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Syracuse winters are infamously cold and snowy. But this Tuesday and Wednesday, it seemed like spring had finally arrived.

2025 has brought a snowier winter than Syracuse has seen in recent years. By January 7, the snowfall total surpassed 40 inches for the year. In 2024, it took until February 29 to reach that benchmark.

Finally getting a break from the harsh winter, Syracuse University freshman Kyle McMahan was more than thrilled to see the sun out and continue his spring break fun.

“It was a pleasant surprise this morning to see the sun out,” McMahan said. “It made me want to go outside and get out of just staying inside a building.”

When the clouds parted, students immediately took to Shaw Quadrangle, relaxing on blankets and setting up hammocks. Hacky sack circles formed. Skateboarders whizzed past the Hall of Languages. Music drifted across campus.

For sophomore Amya Howell, her perfect day out in the sun was complete with country music, like Morgan Wallen’s “Love Somebody,” on repeat. Sophomore Asher Gonzalez opted for his go-to folk band, Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners, to provide a sunny day soundtrack.

While some students plugged into their headphones or tuned into music on speakers, others opted for live music, like senior Dominic Naggar, who strummed his guitar to sharpen his skills for class.

“I can’t play anything yet,” Naggar said. “But apparently playing the guitar looks cool, so I’m just here for the vibes.”

Bleron Balidemaj, a sophomore computer science major, laid on his backpack with UK drill artists NEMZZZ and Central Cee playing through his headphones.

Balidemaj said he’s most looking forward to playing more basketball this spring.

“I only like hooping outdoors,” Balidemaj said. “I mostly take care of the scoring, but my defense is a little lacking.”

Leonardo Eriman | Asst. Video Editor

Students pitched dozens of hammocks throughout the campus to relax in the warm weather. Some fell asleep in their hammocks while others read books or chatted with friends.

Emma Covey, a junior chemistry major, said she rushed her lab work “a little bit” so she could get outside and slackline with her friends. Slacklining is an outdoor activity similar to tightrope walking.

Originally from Brooklyn, Covey doesn’t usually venture to Central Park when she’s home. But with the quad just a two-minute walk from her house, it was easily accessible for enjoying the weather.

Though she also participates in outdoor winter activities in Syracuse, Covey said she’s glad the weather warmed up. For her, it’s better to “not be freezing, and have the sun on my skin.”

Theo Scott, a freshman film major, said his favorite thing to do when the weather improves is spend time with friends outside.

Scott lives in California and said that after experiencing his first Syracuse winter, he thinks SU students appreciate being outside in good weather than people in California, who might take their year-round sun for granted.

“Everyone’s more happy,” Scott said. “I can tell that everyone is taking much more value out of this nice weather than people would be at UCLA.”

Sam Espiritu, a sophomore public relations major, said she returned to the quad to use a hammock when her classes finished early instead of heading home.

“I definitely appreciate the sunny weather more after experiencing the very cold winter,” Espiritu said. “I like to sit out when it’s sunny or go to Green Lakes.”

Espiritu said the sunny weather brought students together, especially after everyone on campus endured the winter season.

Hayley Shukiar, an English and textual studies and law, society and policy major, said the weather motivated her to come to the quad because she wanted to get “as much sun as possible” while she could.

Shukiar, who’s from California, said her favorite thing to do at home is go to the beach.

“I’ve seen snow before, but I’ve never lived in it, so this weather is making me very happy,” Shukiar said.

Leonardo Eriman | Asst. Video Editor

SU students played numerous sports on the quad including football, baseball and frisbee. While some sat back, others stretched their legs and enjoyed the grassy quad.

While plenty of students remained outside to enjoy the sun, Maya Rizzo, a sophomore advertising major, said the weather gave her extra motivation to attend classes.

“I’m so happy the weather is nice. I can finally see the grass and the sky, it’s lovely. It’s very refreshing,” Rizzo said.

Rizzo, who’s from Los Angeles, said she’d appreciate Syracuse’s sunny days more often after the winter and try to go outside more with her friends.

Even though the mornings started out with chillier temperatures, Tuesday was still warm enough for sophomore Helaina Stovin to put her winter gear away.

“I looked at the weather and it said ‘feels like 42 (degrees).’ I immediately threw my coat in the closet and jumped for joy,” Stovin said. “I’m so happy to see the sun and the blue sky today.”

Published on March 20, 2025 at 1:50 am