An early April Nor’Easter slammed much of New England, bringing heavy and wet snow. The entire state of New Hampshire saw snow on April 4. Local towns within Saint Anselm’s campus received a total of 8.5 to 10 inches, according to WMUR. This was the first time this year the College was closed due to the weather. Classes were either canceled or adapted to Zoom, which forced many students and staff to stay in their dorms or at home while members of Physical Plant helped clean up the mess.

Supervisor of grounds, roads and sleet Kim Britton says it was an overall normal clearing and didn’t see too much trouble. “It wasn’t different from any other storm,” she said. “The weight of the snow was hard to move and really took a toll on our snow shovelers. It was a long and hard storm, we saw some branches come down but nothing major.” She adds the campus’s Physical Plant is almost always ready when the messy weather hits. “We are pretty well-prepared for this stuff,” she said, adding, “We have team meetings to know what to expect and work closely with campus security.” 

One student says the roads were good to drive on by the afternoon adding smooth rides came sooner than anticipated. “The roads were more clear than we expected,” Natalie Hanlon ’24 said. “They were fine to drive on.”

Britton expressed gratitude to the Saint Anselm community for making the process all go according to plan. “We thank everyone who stayed off the roads and students were a big help keeping things clear while we worked.” She adds that the wet snow was the perfect opportunity to get creative. “I’ve never seen so many students building snowmen,” she said. 

While the late snowstorm made many students excited to sleep in and stay in, some said they’re ready to put the winter weather in the rearview. “I’m so done with the snow, but that’s New England,” Madison O’Connor ’27 said. “I’m very much over it,” said Audrey Jackson ’25. “I think it’s been horrible,” said Phoebe Endslow ’24. “It’s just weird to have snow in April,” Hanlon added. 

The last major spring snowstorm hit parts of Massachusetts and New Hampshire on May 9, 1997, according to WCVB. Justin Bergeron ’26 says he wouldn’t mind having another snow day next month.  

“I wouldn’t be surprised if it snowed in May,” he said. For him, it’s one of the best days of the year. “It literally frees your schedule… get out and enjoy this, get in, get some gloves, get in some boots, have a snowball fight, make a snowman, just screw around, live your life while you can.”

Another student says this isn’t outside of her ballpark, traveling to Saint Anselm from Manitoba. 

“It’s not really a surprise for me.” Julianna Herman ’27 said. “I’m from northern Canada, so I’m used to the snow, and I really like the snow. So, this was just kind of normal for me.” She added that there may be more for her in the not-so-distant future. “I could be done with it here and then enjoy it when I go home!”

Despite the potential headaches snow can bring, most students were just happy to catch a break.