In Observatory Hill Dining Hall, next to a window overlooking a field of melting snow, first-year Engineering student Eric Pankey sat in passionate discussion with a group of companions.
The topic of so much interest was not a new academic discovery or even the adventures of the previous evening's basketball game -- Pankey was describing the perils of a snowball fight.
"This girl chased me down," Pankey said, adding that, despite his attempts, he could not keep from getting pelted in the face.
"I'm pretty violent," Pankey said with a laugh, but, ultimately, he had to surrender.
Students get excited over the special occasion of snow, first-year College student Colin Page explained.
"It doesn't happen very often," Page said, while "you can go to the gym or go outside and throw a football any time you want."
Elsewhere on Grounds, third-year College student Darius Nabors was also narrating a snow-filled story.
Nabors walked down the street describing to his friends his experience perfecting a new snowball technique.
Nabors said he would throw them at the branches of magnolia trees so that the snow they were collecting would fall down on people.
"They wouldn't know what happened," Nabors said. "They couldn't tell it was a snowball."
Many other students decided to take advantage of the wintry conditions on Saturday night.
For instance, a planned, intense snowball fight took place on the Lawn, according to second-year College student Christine Feeley.
Feeley said she much prefers building snowmen, however.
"It's less violent," she said. "I used to do that with my family ... it's reminiscent of childhood."
Feeley said the challenge is to build the biggest snowman she can, not necessarily the most creative.
Page had the same philosophy.
"I just like building the biggest and best," Page said.
Noting that he studies math and economics, Page said, "My snowman probably isn't very artistic or anything."
While snowball fights and snowman-building are activities that people may generally associate with childhood, Pankey is not concerned about the apparent regression.
Snow is something one just has to take advantage of when it happens, Pankey said.
For some students, it helps break up the college routine.
"It gives [students] a break ... an excuse to get out of work," first-year College student Thomas Walton-Cale said.
Playing in the snow is also a chance to cool off.
"Given all the pressures of class, it's nice to let go and have fun sometimes," Page said.
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