On a lovely Sunday afternoon in my freshman year, my friends and I decided to see a movie at Wonderland Cinema in Niles. We were bored and quite looking forward to the budget-friendly expedition. (Sure, the walls there are so thin you can sometimes hear the movie playing in the next room over, but it’s all part of the five-dollar experience.)
There was one potential obstacle, however: it was January, and the first of many blizzards had just hit Berrien county. We would be driving in heavy snow before the roads were cleared, and the only car available between the four of us belonged to the Hawaiian who had never seen a snowflake before coming to Michigan.
I’m not sure why we didn’t settle for a game or a nap or even a movie on Netflix. For some reason, we were quite determined to go to Wonderland. Besides, we reasoned, there would also be two Canadians and a northern Californian in the car. Surely we could execute a simple trip to the movies without running into too much trouble.
And so, after bundling up and spending 5-10 minutes pushing the car out of an icy rut in the parking lot, we were off, careening down the roads at a spectacular 20 miles per hour. And I am here as a testament that no, thankfully, we did not perish on our trip to the movie theaters. A few times, it seemed that we almost might–but we didn’t!
Driving in the snow can be hard–especially for Andrews students who come from warmer climates and have yet to acclimate themselves to Michigan’s ice-filled, accident-prone winter wonderland. I’ve asked a couple of friends to share their first experiences driving in the snow, and provide any advice they might have for those who are still trying to get used to it.
Andrew Wee (junior, biochemistry), says this: “My first experience driving in snow was in Michigan last year. I usually tried to avoid driving on the days it snowed heavily. However, if I had to go somewhere, I would be more cautious and drive slower than usual. I would be more gentle on the accelerator and brake to reduce the chances of slipping.” He also advises, “If you can get winter tires, I would get those first. When first driving in the snow, people should pay attention to the road and see if it looks icy. Avoid those parts of the road. Braking earlier is crucial if you want to stay safe.”
Cheryl Anne de Guzman (junior, medical laboratory science), a Hawaii native who now has lots of experience driving in the snow (refer to above anecdote), shares: “My first experience driving in winter snow was my freshman year. I was driving to the movie theaters with my friends when we didn’t check the weather, and it ended up snowing a lot harder than expected. It was also my first time seeing snow. At first, I tried to ease into it. I would only do short drives to places like Baguette or McDonald’s. [It] was a pretty tough experience, and I was also a fairly new driver. I never knew I had to warm up my car for a while before driving. Being a junior now, driving in snow isn’t as scary as I used to think. I would say, don’t drive when it’s actively snowing.” She corroborates Andrew’s statement by adding, “Learning how far ahead to start braking is key, and it takes quite a bit to get used to.”
Wherever you may come from, do not take Michigan winters lightly. The snow may look soft. The snowflakes may stay on your nose and eyelashes. But when the silver-white winters freeze into ice instead of melt into spring, and when the frost bites and the blizzards hit, remember to drive safely. Snow can be deadly sometimes. So buy your winter tires and watch for black ice. Be careful with the brakes. And only go to the theaters in heavy snow if you absolutely, completely have nothing else to do.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.