If you’ve ever met me, you would know I hate winter. But it isn’t just the cold weather that I have an aversion to, it’s how people act. Particularly on the subject of snow days. Whenever winter brings about flurries (whether a dusting or a full scale blizzard), people take to social media to overhype what we all want: a snow day. While hope is a good thing to have, it’s the spreading of false hope that’s been killing my mood lately.

It all seems to start on Snapchat. The phrase “make that move Havener” pops up on story after story, pictures of Havener clog my feed and kids all around Kirkwood agitate our principal for a snow day. The problem with this in general is that Dr. Havener doesn’t even make this decision, the interim superintendent Michele Condon does. Although nobody should be harassed for a day’s vacation, you should at least bother the right person.

As the days go by, I start to believe it more and more. The reality of sleeping in seems within arms reach. I stay up later, study for tests less and mentally embrace the soothing thought of a much needed break from a busy schedule.

Even teachers fall into the trap of a bogus snow day by making backup plans for tests, shifting due dates and just general talk on an impromptu day off. All of this and more heightens expectations of Mother Nature to bring us what any high schooler wants most: a mental health day.

But it doesn’t stop there. Everyone in the hallways and social media spread the word (and mostly false hope) that winter weather will halt school from proceeding. With that in mind we all wait by the phone and actively reload the school’s website, praying for an update. Hoping that the roads, coated in ice and snow, will not allow for safe conditions.

But 9/10 times, the fantasy of a snow day is short lived. Especially when you wake up the next day to clear skies and salted streets. The reality of the issue is that weather reporters don’t KNOW the weather. They simply make their best guess. So the next time you go to make a funny snapchat post, or announce a day off with confidence, you’d better be sure there is gonna be a blizzard.