During a two-day stretch when the University was shut down because of a paralyzing snowstorm, GW managed to have a good time and feed its students – two essentials of college life.

While the majority of students stayed indoors, the Hippodrome offered free bowling and hot chocolate for students stricken by cabin fever. On the first floor of the Marvin Center students could nosh on the usual J Street fare – albeit a smaller-than-usual selection.

The hearty bunch of workers at J Street, Provisions Market and the Hippodrome deserve recognition for this accomplishment. Many workers commuted to GW from well outside the Foggy Bottom environs thanks to the dependable Metro.

Even certain administrators made the hazardous trek to campus to make sure all was well. GW President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg hung out with freshmen in Thurston Hall, which provided a supply of complimentary snacks and coffee.

This group of dining services workers and administrators showed that they truly had students’ best interests in mind. Finding the Marvin Center operational was a pleasant surprise for some students who have come to expect the worse of GW.

Who could have blamed J Street workers or University officials if they decided to close the Marvin Center during the break?

In the end, a snowstorm that could have turned campus into a chaotic mess in fact showed how adversity – and a day off – can cause the opposite effect. GW students – well fed and cared for – were able to participate in the traditional activity of snow days: playing.