Sarah Henry

The spring 2024 semester at Iowa State has brought sun, snow, rain and solar eclipses to campus, leaving some students confused and bringing joy to others. As the weather changes, students reflect on the past few months of back-and-forth weather, sharing their snow day stories and hopes of a spring that will stay. 

Hailey Jentz, a junior in agricultural business, felt the year has been extra out of the ordinary, with one day sunny and the next day cloudy and rainy. 

“I actually really appreciate [the weather] usually, but it has been weird lately, especially with January and February being warmer than March,” Jentz said. “I remember one week working [in the Memorial Union], we sometimes had to get there at 6:30 a.m. to set up, and I remember getting up early to leave, and as I opened my front door, there was just a foot of snow.”

Julietta Shaw, a senior in apparel, merchandising and design and event management, shared a similar experience of being unprepared for the year’s extended winter season. 

“You have to be ready,” Shaw said. “I left all my winter stuff at home, but you never know when it’s going to get cold again. I remember one week, it was a Friday morning, and it had been so nice and warm and sunny all week. And we walked out, and there was snow everywhere.”

This year’s extended winter made it particularly challenging for many out-of-state students commuting to and from campus, some running into tricky weather on their way in and out of Ames. 

“On my way back from Colorado, I almost got snowed in,” said Emma Decker, a junior in genetics. “The roads weren’t too bad, but when it got dark, it got really icy. Overall it was just a really crazy situation.”

One issue Decker and other out-of-state students have experienced is being unable to check into some hotels, as they are under the age of 21. 

“I had to stop [on the way to Ames] for the night, but it was almost impossible to find a hotel that would let me get a room,” Decker said.

With sunnier skies and warmer temperatures, the rollercoaster of Iowa weather seems to be steadying out, giving students an optimistic look to the end of the semester. With this week’s temperatures reaching 80 degrees Fahrenheit, Cyclones can at last enjoy the arrival of spring as the academic year comes to a close.