Sciences Po Hit by Snow

By Molly Long

Sciences Po Reims campus under the snow. Photo: Molly Long

With snow sometimes come delays, cancellations and general disruption. This week’s turn of the weather was no different, with Sciences Po students and professors alike struggling against mother nature.

With many buses and trains cancelled, this morning’s commute was difficult. Students, especially those in exchange, were left without an idea of how to navigate the scarce public transport.

For many, waking up to the snow today meant cancelled classes. Exchange student Jekaterina Drozdovia arrived at campus this morning for her 8:00 a.m. class, only to learn that it had been rescheduled. “There was no one in the room, I checked my email and I had an email saying class had been cancelled! It was sent at 7:00 a.m., which I stupidly didn’t check—I could’ve slept for two more hours!”

Students also reported professors arriving late, and some even not turning up altogether—all without warning. When Kutay Yavuz turned up for his early morning class today, it wasn’t until half an hour later that his teacher walked through the door.

Yavuz’s teacher was late because of TGV delays. After having arrived in Reims, Yavuz explained, “She had hard time finding a taxi, and had to walk a while before finding one.” Due to the strain on the limited services still running Reims, those intent on travelling are having to work harder to get from A to B.

With two days of snow already under our belts, some students are already beginning to tire of the weather. One second year student who preferred not to be named spoke of his frustration: “I’m amazed by the state of paralysis France is in today because of these (not exceptional) meteorological conditions. It is also very boring to listen to the radio or watch TV these days as every media is covering this piece of “news” but it’s not an event at all.”

However, for many of Sciences Po’s international cohort, this is either their first or one of very few experiences with snow. Kutay Yavuz is from the south of Turkey and throughout his childhood, never saw snow in his hometown. Similarly, exchange student Neville Lai is from Hong Kong, where snow is a rarity. “It doesn’t snow in Hong Kong, so this is like a big thing for me—it’s amazing.”

So with no reports of falls or broken bones, the prospect of a few early morning classes cancelled and lots of Instagram-worthy shots available, perhaps students can at least enjoy their time with this rare weather while it lasts.