Snow

Last week, Fort Worth experienced winter weather, including snow, sleet, and ice. While the city received only a few inches of snow, walking around campus that day felt completely different from any other day.

On the morning of Sunday, January 25th, I decided to take a short walk near my house around ten in the morning. When I stepped outside, the campus looked like a quiet winter scene, covered in thin layers of powdery snow, with icicles hanging from my house and trees. Some patches of the ground were slick with ice, while others crunched softly beneath my shoes. I layered up to stay warm, but the cold felt refreshing (it "felt like" -1 degrees on my weather app). The sun was shining brightly, which made the snow sparkle, a contrast to the gray skies from the day before. I realized I enjoy cold weather when there is no rain, wind, or clouds!

On a normal morning, the streets around campus are filled with cars, students walking to class, and background noise from everyday life. That morning, however, everything felt unusually quiet. I barely passed anyone during my walk, and I did not hear the usual sounds of birds chirping, movement in the trees, or cars driving down the road. The silence made the snow feel heavier, as if it had put everything on pause.

Instead of listening to music or scrolling on my phone, I focused on what was around me. The most noticeable sound was the snow crunching with each step I took. It made me think about how quickly nature can change the rhythm of daily life. The snow did not seem to care about schedules, responsibilities, or routines. It simply existed, and everything else slowed down around it.

As I walked, I also became more aware of how dependent I am on modern comforts like heat, shelter, and food, especially during cold weather. Seeing a few people walking who appeared to be homeless made the temperature feel more real and less like a temporary inconvenience. It highlighted how differently the same weather can be experienced depending on one’s situation.

Although my walk led me to quiet and reflective thoughts, I appreciated the stillness it brought. The empty streets, bright sunlight, and soft snow created a peaceful moment that I would not normally experience in Fort Worth. It reminded me how nature has the ability to transform familiar spaces into something entirely new.

My favorite part of walking in the snow last week was 100% getting to see paw prints in the snow! By the third day, the snow was becoming soft enough for prints to be left by leaves, sticks, and all kinds of animals. It was so cool to see what or who else had been there before I found it.