Winter Wonderland?

Welcome back to the second half of our school year! Winter is in full effect. Dark and gloomy skies with long nights. The continued attitude of blissful ignorance as emails and responsibilities creep back into our lives. Whether you’re a fan of winter wonderlands or not, the fact remains that snow is everywhere. The break is over. For those of us still living in denial, what better distraction than a massive snowball fight? No matter how old you are, there is always a slight allure to throwing balls of frozen flakes at each other. Just last week, we welcomed each other back to campus and to 2018 with yet another Tri-Campus Snowball Fight. I remember when the first one happened in my first year on February 3rd, 2015. It was probably the biggest one I have ever seen. Yes, it was cold and wet but the adrenaline and free hot chocolate kept you warm. I remember friends from other universities saying how their campuses should do this too. I remember the attention my Instagram had gotten over a picture I had posted. There were news reporters flying over us on helicopters and we were even featured in a Buzzfeed article. I’m sure a quick google search will reveal plenty of results, from YouTube, CTV, The Globe and Mail, Global News, and more. That’s when you know you made it big, U of T. On the ground level, it was a war zone. There were forts, designated snowball makers, throwers, dodgers, and the photographers brave enough to risk getting their cameras wet. I was one of those photographers. There was a huge mountain (castle) of snow some of us had conquered. The little skirmishes had turned into a full fledge snow war. Here’s a few of my shots: This year, the snowball fight was slightly more dispersed due to the freezing rain but regardless, events like these are truly a unifying experience. Those who didn’t participate simply watched it unfold. Just those few moments led to momentary friends - yes, I never really saw them again in person but they did message me on social media saying thanks for the pictures and some even used them as their new profile pictures! (I’ll be lying if I said it didn’t give me a confidence boost). So, you might be wondering why I’m going on about some silly snow shenanigan. It was more so about the experience. Sure, there’s countless research and innovations going on, but sometimes we have to remember the little things too. It was more about our ability as U of T- ers to turn such a spontaneous and hasty event into one everyone remembers for the rest of their lives. That's what makes U of T what it is, not simply the abundance of resources and opportunities it has to offer. Along with it, a sense of community may be rumoured to be close to nonexistent at our campus, but in my opinion, at the end of the day, it all comes down to each person. If you’re searching to expand your social life and overall university experience, it comes down to wanting to make an effort and finding time for things you love, even the little things. Go out there and do stuff, people will come to you.