Snow.

Dear Mama,
Today was absolutely magical.
It snowed.
I'm not talking little drizzle from the sky that halfway froze on the way down, I'm talking... at least 5 inches in only a few hours.
Classes were cancelled after four o'clock this afternoon.
On Wednesdays I only have chapel and one class at 1:45. My professor had gone ahead and cancelled class in expectation of the snow today, so after chapel, I was free!

As The Ap's and I were walking to chapel, I could feel my silver hoop earrings begin to freeze in my ears. It was very uncomfortable. The Ap's was actually complaining about the cold more than I! And she is from the Land of Snow! That's when I knew for sure this cold was really cold. It was serious. And I was free to complain without being teased for being a thin-skinned Southerner.

The Ap's and I walked in the Great Golfball and sat down. Bow-tie came to sit with us. He is one of The Ap's many admirers. Sadly for him, he ended up sitting next to me instead of her. So, he took to pestering me through chapel. I did not appreciate this. Now, granted, it was probably the most boring chapel of all time. Honestly, just looking around at the 13,000 faces I was surrounded by, they all looked like they were having the life sucked from their very souls. Just to make sure it wasn't only me, I whispered to The Ap's, "Is it just me, or does everyone look bored our of their minds?" "Yeah" she said, "They all look pretty miserable."

It turned around in the last 4 minutes of the message! The last four minutes were worth the half of an hour sitting there wondering where he was going with this entire thing, and why in the world he kept repeating his clichés. Well, maybe it didn't completely change my opinion of the message, I mean, if it had I certainly wouldn't have written the previous paragraph! So... Make of that what you will.

Anyway, after chapel, The Ap's and I went with a couple friends to get subs for lunch. I got a footlong, ate half of it, and saved the other half for dinner. (Yeah, I'm practical like that). After lunch, I got back to the  dorm and spent the day studying and taking a couple online quizzes. (I got 100% on all of them!) (...just to sound braggy and self-centered...)
I got an email saying that classes tomorrow are cancelled, and... I'm so excited to not have class tomorrow!

I looked up the requirements for my trip home, what I can and cannot bring, all that good stuff.

Around 5:00 The Ap's left the room to grab dinner, then Mountain-Side was picking her up for a small gathering of people from swing dancing at his house. And I wasn't just being lame and refusing to go! He'd only invited a few people, and with the exception of Bow-tie, all those people went... (yeah. you're a smart one! Like how I made you figure that out on your own?)
The Ap's was really excited to go. She left the room all cute and pink for Valentine's day, and the Other and I just sat in the room like, "Well.... guess we should go back to headphones and homework."
We went on doing our own thing, until The Other left, saying she'd be back at curfew.

And with that
I was alone.
Ahh....
Alone in a dorm room is a beautiful thing.

I was done with homework.
So, do you know what that meant? No homework, no roommates, chilly day with snow falling outside?
That's right.
Disney movies with the volume up as loud as I want!

(Okay, stop judging. Sometimes, it's frustrating to always have to wear headphones. It's relieving to be free to use my computer speakers. Also, there are times that I have a moment where I want some innocent entertainment. Today was one of those days. I just wanted to watch something I'd seen when I was little. It makes me happy every now and then.)

(*Real time interruption* The Other and The Ap's just came in. The Ap's is glowing from her evening with Mountain-Side and her friends from swing. The Other is telling me how she was afraid she was going to be late. They are both about 3 minutes late for curfew, but the RA hadn't come in yet, so they were fine... Guess it's time to put the headphones back in and listen to more Boyce Avenue while I finish this up!.... Nope. The Ap's is telling me more about her night. So never mind about the music. I'll be back in a minute.)

(okay, I'm back.)

After my movie ended, I heard loud cheering from outside.
I look out my window, and there is a huge group of people in a circle.
Then I saw how many other people were outside! There were so many! Everyone was running, and playing, it looked like a lot of fun!
I decided I would join.
I got bundled up, and went out.

It's funny... snow makes everyone instant friends. I've been here for over a semester, and I had more people randomly start talking to me tonight than I ever had before!

Immediately upon walking outside, a girl grabbed me, told me to watch, and then said, "No, do it with me!" and proceeded to belly-side down the snow. (We were on a hill. If that helps it to make a bit more sense.)
Of course, I did it. I thought she and I knew each other but because I could only see her eyes, I didn't recognize her.
Turned out that she had no clue who I was.
I ended up being in this random group of 6 or so girls through most of the night. We introduced ourselves, and from there it was really easy to laugh, dance to the music that was playing over the speakers, throw snowballs, etc.
After a while, they went inside, and I went over to the group of yelling people.
Evidently a snowball fight had morphed into a wrestling match. Two people would be in the center, a ref would tell them when to start, and they would wrestle until one person could pin another; then those two would switch out for two other people.
The circle surrounding the wrestlers was about 4 or 5 layers of people thick. I couldn't see anything. It was like being in a comedy, where the main character is trying desperately to see something, and instead they only see the backs of other people's heads, and watch everyone go up and down to the "OHHH!!!"s of excitement.
I finally found an opening... right as it broke up into a snowball fight again.
Like I said... it was akin to a comedy.

Altogether, I had a good time.
My hair froze, which made people stop me and ask if I was really cold. I actually wasn't! My hair just was frozen, as were my eyelashes. Several girls stopped me and told me I looked "Beautiful, like an ice princess or something!".
I wasn't completely sure what to say to them, because my two pairs of sweatpants and gigantic hoddie didn't really seem to be screaming princess of anything when I left the dorm. Maybe upon stepping outside, I'd magically morphed into one of those ridiculously pretty girls from the movies!
After a carful mental debate, I decided I had morphed. That was more logical than the possibility that I looked so strange they felt they had to say something, right?

Eventually I came back inside because my two pairs of gloves just weren't enough anymore. I hung up my wet things over a towel (yeah, you taught me good) and changed into something warm and comfortable.

So now I am here on my bed under my blankets.
I am warm.
I am happy.
I'm a little hungry
so I'm gonna make half a peanut butter sandwich.

I love you,

Me