An estimated 2-3 inches of snowfall in some areas of Middle Georgia left Mercer students without classes on Tuesday and Wednesday due to the icy conditions.
The university initially announced a delayed start on Wednesday, before cancelling the rest of the day. The Macon campus resumed normal operations on Thursday, asking students and faculty via email to communicate to their professors or supervisors individually if they are unable to make it to work or class.
The snow began around 1:30 p.m on Tuesday and did not stop until the late evening, providing a blanket of snow for Mercer students to enjoy.
Fun in the snow
The Macon campus became a snowy battleground as students enjoyed the snow-covered streets after a long day of anticipation of a snow-filled campus.
Undergraduate students from all parts of campus flocked to the 5-Star Stadium, Cruz Plaza and Black Field to throw snowballs at each other, slide down the University Center (UC) hill and even build snowmen, including one in front of a residence hall named Sally.
As the snow continued to fall, senior Lindsay Bell ’25 joined her friends on the football field to enjoy the winter wonderland.
“I feel absolutely phenomenal. I think it is awesome that everyone is out on the football field right now!” Bell said.
Bell's joy was shared by her friend Avery Hallam ’25, who sat on the ten-yard line laughing and joking in the snow with her friends. As a senior, Hallam says she has experienced many memories at Mercer, but the snow day might have topped them all, as she felt “absolutely fantastic!”
“This is my favorite day at Mercer University so far!” Hallam exclaimed.
Near the steps of the UC, students like Micah Scott ‘27, who experienced sledding for the first time on Tuesday, were making new memories with friends.
Two Mercer students walk through the snow near Black Field with a piece of cardboard. Many students used cardboard boxes, pool floats and more as makeshift sleds on Jan. 21, 2024.
“I love this! This is my first time ever sledding! When I went down, I actually tried to come back up and fell, but it was so much fun! I am so glad we finally got snow. I haven’t seen it since elementary school!” Scott said.
Addie White ‘27 also enjoyed the evening by teaching her peers how to slide down the UC hill and appreciate the weather.
“I feel like I’m in a movie. This is the most united Mercer has been over a shared moment of happiness,” White said. “This is spectacular and needs to happen more often!”
At the end of the night, Mercer students left the snowmen outside and headed inside their residence halls to warm up after a long day out in the cold.
How did the Cluster staff spend their snow day?
Megan Jackson '25, co-editor-in-chief for the Cluster spent her snow day running around campus with friends, dodging snowballs in Greek Village and sledding down the hill on Black Field. "I don't think I've seen snow like this since 2017. I'm so glad that I got to experience this before I graduate!" she said.
Gabriel Kopp '26, co-editor-in-chief for the Cluster says this is the first significant snowfall he has seen in Macon since 2014. "This time around, I didn’t sled down the hill outside my house, but walking around as the flakes fell was absolutely worth the 11-year wait," he said.
HJ Hobbs '28, a staff writer for the Cluster, said this was their first time seeing snow in person. "I was able to make snowmen and snow angels for the first time, and it was probably one of my top three moments here at Mercer so far," they said.
Nevaeh Wilson '28, a staff writer for the Cluster, did not play in the snow, but drove the next day and "almost slid off the road."
Amélie Horace '25, the Cluster's campus news editor, spent her time on the football field with her roomates having snowball fights, making snow angels and building snow people. "It was so fun and heartwarming and honestly really childish. Definitely a top five Mercer memory!" she said.
Megan Jackson ‘25 is a Journalism student with a goal of working in multimedia journalism. Megan currently acts as The Cluster's co-Editor-in-Chief. In her free time, she enjoys reading a good book or spending time with her sorority sisters.
Alisha Mitchell '26 is majoring in Journalism and Political Science at Mercer University. She is a part of the Student Government Association and works for Mercer’s Undergraduate Admissions office. Alisha is highly involved on campus and loves writing for The Cluster. When she isn't writing or working, she enjoys sitting outside in nature or thrifting with friends.
