Loudoun County Public Schools have had a total of six days this year where schools were closed due to snow, a number that is significantly higher than previous years.
Students generally hope for snow days, as they can disrupt impending due dates or tests that students may have procrastinated for. However, this disruption is a double edged sword, as hours of studying the day before a test that happens to get postponed due to a snow day can seem nullified.
According to Lightridge student Will Vlasto, snow days are always worth it.
“Any snow day is a good snow day. Students need a break from school, so it’s always nice to get one.”
On the topic of exams, Vlasto claimed that a snow day allows for additional preparation.
“Snow days let me get information more solid and concrete in my head.”
On the other end of the spectrum, there are some students that claim that snow days can actually be harmful academically. Wade Lechner is one of these students.
“If I study hard for a test, I want to take it when I’m prepared for it.”
Snow days certainly disrupt rhythm academically, as days spent away from school contribute to forgetting subjects and concepts.
“I don’t touch any schoolwork on snow days, and I think that’s a bad thing, but I can’t help it,” Lechner said.
Snow days do not only provide complications for students, however, as teachers are also affected by these breaks in routine.
“The snow days forced me to condense my lessons,” history teacher Amy Bria said.
“I had to do a lot more lecturing, which is hard because not every student is going to remember the material in lectures.”