Snow completely transforms Lipscomb University

What began as a cold weekend on campus quickly turned into a winter wonderland, as almost six inches of snow covered Lipscomb University.

Students left their dorm rooms for dinner Sunday night to walk out into the very beginnings of a snowfall that would not end until late Monday afternoon. The snow fell in flurries at first, gathering intensity until fat flakes were falling quickly, and at least two inches were already on the ground by around 10 p.m.

It did not take long for snow festivities to start up among the student body. Many students pulled on their winter coats and hats and headed out into the snow to frolic around campus. Snow angels dotted sidewalks and grassy areas, followed by footsteps spelling things in the snow – including a well-trenched “Hey Barbie” in the courtyard of Johnson Hall. Laughter echoed around campus, and snowballs quickly began to fly. Students gathered a little later on the intramural field to play a massive game of football, with at least 40 students tearing around the field in the whirling snow.

A creative version of snowboarding emerged later, with students holding onto ropes behind cars and balancing on boogie boards, bin lids and coolers, but this was shut down later by security. The setting sun didn’t stop students from playing in the snow, and many were out late into the night, enjoying the winter weather. It was still snowing at midnight, and students woke the next morning to the snow continuing to fall.

With all of Martin Luther King Jr. Day off, Lipscomb’s on-campus students made the most of their time. More games were arranged, and the intramural field was hardly ever empty – filled with students running through the still-falling snow playing football, ultimate frisbee, and soccer. Snowball fights broke out across campus, laughter echoing off the buildings as students chased each other with handfuls – and armfuls – of snow. The hills by the soccer and baseball fields were heavily in use as sled slopes, students using everything from actual sleds to boogie boards, deconstructed cardboard boxes, both bin lids and the actual bins, plastic picket signs and parking signs.

The snow continued to fall until late afternoon on Monday, leaving about six inches covering campus. It blanketed every tree branch, lamp post, porch swing and railing, and many students made art on top of the surfaces. Some students even made dozens of tiny snowmen and placed them around campus for others to enjoy.

Classes on Tuesday were officially canceled Monday afternoon, and Tuesday transformed into a snow day, with yet more sledding, snow angels and snowball fights. Football in the snow proved a favorite, and still more groups of students could be found on the intramural field, throwing both footballs and snowballs. Tuesday was colder than the previous days, with the feels-like temperature dipping below zero degrees Fahrenheit for much of the day, but that didn’t stop students from enjoying the snow. A downside of the day for most was that classes were announced to resume on Wednesday.

The snow turned a three-day weekend into a four-day holiday, and students made the most of it. It was entirely memorable, and enjoyed across campus. For the students who experienced it, this snowfall will go down in the books.