by Natalie Davis

As the winter season approaches, University of Maryland students said they’re ready for snowfall and are excited to see their families over Christmas and New Year’s. 

Andrea Moreland, a sophomore sociology major, said the winter months allow her to spend time with her family and take some time to relax.  

“In the winter months you will find me inside with a warm blanket and a warm drink reading a book or watching a movie or TV show,” she said. 

She often bakes cookies while listening to Christmas music. When she’s not inside, she said, she’s walking outside.

“I love the silent wonder and appreciation of walking around outside just after it has snowed,” she said.

Her favorite part of the holiday season is how it brings people together. 

“My aunt and uncle have a yearly tradition of taking my parents, sister, and I to see a Broadway show in New York, where they live, as a Christmas gift,” Moreland said. “We’ve been doing it since 2012 and I feel very privileged to have that opportunity to see so many shows.”

For Libby McGuire, a sophomore family sciences major, the winter season’s cold air and snow serve as a reminder of just how important it is to stay warm, which is why she drinks hot chocolate over winter. Winter reminds her of “warmth, happiness, and coziness,” she said. 

Emerson Kelley, a sophomore information sciences major, said she enjoys the snow as well. Winter gives her a chance to have fun, she said, like having snowball fights, making snowmen or snow angels and sledding. 

When she’s not outside having fun, Kelley said she often crochets inside and watches the snow fall down through her window. 

“Winter is special because there is no school and it’s the holiday season,” she said. 

Julie Young said she’s grateful for the opportunity that the winter presents for her to be able to rest and hangout with the people she loves. 

“We would most likely be playing a board game or watching a movie,” the sophomore computer science and math double major said. 

She said she loves celebrating Christmas and that her favorite Christmas traditions include Christmas tree decorating, hanging stockings and her family’s Christmas dinner. 

“I get to take the time to reconnect with people I haven’t seen in a while,” Young said. “It’s a nice breather before classes start up again.” 

Featured image: A snowy McKeldin Mall on Feb. 20, 2019. Photo by Kyle Heflinger.