Snowy days in Boulder

Though it's been unusually warm lately, there's sure to be more snow before long (in fact, it's a possibility in the forecast for this Sunday), so I thought I'd take a moment to talk about this winter.

Back at the end of December, we'd only seen the slightest hint of snowflakes. In fact, it was estimated that we only received 3.1 inches of snow in all of September, October, November, and December... until one storm after Christmas, that dropped 6 inches. Had it not been for this last storm, we would have made it in the record books. If you're interested, you can check out recorded snowfalls from past months and years here. A storm in early January -- just in time for the start of the new semester -- nearly doubled our snow totals from October-December in 2010.

On top of the multiple snowstorms we've walked through to get to class so far this semester, we also faced frigid and subzero temperatures over multiple days and weeks. Amazingly, back on February 7th, the temperature was 40 degrees at 5pm, but by that same time Tuesday, it was only 3 degrees! Interestingly, this won't be a record because of a technicality in the way official records are measured... the day will go down in the 40s!

Also worth noting from this winter is a new law regarding shoveling snow off public sidewalks. If you happen to live off-campus and this applies to you, the new rule says that you must shovel 24 hours after the storm stops. The city names the stop time for the storm and "due date" for shoveling, so keep an eye on bouldercolorado.gov to know when to get your sidewalks clear. Not shoveling can result in a $100 fine the first offense (and then $500 for a second offense in two years, and $1000 after that!)

Well, that's it from me. I'm certainly looking forward to the coming of Spring, but if we do get more snow, I hope you stay warm!

Ready for second semester?

Well, we're heading into the final stretch of Winter Break. I know some people are probably back in Boulder or back in the dorms... I hope travel plans haven't been too thwarted by Boulder's latest bout of winter weather. I must admit I'm getting ready to be back in the swing of things. Vacation is nice, but at a certain point, I miss the routine, pace, and purpose that comes from school being in session.

As you may notice, I'm trying out a new look here on this blog... the New Year always brings the desire for change, so I'm working on a format that I like a little better, one that's a bit more simplified and a little more formal looking. If you have any feedback, please feel free to share.

I've been working on assembling my textbooks for the semester. It's always hard to face buying $50 or even $100 books... Of course, they're necessary, but it's a lot for any student to face. If you shop smart, using the CU Book Store's used or rental options, you may be able to save some nice amounts of money. And then, of course, there's buyback at the end of the semester to get some of the money back. I didn't end up taking advantage of this myself in the fall because I was so interested in the subjects of my classes that I actually wanted to keep the books... But perhaps I'll be able to use this great opportunity this spring. So far I think I've spent a little over $250, which is not awful compared to some students I've talked to, who claim they've spent up to $600 for one semester!

I'm currently working on a small project for the bookstore that will explain some FAQ's when it comes to textbook purchasing and buyback. So, if you have any questions, I'd be happy to try to answer them and/or include them in the video. Just leave them in the comments!

Anyway, I hope this first week of 2010 is treating you well. Cheers :)

This blog is sponsored by the CU Book Store.