No driving. Stay inside. Be careful.
These were all commands given to Connecticut residents by Gov. Dannel Malloy this past weekend during the biggest blizzard since 1978.
Beginning just after 7 a.m. on Friday, snowstorm Nemo began to attack the Northeast. Classes and offices were officially closed after 12:30 p.m. on Fairfield’s campus.
For almost 24 hours, snow fell rapidly. Due to the increasingly dangerous conditions, students returned to their dorms, apartments and townhouses with plans to stay put.
As students woke up on Saturday morning, they looked out of their windows to see covered cars, blocked doorways and no roads. Fairfield Department of Public Safety enforced that students not attempt to drive until 6 p.m. due to impassable roads.
Students celebrated in the fresh powder. They went sledding and took part in other various winter sports. Some even attempted to ski and snowboard on the hill outside of Dolan Hall and down the street near the townhouse entrance.
Igloos, ice bars and snowmen were built in the townhouse quads.
Still in a state of emergency, clean up was ongoing throughout the state.
Beginning on Sunday, Fairfield students came together in groups to dig out their cars and move them to the Walsh Athletic Center and Kelley Center parking lots. Cancellation of classes for Monday was announced Sunday afternoon, with predictions of heavy rain for Monday.
Throughout Monday, roads were continuously being plowed in an effort to resume classes on Tuesday. After much progress, most campus roads were wide enough for two cars to pass and pathways were created between main buildings.
Despite the cancellation of 8 a.m. classes, Fairfield University returned to normal on Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.
With another storm looming for this weekend, students wonder what will happen and how the University will respond.
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