By Ilana Guttin

Monday, on campus, students spread the news that was posted everywhere. All classes after 11 a.m. would be canceled. A huge snowstorm was a brewing’.

Monday evening, Northeastern’s Website announced, “SNOW ALERT: Because of inclement weather, Northeastern University will be closed on Tuesday, Feb. 18.”

While The Marino Center’s Wollaston’s checkout lines were growing, their stock of bottled water was shrinking. Students bought food and water in anticipation of anything the sky might bring.

But what can the average Northeastern student do when most things are shut down?

Some Northeastern students who are housed at Simmons had to get creative since the shuttle they rely on to get from their dorms to campus stopped running around 3:45 on Monday and did not run at all on Tuesday.

Courtney Pastor, a sophomore graphic design major said, “I carved a statue for my 3-D design class.” She and her friend, Katie Palmer, a sophomore communications major, made snow-cones on Monday night.

These consisted of snow, Bacardi rum, and strawberry syrup. The two had a gourmet night drinking their icy beverages and eating steak that they cooked in the fourth floor kitchen.

However, many students spent all or most of the day in their rooms.

Bryn Warren, a sophomore biology major, spent her Monday night doing a yoga video on her floor. On Tuesday, she did homework, took a shower, and braved the slippery streets by making a brief visit to see friends on Mission Hill.

Monday’s storm was a record setter. It blew away baby boomer bragging rights to the infamous Blizzard of ’78. The National Weather Service (www.erh.noaa.gov) reported that as of 7 a.m. Tuesday morning, Logan International Airport had measured 27.5 inches of snowfall. This eclipsed the previous 24-hour snowfall record in Boston of 25.4 inches set during the 1997 April Fools Day blizzard.

The total of 27.5 inches also set the record for greatest snowstorm snowfall total. The previous record was 27.1 inches set Feb. 6-7, 1978.

Drew Hinckley, a sophomore theater major and former resident of San Francisco, actually ventured outside.

“I decided to go on an Ansel Adams like excursion with my Minolta camera,” he said “I walked around the area and went into the fens. It was very pretty and fun. But I got cold and hungry, so I came back and checked my E-mail.”

Not everyone was thrilled about the snow. Christina Falzon, a middler psychology major said she had several friends that have been seriously effected by the weather.

“I have three friends that have been stuck here for an extra day,” she said. “Last night we tried to go to a movie but the theater was closed. Then we walked to Blockbuster and it was closed. The sidewalks were covered so we walked home in the middle of the road.”

Tuesday, Falzon and two of her friends had to dig a third friend’s car out so he could drive back to Maryland.

Northeastern faculty also had the benefit of a day off.

“I finally got to clean the house and catch up on my workouts,” NU theater professor Leslie Pasternack said. “And I watched my husband snow blow the driveway … twice.”

Teaching assistant, Matt Huber spent many hours working on a paper for sociological theory. He said the highlight of his day was watching Conan O’Brien for ten minutes while he ate his lunch.