Why You Should Give Yourself a Snow Day (No Matter What Time of Year It Is)

Don’t worry, the fall season isn’t over yet.

Last week, I caught up with an old friend. Despite travel, a new position at work and countless other things going on, she had time to talk. And somehow, miraculously, she thought to call.

Life can be hectic in a full-time MBA program. You have more work than time. And your job hunt can be all-consuming if you let it be. MBA students know it’s important to take time to relax. But we’re also acutely aware that doing so can come at the expense of something else that needs to be accomplished.

So, I asked my friend how she remembered to call me. I was curious. Was she using one of the new services I read about last week in The Wall Street Journal? ^[1] Services like Monaru use an A.I. assistant to help you manage the relationships in your life more thoughtfully. They’re marketed to the hyper-busy – a characteristic that’s all too common among the career-driven.

"Did A.I. help you?" I asked my friend. Or was it something more old-school – something in her physical environment – that made her think of me?

“Neither,” she said. “What happened is that I decided to make a snow day.”

She explained that “snow days” are similar to what happens when you’re a little kid and school is canceled as a result of excess snowfall. It happens just a few times a year, depending where you live. You thought you had your whole day planned and then it snows overnight and that’s it – your whole day is canceled.

It’s beautiful, she said. There’s nothing for you to do, but go outside and play in the snow. And you can finally do the things you’ve been wanting to. You can call old friends. You can go on a hike. You can have the time to remember what’s important.

Here are a few other ways to use snow days (regardless of the season) near College Park, Maryland:

• Take a trip with the University of Maryland Adventure Program. Day and weekend hikes to Maryland, Virginia and the surrounding area are an affordable way to get outdoors.
• See a museum. Take a 30-minute bus or metro ride to the National Mall and visit one of the many free museums.
• Ride a bus to Philadelphia or New York with GradTerps. The Monthly Social Series of events is great way to meet other graduate students.
• Catch a free show on the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center. Or join the nightlife at U Street Music Hall or the Anthem.

By Miranda Taylor. Taylor is a 2020 MBA candidate. Taylor is originally from Minneapolis, and worked as a science writer and digital content strategist in the health industry before coming to Maryland Smith to pursue an MBA.

Photo credit: Ian Matyssik via Unsplash