As I looked out my bedroom window on Tuesday, Feb. 9, a feeling of joy overcame me when I saw my car and the roads covered in snow.
After staying up until 3 a.m. the previous night studying for a crucial biology test I had the following day, I quickly confirmed the snowstorm a miracle since there was no doubt Sinclair Community College would be closed.
Clearly, my assumption was a bit premature.
More than 380 closings or delays were reported to Whiotv.com at 9 a.m. including local schools like Centerville, Huber Heights, Miamisburg and Dayton. But Sinclair stayed strong and tried to weather the storm.
I’ll admit I was furious when I heard Sinclair was open. My daily commute on Interstate 75 from Vandalia takes around 20 minutes. On the lovely morning of Feb. 9, my commute more than doubled to a 45-minute trip.
When I arrived to my 10 a.m. algebra class, five students were at their desks. Normally, my math class has about 20 students. Around this time, Sinclair announced it would shut its doors at noon.
When the University of Dayton and Wright State University kept its doors open to students, I imagine Sinclair felt the need to follow the universities path. The problem is a portion of Dayton and Wright State students live on campus and don’t have to deal with the disastrous commute.
It’s obvious to me that Sinclair made the wrong call when it came to keeping the campus open. I’m specifically thinking of the faculty, staff and students who trekked toward the downtown Dayton campus and the regional Sinclair sites only to be sent home at noon.
I’m sure the decision to close campus is a very tough one and that pleasing everybody is impossible. But, when a winter storm hits every area surrounding Dayton and you are a commuter campus, the choice should be simple.
I was one of those students who had to dig my car out of the snow. I was one of those students who had to drive no more than 35 mph because of how terrible the roads were that morning.
And I was one of those students that became extremely bewildered when the college closed at noon.