University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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ACADEMICS 64 Academics

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Walking down State Street, a student tries to make her way home from class down the unplowed sidewalk. The city was often times hours behind in plowing the snow, leaving students to brave the elements. A. Kaminsky photo by Nicole Mamtno As the winter season stealthily crept up each year, it brought with it an array of mixed feelings from University students and staff alike. This year was no exception, as the season succeeded in shifting the moods of many from be ing primarily cheerful to a bit gloomy, or vice versa. When the snow first conies it ' s beautiful, but after weeks and weeks of it I wish the sun would come back, stated freshman Engineering student Francine Shammami. When the simple task of trying to get to class on time became a battle against the fiercely blowing winds, many felt inclined to just let nature defeat them. The first major snowfall of the year brought feelings of both sheer joy and bitter annoyance, because regardless of how beautiful that immaculate white snow was, students still had to attend classes. For those who were constantly whining about the weather, others retorted by telling them that they should just suck it up. People need to stop complaining about how cold it is outside, if you wanted warmer weather you shouldn ' t have come to U of M, said LSA junior Renee Cox. When the snow finally arrived, it was the fuel for many snowball tournaments and attacks on unsuspecting friends namely the infamous annual snowball fight between South Quad and West Quad. But, the beauty of this white dust eventually became quite gross, as students were forced to avoid the dirty snow, which looked more like frozen Coke than anything else. When all the snow turns to slush, standing on the bus will be even worse then it is now. I know I ' ll be the one to fall down and pull everyone else down, because I ' m unbalanced like that, joked Shammami. Another consequence of the cold was the free ice rinks that appeared all over campus. Students had no choice but to carefully skate and slide all over the icy roads, sidewalks and pedestrian bridges. It was inevitable that many would slip and fall, as this proved to be a very difficult task. But for some reason, the bitter chill was unseasonably late this year, as the ground was still snow-free at the end of November. On the other hand, the arrival of winter also brought anticipation for the holiday season, marked by the installment of tiny lights on the trees on East University. Also, campus-wide decorations on South University near Nickels Arcade and the enormous Season Greetings sign on State Street lifted spirits and encouraged a jollier mood than the weather had allowed. Snow blankets the mall between the Michigan League and the Modern Language Building one day in early January.The unbearable walks to class in freezing temperatures were compensated when the snowfalls provided a perfect opportunity for students to go sledding and skiing nearby. . ProHX photo Winter 63

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finked twenty-fifth in the nation among undergraduate schools by US News and World Report was a source of distinction for the University and an honor to the student body. Driving this award was the University ' s dedication to its students, pushing and challenging them through rigorous programs. Students prided themselves on being admitted into one of the top public schools across the nation. Establishing the University ' s outstanding reputation did not come without its fair share of struggles. While in Washington D.C. the Supreme Court scrutinized the admissions process in a trial that reached the nation; back on campus new-age courses generated heated opinions for their educational content. Underlying the intense debates was a community of students and administrators fighting diligently to save the diversity and open-mindedness that encompassed the spirit of the University. ... ' - University Seal -