Additional reporting by Haumaira Safi and Jayran Moridzadeh, Staff Writers

Fairfax County Public Schools have been closed for the third and fourth consecutive days this week, adding up to a five day weekend for students and faculty. And more cancellations are expected.

“With another storm forecast for Tuesday evening into Wednesday it is anybody’s best guess when we will resume school,” said AHS Principal John Ponton. After several years of infrequent weather-related school closing and minimal significant wintery precipitation, this season’s heavy blizzards have been a dramatic change of pace.

Students are, for the most part, enjoying the time off. The cancellations have allowed students to take a break from heavy school work loads.

“[I’ve been] Catching up on sleep, doing homework and just relaxing from school,” said sophomore Jonathan Gonzales.

Students have also been able to catch up on work. “I cleaned my room spotless which is pretty impossible to do on any other day,” said junior Tatiana Daza. And the snow has permitted students to catch up with friends.

“I got snowed in at my friend’s house and we just hung out and watched movies, made s’mores in her fireplace and played in the snow,” said junior Banna Gebremichael.

Despite the inclement weather’s aforementioned upsides, in the minds of many students the enormity of the recent snowy downpour has gotten to be a bit much. Students have been stuck indoors with little to do and nowhere accessible to go.

“I have cabin fever, and all I do is eat,” said junior Katie Bui. While she does not miss school (yet), she does recognize the snow has prevented a number of enjoyable activities. “I miss my friends… I miss the outside world,” she said.

With a forecast of roughly 10 to 20 inches of new snow to fall on top of the just recently cleared foot already on the ground, the question of when northern Virginia will begin functioning normally again is truly “anybody’s guess.”