On a cold and snow night, high schoolers fled the streets to finally get a first glance of some winter fun. On Wednesday Dec. 16, North Huntingdon and Irwin got caught in a Blizzard. Norwin Area received about 8 inches of snow. While the roads were not the best place to be, a few high school students didn’t let the frigid cold stop them from getting some fun in the snow.

     With COVID 19 cases in Westmoreland County rising many things were recently shut down, restaurants, gyms, basically any indoor activity is not available. The snow allowed for many people to get outside and forget about COVID for a few hours and have some fun, whether you were shoveling snow or sledding down steep hills, it was nice to have things seem somewhat normal.

     Senior Karlie Pavlic and her alumni brother Sean Pavlic took their winter fun to a parking lot and safely practiced driving in the snow so they could be more comfortable driving in bad conditions. Pavlic said she would rate her first snow fall fun a solid 8 out of 10. 

     In previous years, SW Pennsylvania has had very little snow. This is the first year in a while that we got 8 inch in one day and the snow lasted more than a day or 2. It is especially nice to get now again this close to a holiday season and with the circumstances of COVID it allowed for people to get outside!

     “It was nice getting out of the house,” said Pavlic. “Due to not getting much snow it was nice to see the amount of snow we got near the holiday season.”

     One of the most common things to do in the snow is to go sled riding. Luckily in the Norwin community we have many different parks that you can go to so you can go sledding. Oak Hollow Park was the favorite sledding location for senior Antonio Lio. 

     Lio went sledding the day right after the blizzard and the following day as well. 

     While the next few days seem like they’re going to heat up Lio thinks we may get some more snow! “I plan to just enjoy the snow we do get this year.”

     Lio wasn’t the only one to go sled riding. Seniors Miah Wojdyla, Mackenzie Astorino, and Lauren Hall spent their winter day at the high school sledding. 

     “It was super exciting waking up to a complete white out,” said Wojdyla. “I got to play with my dog and it was the first time it truly felt like winter.”

     Many people use the winter as not only a time for fun but a time to do some work. Sophomore Summer Federovich used her amazing photography skills to conduct a mini photo session at White Oak Park.

     “I had 9 mini sessions,” said Federovich. They range in age from little kids in family pictures to couples who were engaged!” 

     As I have mentioned before COVID has ruined a lot of things for so many people, from canceled family vacations, to the shut down of many small businesses, but this first snowfall really brought happiness to many people. 

     “I miss seeing people,” said Federovich. “Being able to do what I love, while still wearing a mask is something I always look forward to.”

     Just like Federovich, Wojdyla also is missing the normal activities she would partake in before COVID shut Pennsylvania down the first time. “I went sledding at the high school hill and brought a disposable camera to make senior year memories,” said Wojdyla. “We’ve been trying to come up with safe ways to make the most out of the next 6 months we have each other.”

     And if you are like me and you hate the cold ,snuggle up with your blankets, click on your favorite Netflix show, and admire the snow from the warmth of your own home.