From dancing around the house to wearing pajamas backwards and flushing ice cubes down the toilet, teachers and students alike all pray for days off from school. Using the days to regroup and relax, as well as get some work done, everyone appreciates a break from school, especially in a time of stress, no matter how short. The first day off from school came earlier than expected this year, turning a two-day weekend into a four days.

On Dec. 13, around five in the morning, the first call from Loudoun County’s hero and the Public Information Officer, Wayde Byard, confirmed a two-hour delay. Less than two hours later, he called again to close schools due to freezing rain. 

To get students excited about the dropping temperatures and holidays approaching, the librarians created a program they call ‘Game of Phones.’ By guessing the date of the first full day off from school due to winter weather, a lucky student has the chance to win a Starbucks gift card. Tying in the game with the tagline “Winter is Coming,” the game excites both “Game of Thrones” and snow day fans for the third year in a row. 

In order to have the best guess in ‘Game of Phones,’ librarian Alexis Groah advises students to “just have fun with it and check the calendar.” According to Groah, many students do not check the calendar, making the mistake of guessing a weekend for the first snow day. “Guys c’mon, you have to look at the calendar,” Groah said, “It has to be a school day!” 

Out of the 35 to 40 students that took a chance to guess the date, there can only be one winner. Sophomore Sanjana Subramanyam, was the winner of the $15 Starbucks gift card, using it to buy coffee for herself and her family. “This kind of game brings school spirit by using incentivizing kids to compete, also benefiting our school by bringing more support for future school events,” Subramanyam said.

As many students spent the day napping or doing homework, the 2019 Game of Phones winner “woke up really late and watched T.V. the entire day and spent some time with my family. I was supposed to have an AP World History test that day, but thankfully we had snow.”