When I was a kid, there was nothing more exciting than being woken up to the words "snow day." That meant a whole day away from school, where I got to go outside, build snowmen, and sled for hours with all of my friends. When it was over, coming inside and warming up by the fire with some hot chocolate was the perfect end to what we all thought was a well-deserved day off.

I spent years putting spoons under my pillow and flushing ice cubes down the toilet. We all did our part to get as much snow on the ground as possible, even if it really didn't help at all.

I guess I've always enjoyed snow; we all did, at some point. The way it looks coming down from the sky and the sparkling white blanket covering the yard (especially before anyone stepped in it) was mesmerizing. All of the cold temperatures and bone-chilling winds seemed to be irrelevant.

But things slowly seem to be changing now, for everyone. Wherever I look, my peers have started complaining about the winter weather. Similar to Santa and Christmas, snow doesn't seem so magical anymore.

So, what's different? Where is the excitement? Where are my damn snow days?

The truth is, I'm cold, and I need more sweatpants.

But really, maybe it's just the fact that we're getting older. Snow days in college are much harder to come by than they were in high school. Not having that spontaneous day off changes your morale, even if winter break is longer.

Not to mention that we walk everywhere.

Everywhere.

Most of all, it's a change in responsibility. When we're young, the playfulness and carefree attitude of a snow day parallels that of childhood.

Now, as we grow older, weather becomes just weather, more of an inconvenience than a blessing. In the way, instead of a welcomed sight. Looking at the forecast is a chore, and it only gets worse. When it snows, our parents get up earlier. They scrape the car off. They start it to warm it up. They leave early because they have to drive in the snow to get to work.

It may be just me, but I've never seen my father smile while having to do that. When people reach retirement age, they move to warmer southern states to avoid the cold altogether. It's as if every winter makes us more bitter toward the next, and I'm not sure I like that.

I"m not ready to hate snow. I want to sled. I want to make a snowman. Or a snow angel.

When I'm too old to do that by myself, I want to show my kid how to do it all the right way.

Just because we age, that doesn't mean we can't enjoy things that bring out the kid in us. It may be a little cold, but I still love to see that shimmering white glow in my yard.

Sometimes, what you need is a break from all the stress of life. A chance to feel, even for a brief moment, unlimited happiness and joy. We need a way to stay human.

We need a snow day.