Friday, February 18, 2011. A momentous day. A day in which the temperature rose to a record-breaking 66 degrees. Coats, hats, scarves, and gloves were thrust aside as students of Bethel High School filed from the front doors to find the outside pleasantly bright, sunny, and most importantly, warm.

During an unusually long, cold, and snowy winter, Bethelites have been held prisoner inside their homes. Their warden: the white, crystallized condensation that has accumulated as high as some first story windows throughout the winter months.

In any other circumstance, 60 degrees would not be as monumental a temperature, but given the situation, 60 degrees is a beacon of hope, a sign that warmer, more pleasant weather is upon us.

Most Bethel High School students did not enjoy the winter. “The snow was fun at first, but after the third or fourth snow storm, it really got annoying,” says Kim Bischoff, a junior at Bethel High.

Oksana Schwack, another junior at BHS adds, “I hate the cold. I am done with the snow, and I am planning on not being stuck inside when it gets warm.”

Lily Zeigler, a sophomore explains that she “currently hates the cold,” and cannot wait until the warm weather, “so I can go outside and play softball!”

No matter the activity, Friday’s weather was used wisely. Some spent the afternoon soaking up the sunshine doing manual labor, while others used it as the signal to start looking for a new wardrobe. “The weather was really refreshing, but I spent a lot of my time breaking up the leftover ice in my driveway!” says Schwack. Bischoff adds, “I can’t wait to start wearing summer clothes again!”

Friday was a day of hope, a day in which people took faith in their fellow groundhog, believing that spring is soon to come… until they log onto weather.com to find a winter weather advisory predicting an accumulation of 3-5 inches of snow for Monday. Which begs the remaining question, the only perk of the winter months, snow day? Or 90 minute delay?