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To hike or hibernate for the winter? The woes of a Hokkaido University student

KK Miller Jan 23, 2015
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hokkaido uni 1

Heavy winds, low visibility and snow drifts the size of houses. What do you do? Go to that lecture at 8:30 or grab as many blankets as you can and binge watch Dragon Ball? Although the answer might be pretty simple for some university students in Japan, the ones in Hokkaido know there is no such thing as a snow day. Freshman students at Hokkaido University are sometimes amazed to encounter the incredibly snowy weather conditions that face them on their way to class. There is not much else they can do but bundle up, snap a few pictures and share them with the Internet.

We’ve collected some of the best pics taken by Hokkaido’s students this winter. Would you go to class in this weather?

Winter is really tough. Cold weather and snow make travel fairly precarious, and sometimes you have to prioritize your safety over braving the outdoors. Hokkaido has one of the roughest winters in Japan too. Since it’s so far north and fairly mountainous, there is a constant barrage of snow that ends up piling multiple stories high. However, one thing that people from Hokkaido know is “the show must go on.”

While some schools might shut down for a snow day here and there, it’s usually quite rare. On the other hand, university professors expect their students to show up; the education machine doesn’t stop for the fluffy white stuff. But, given the choice between staying in and going outside to this…

▼…what would you choose?

https://twitter.com/mugicha_hokudai/status/557353654957535234

Students across Japan probably think that Hokkaido University is being too strict, but it’s just business as usual for a Hokkaido winter.

▼Yes, people chose to go to school here.

https://twitter.com/DAI_vanilla/status/557349795904249856 https://twitter.com/siramu1994/status/556493591233576960

センター試験会場の北海道大学の現在です。 pic.twitter.com/r0u8b4uT35

— ひらがなついーと (@Hiragana_Tweet) January 17, 2015

Perhaps the craziest photos come courtesy of their pristine ice skating rinks just outside their buildings of higher learning. Sorry, did we say ice skating rinks? Those are just parking lots and sidewalks.

https://twitter.com/am_peanut/status/555360794615881728

Possibly due to a byproduct of Japan’s “amazing” snow removal process, parking lots and walking paths turn into icy nightmares.

▼Put some salt down…

https://twitter.com/fuwamosa/status/552377378283200512

▼Each Hokkaido University acceptance letter comes with a pair of ice skates.

https://twitter.com/ebizo_ebitter/status/546574857173876737

Some of our RocketNews24 readers who went to school in snowy regions probably understand this situation exactly. No matter how bad things get, heavy snow is just a standard part of winter. You get your butt to class, or you start falling behind.

https://twitter.com/nonomura_kskr/status/547628730005217280

Not everyone who goes to Hokkaido University is a certified winter warrior, and there is a running joke that students who skip class are actually “hibernating.” Sounds a whole lot nicer than calling them “lazy class skippers,” but after seeing some of these pictures, could you actually make it to class?

Source: Naver Matome
Top Image: Flickr (Ernesto Huang)