Days of basking my blindingly white body in the sun are over, and even the days of griping about MSU’s football team in hoodie weather at Spartan Stadium are over.

Now, it’s all about biking to class in weather that only Snow Miser could enjoy. And by the time we hit January, that mile-long bike ride to campus is going to feel more like the Iditarod than a casual stroll to class.

I don’t know about you, but rolling out of bed, looking out the window and seeing that you have to brave the wind and snow doesn’t necessarily give me that “Look out world, here I come” attitude.
But hey, that’s how you build enough character to live to be 120, right?

Another way people will opt to build character in this snowy season is by shutting off all comfort to their place of residence in order to save a couple of bucks. To some people, asking them to turn on the heat might as well be a request to have them saw off their arm.

But I suppose not everything in the winter isn’t as negative as it may seem. Come to think of it, Spartans get to see some of the most beautiful sights they will ever see in their lifetimes during the winter.

You may think I am speaking of the postcard-esque Red Cedar River that attracts countless Instagram opportunities, but I am speaking of something that is more breathtaking than a lush pillow of snow resting on scenic trees — I am speaking of CATA bus drivers putting on a “How to handle an approximately 35,000 pound bus on snow like a champ” clinic.

Even without snow, I don’t know how these bus drivers do it. While driving on this campus, you never know when an eager student is going to dart across the street with no regard to oncoming traffic in order to make it to their economics exam.

Now that it is winter, you have to throw the challenge of wet snow in there too.

I always will remember during my freshman year, the night before the snow day, witnessing the unthinkable.

One of those enormous CATA buses that hinge in the middle was headed toward a yellow light, and instead of barreling through a red light, the driver miraculously stopped — after gliding for 60 feet on at least six inches of snow.

When the light turned green, he made a right turn, with the momentum from the back end of the bus throwing the weight off on the turn. As cool as a cucumber, the bus driver somehow regained control of the bus, and drove away into the white distance.

My only regret from that night was not chasing down the bus just to shake the driver’s hand.

So, here we are, moving into another tough Michigan winter that will challenge our motivation and toughness as students. It may seem like a pain in the frostbitten you-know-what to get to lecture hall, but take time to observe what a beautiful campus we have, and all the little joys MSU and its bus drivers have to display as well.