Snow day

The Carolinas and Virginia just got hit hard with some winter weather. Charlotte got a little mixture of snow, sleet and ice that will likely have lasting impacts into the end of the week. While it has been a bit of a blast to see the beautiful snow, it was a little different this year than in the past.

In past years, things would come to a bit of a halt in the snow. I'd stay home, drink hot chocolate and enjoy the weather -- while maybe still doing some reading for my classes. Working in news though, I actually was needed at work more due to the snow. I was very thankful for the opportunity to broaden my experience and learn a new aspect of coverage, but it definitely was a bit of a reality check.

I still got excited when snow started falling, but I mostly enjoyed it through the posts that other shared — I loved seeing babies and pets seeing their first snow, children playing, friends relaxing and more. While I missed being able to partake in the fun, it was interesting to get perspective behind the scenes. A lot of people don't get off for snow days, whether it's those in news, those who clear the road or a number of other professions that aren't always able to hit pause. I definitely didn't think about it prior to this week.

I at least felt fortunate that at my job, the only hard part was getting there and back — the rest of the day, I was inside with a fresh cup of coffee.

While I missed being able to go out and enjoy the snow, working through the snow made me so appreciative. I'm thankful to be working in the field I dreamed of, I'm thankful the roads were in good-enough condition where I could drive safely home each night, I'm thankful I work with a great team of dedicated journalists that don't get too disheartened that they're not out in the snow. Mostly -- I'm thankful that today I had a day off to enjoy the leftover snow before it all melted.