The days are getting colder, and winter is well on its way. For many students, that means shorter days, colder walks to class and the stress of finals season looming. With Daylight Savings behind us, it can be easy to see this time of year as simply gloomy and draining. At Villanova, though, winter isn’t something to dread. It’s one of the best times to be on campus.
There’s so much happening here once the weather turns cold. The first basketball games of the season bring back the energy that defines Villanova. In just a few weeks, students will go home for Thanksgiving and return to a campus glowing with lights on every tree. December may contain some of the shortest days of the year, but it also includes some of the best Villanova traditions. The tree lighting in front of Corr Hall, carols from the choirs, the skating rink in the Tolentine lot and the holiday market on Rowen Campus Green all bring the community together and make campus feel festive.
Still, some students choose to focus only on the negatives. It’s easy to complain about the cold or how early it gets dark, or to stress about finals and forget to enjoy what’s happening around us. But when you do that, you miss out on everything that makes this season special here.
Even beyond campus, there’s a lot to look forward to. Philadelphia’s Love Park turns into a Christmas Village, and nearby towns light up for the holidays. A short walk around the neighborhoods near South Campus shows houses covered in decorations and families celebrating the season. It is easy to get caught up in the melancholy and sadness of this darker season but embracing the opportunities we have here on campus will make it that much better for all.
And with Villanova basketball, whether it is a game at the Finneran Pavilion or a bigger one at the Xfinity Mobile Arena, these games are some of the best memories of the year. The excitement, student sections and tailgates are strong reminders of what makes our Villanova community special.
While winter brings colder weather and long study sessions, it also brings moments that define the Villanova experience. The lights, the games and the sense of togetherness are what make this season so special. Choosing to see that instead of the negatives this season brings makes all the difference.
