Snow has a way of transforming the world, turning even the most ordinary day into something soft, quiet and full of magic.
Growing up, snow was something I only ever saw in movies: a white blanket covering rooftops, kids laughing as they tossed snowballs, families sipping hot chocolate after coming inside from the cold. It didn’t feel real to me. It felt like something that happened somewhere else to someone else. But all of that changed when I moved to Maryland.
I will never forget the very first time I saw snow fall from the sky. I was standing by the window when I noticed tiny white flakes drifting down like confetti. At first, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. Snow? Real snow? My heart started racing, and before I could stop myself, I ran outside without even grabbing a jacket.
The cold hit me instantly, but I barely noticed it. All I could focus on were the snowflakes — light, perfect and delicate, landing on my cheeks and hands before melting away. I stood there in complete awe, my breath turning into clouds in the air. For a moment, it felt like the whole world had slowed down just so I could take it all in. I remember thinking, I can’t believe this is happening. I can’t believe I’m standing in real snow.
As more of it fell, the grass and sidewalks began to disappear under a thin white layer. The world around me looked softer somehow, calmer, like everything had been brushed with a little bit of magic. I couldn’t stop smiling. That moment, simple as it was, filled me with a kind of joy I had never felt before.
Snow didn’t just change the way I saw winter; it changed the way I felt about it. Before, winter was just cold days and dark evenings. But after that first snowfall, winter became something I looked forward to. Snow made everything feel more alive, especially Christmas. Lights seemed brighter against a snowy background, music sounded warmer and even the air felt different, like it carried a little extra joy.
Even now, years later, I still get excited when I see the first hint of snow in the forecast. That childlike wonder never fully goes away. Every snowflake reminds me of that day in Maryland when I stepped outside and felt the season come alive for the very first time.
Snow, to me, is hope — a reminder that something beautiful can fall from the sky at any moment.
Looking back, that first snowfall represents more than just a change in weather; it marks a turning point in my life. Moving to a new place meant learning how to belong somewhere unfamiliar, adjusting to new routines, new people and a new sense of home. Snow became a symbol of that transition. Just as the landscape transformed overnight, I was slowly changing too, learning to embrace experiences I never imagined would be part of my story.
There was something comforting about how snow covered everything equally, old sidewalks, cracked roads and quiet houses making the world feel new again. It taught me that beginnings don’t always have to be loud or dramatic. Sometimes, they arrive gently, one small moment at a time, until suddenly everything looks different. That realization stayed with me long after the snow melted.
Now, whenever snow falls, I don’t just see winter. I see growth, resilience and the beauty of stepping into the unknown. The first snowfall in Maryland didn’t just introduce me to a season, it showed me that change can be magical, and that even the most unfamiliar moments can become the ones we cherish the most.
Alexandra Garcia Herrera is a freshman from Laurel, Md. majoring in Chemistry. Her column, “Letter from a Freshman,” explores her reflections on what happens outside the syllabus: friendships, identity, grief and growth.
