Palm Trees and Snow Don't Usually Mix...

College life – sometimes you forget what you’re really here for. Finals week can slap you back into reality, however, as I experienced in these last two weeks. During these past two weeks in preparation for my final exams, my permanent residence changed to Howard-Tilton Library. But the more the work, the more there is call for celebration when you finally finish! I came through my first semester unscathed. And ushering in the holiday season is something Tulanians do best.

The holiday season is upon us. Lights deck the beautiful houses along St. Charles Avenue. Holiday songs are a normal commodity. Bruff prepares delicious holiday foods. And tacky Christmas sweaters are actually cool. Tulanians have been taking breaks from their studies by celebrating the winter season. Cowboy Christmas is a staple among a certain fraternity during the holiday season where the guests are asked to dress as a cowboy or Santa or both – and snow in the form of a pit of packing peanuts helps to remind those that may have forgotten it.

But wait – NEW ORLEANS HAD REAL SNOW FALL DURING FINALS WEEK! Yes, the quads were filled with snow angels and lopsided snowmen. The palm trees throughout campus turned white for a day. While the more latitude challenged individuals such as me witnessed snow in New Orleans, we freaked out. It seriously never snows in New Orleans. Some of us thought it was a big enough deal to show our Northern friends the snow by waking them up! However, they didn’t find as amusing as us since most of them had seen it over their Thanksgiving Break. And a little FYI – the snow fell on the day of my first final after all the tedious hours stuck in the library. Coincidence – doubt it!