Students tossed snowballs and built snowmen Sunday in celebration of the academic year's first snowfall.
"Our snowman is going to be the best and largest snowman on the entire Princeton campus," said Anna Offit '08 as she packed snow onto a five-foot-tall snowman behind Witherspoon Hall along with Samantha Lomeli '08.
Not far away, Jon Essenburg '08 was busy building a snowman of his own on a bench outside of Buyers Hall. Essenburg, who is from Florida, said the snow was a pleasant departure from what he's used to at home.
"I don't get to see it all that often — not at all in Florida," he said.
Karl Yoder '09 said he was feeling festive as well.
"I threw a lot of snowballs last night," he said. "I really like the snow. It makes me really happy and gets me in the holiday spirit."
Not everyone is happy about the blanket of snow now covering campus, however. Phoebe Elder '06 is also from Florida, but unlike Essenburg she doesn't enjoy it.
"I think the snow is a lot of fun for about the first night and then when it turns to slush it's a disgusting mess," Elder said. "It makes getting to class on time really difficult, it ruins your shoes — it's a pain in the ass."
She added, "I have no idea how to deal with it. My first year, when it snowed for the first time, I brought out an umbrella. I'm not even kidding. I'm not equipped to deal with snow."
Until a few years ago, the first snowfall each year on the Princeton campus brought with it a tradition: the Nude Olympics. The Olympics, which were held from 1970 until they were banned in 1998, consisted of naked sophomores running around Holder courtyard at midnight after the first measurable snowfall of the year.
Despite the ban, many students are aware of the history of the Nude Olympics and wish for their return.
"I really think that it's a shame that Princeton has banished the Nude Olympics," Courtny Hopen '08 said. "I understand their concern about students being drunk and possibly being violated by other students, but I feel that that happens anyway on the Street quite enough. The Nude Olympics really seem like a fun tradition that we're missing out on."
Yoder agreed. "I really wish I could run around naked in the snow," he said.
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