Denison’s campus has turned into a winter wonderland over the past week. The snowfall seems like it will never end!
In the next week, we are predicted to receive a few more inches to add to the 5–7-inch blanket outside. Students have taken advantage of this with winter festivities like building snowmen and mak- ing snow angels.
One activity that is not encouraged on campus is sledding. Gossip flies across campus about students not being allowed to sled on The Hill. This is a bummer, as Denison has some of the best hills for an adrenaline rush.
It is true that there have been sledding incidents in the past. Campus safety must keep a watchful eye for students plummeting down certain hills. But some slopes are safer than others, such as the Intramural Fields. The open field used for club sports is the perfect runway, without many trees or other barriers.
The Eisner Center is not a safe option for sledding, as the incline leads to a road. Many students have been seen sledding on the smallest slopes by dorm halls on west quad.
With local stores sold out, finding a sled is the main challenge. College students typically use cafeteria trays, but Denison’s dining halls do not offer these, and students should not take them either.
The next best option: a cardboard box! What better use of the large boxes we have shipped to the mailroom? Although cardboard boxes are not very sturdy and rip after a few runs down the hill, they still provide a thrilling experience. My roommate had a large box come in and my first thought was to use it for sledding.
You can even decorate the box with Denison slogans like “Go Big Red!” Then you have the perfect makeshift sled, and you can ride in style. The sides of the box add extra protection against the snow.
My friends and I took our newly invented sled to the small hill by Curtis dining hall. Students were eager to skim down the miniature hill in the cardboard box. Two people stood at the bottom to make sure the rider would not get injured.
The worst part was the hike up the hill, as we already hike campus all day for classes! The sledding adventure was still a blast, even though the cardboard box did not survive. The aftermath was a few measly pieces of cardboard.
I believe Denison should promote sledding adventures on campus, but with caution. With all the wonderful slopes, we could plan so many winter activities! Denison could plan sledding weekends on the open fields of campus and possibly provide sleds, so students do not have to create their own.
Sledding provides students a chance to let go of all their stress and zoom down a snowy slope with their friends. I hope that more students can safely enjoy sledding in the snowy weeks to come.