagram page, and Tiger Town Tavern provided $6 rumple minze hot chocolate.
As of right now, Clemson is not predicted to have another snowstorm hit in the near future.
