Coming from the cold tundra of the north in the suburbs of Chicago, snow is nearly essential to a proper winter. It is the only thing that keeps the spirits up throughout the sad dreariness of the cold months. I was beyond delighted when I found out that it would snow in Korea. However, the excitement was beyond glee for the foreigners who had never seen snow before.

The first flurries came as a surprise on Nov. 20 (the Monday before Thanksgiving). It was in the forecast for that Friday, but not before that. As I walked out of my dorm down to my first class of the day, I thought I was seeing things. The little white flecks grew in size and frequency as I walked down. My group chats blew up. Around campus, almost every student had their phone out attempting to take pictures of the little flurries.

The flurries did not stick. It was not until Thanksgiving night, early Friday morning, that the first snow stuck. It was not very much, just a light coating. I woke up with multiple Snapchat videos from my Australian friends dancing in the snow at 1 a.m. I flung my curtains open, much like a little girl in a Christmas movie and ran outside. I nearly slipped on the ice outside on the hill. However, as the sun came up, the snow quickly melted away. This happened a few times more, where it snowed at night and was gone by morning.

Finally, we have the first snow that stuck and is still around. This past Monday as finals began, snow floated down. It started late in the night and continued throughout the day. It was beautiful. I was a little unsatisfied only becuase I had to commute in on Monday from Bucheon with my suitcase and carry it up a snow covered hill. It was not a pleasant experience, but the beautiful snow continued to lift my mood. Snowmen pop up all around campus. There are also animal statues in a couple different areas that now sport hats, coats and blankets to stay warm in the snow.

I may be from Chicago, but I continue to find snow fascinating. A friend of mine from Los Angeles cried the first time she saw the snow. My Australians run out and dance no matter how late the snow starts. The Koreans are also stopping to admire the snow taking photos when they can. I may not get a Christmas, but it will be white.