Due to heavy rain and wind associated with Hurricane Sandy, Syracuse University canceled classes starting after 1:40 p.m. on Monday and all of Tuesday’s classes.

While some students are heading to local bars or throwing house parties, for Jennifer Osias, the cancellation couldn’t have come at a better time.

“I was so happy,” said Osias, a senior political science and international relations double major. “This just made my week from Hell so much better.”

The cancellation includes all SU campus events as well as University College classes. Classes held off-site in Washington, D.C. and New York City were also canceled, according to an SU News email sent to all students.

“I don’t think it will be that bad,” said Anna Alfaro, an undecided freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences from California. Alfaro said she would use the extra time to hang out with friends and finish homework. “I feel like if it was going to be bad, people would be more vocal.”

Kelly Czysz, a junior inclusive elementary and special education student, said that, living in a “cement box” on South Campus, she is not nervous about the incoming storm.

“It’s nice to have a day off,” Czysz said. “I’m probably going to spend it catching up on work and sleep.”

She said her biggest concern is the possibility of losing power.

If a power outage occurs, the university will issue an Orange Alert to inform the campus community of what to do, according to the email.

Some students worry a loss of power could pose an academic problem.

“One professor maintained a Tuesday deadline for an online submission, which I honestly find ignorant to the potential for losing power,” said Matt Wood, a fifth year architecture major.

If the storm is as bad as predicted, Wood said he hopes students stay inside and take proper precautions.

“As rare as a hurricane is in Syracuse, we don’t need any heroes,” he said.

Though most students are celebrating the cancellation of classes and are glad the university is erring on the side of caution, some said they aren’t sure Syracuse will actually be affected.

“I feel like it’s just a situation like where it snows in Atlanta and everybody freaks out, I feel like that’s kind of what it is,” said Stephanie Shaw, a senior English and textual studies major. “I don’t necessarily think people are overreacting but I think they’re bracing themselves that is being experienced more so in the Caribbean than it would be this far north with a storm of this power.”

Shaw said she was excited for the days off and said it reminded her of when, as kids, everyone slept with their pajamas inside out, hoping for a day off from school.

Janine Peakes, a senior psychology and forensic science major, said she was in “utter joy” about classes being canceled.

“It’s kind of out of pocket because we get snow and stuff like that and we wish classes would get canceled but they’re not and we get a little rain and wind and it’s like the apocalypse and everything has to be shut down, which is cool,” she said. “It’s an experience.”

Published on October 29, 2012 at 5:47 pm