In the last few weeks, Mother Nature has made up for the rather pathetic start we had to the winter season. In the past two weeks alone, we have not doubled, but more than quadrupled the snow total for the year.

Within the early days of winter, Hamilton County had only had a total of four days with a high temperature of 32 or below in the whole month of December. Which one could say is pretty below average.

January was a little better with a total of 10 days of 32 or below. With those ten days of possible snow-making weather, we only received one day of a half inch or more than snow. It was not looking good for the winter of 2015.

Just as the all of the students had given up hope on Old Man Winter, rumors of snow showers began to circulate throughout the school.

“I really didn’t think much of the snow reports when I first heard them,” said freshman Charlie Garnett. “Every other time the weather man said snow, I just got my hopes up for no reason.”

Charlie, like most of the student body, were unprepared for what was ahead of them. Within one week the tri-state area had received six inches, even as much as eleven inches of snow in some areas. For the first time, the hills of Cincinnati we covered with a thick blanket of snow.

With only one snow day in early November, the students felt they were owed some days. And boy did they receive a nice little break. Most schools in the area received not one, not two, not three, but five snow days in a row – it was a snow week.

Three of the days were actually because of snow, but good old Oak Hills decided to give us a few days off on account of the cold. I’ll take it.

With a full week off of school, it had me wondering what the students decided to do with their week off. I figured most of them would say I watched Netflix or played video games, however, what I found out surprised me. The majority of students didn’t stay inside and leave their butt prints in the couch, rather went outside and enjoyed the winter wonderland.

“The snow was pretty bad the first two days,” said junior Samurai Middendorf. “But once it got a little wet, it was gnarly.”

Middendorf explained how he went to his local park and rolled a snowball the size of a small car.

“It took me all day, but who needs a Saturday night anyway.”

With the snow perfect for packing, snowmen and igloos began to pop up all over the west side. On one street alone, I counted eight snowman, including a snow family even a snow dog.

“My buddy and I built three snowman in a matter of 15 minutes,” exclaimed senior Michael Palmisano.

“We realized the snow was perfect for building and decided to make an igloo.”

Palmisano said they walked for twenty minutes before they found the perfect spot. I asked him to explain the process of building the perfect igloo. He did so in seven easy steps.

1. Find a good spot
2. Draw the base in the snow
3. Stockpile as much snow as possible
4. Begin building the base. (every good structure starts with a solid foundation)
5. Raise the walls
6. Begin building the roof (we used sticks covered in snow)
7. Enjoy your igloo

It is safe to say the students took full advantage of the snow while it lasted. I guess we will just half to wait and see how long the snowmen will last.