It’s snowy season, folks.

Winter in Happy Valley gets a bad rap. Yes, it’s cold, and yes, you can go days at a time without seeing the sun. However, we here at Onward State think there are plenty of great things about winter at Penn State.

To celebrate the underappreciated season, four of our staffers took part in a snake-style draft to pick their favorite things about the snowy season in Happy Valley, similarly to what we did in the fall.

Now that you’ve seen the entire draft board, let’s hear from each team captain to explain the reasoning behind their picks.

Team Matt

I had the opportunity to make the first selection for the fall draft we did back in October, and I fortunately won the lottery once again. Like the fall draft, I had a no-brainer No. 1 pick: THON. It’s the biggest thing to look forward to during the winter at Penn State and attending it is one of the greatest things I’ve ever done. It was a clear top pick, and I was glad to take it.

On my wrap-around pick in rounds two and three, I picked up one of the most underrated sports teams on campus — the Lady Lions basketball team led by head coach Carolyn Kieger. Folks, if you haven’t bought stock in the Lady Lions yet, what are you waiting for? To follow that up, I went with something every student prays for, and one of the biggest pros of going to school on the side of a mountain, and that’s snow days. Missing class, going outside, having fun with friends, and if you’re old enough, drinking in the snow is unmatched.

To finish off my last three picks, I went with a staple of Penn State fashion in the winter: Penn State beanies. You can’t go wrong with a Penn State beanie in the wintertime, especially if it’s a classic blue and white one. I then went (while not one of my favorite Creamery flavors) with a staple during the cold months: peppermint stick Creamery ice cream. With my last pick, I went with a holiday that many dislike that gives you an excuse to find that special someone. I’m talking about Valentine’s Day, and for any ladies out there, I’m available that day. *wink, wink*

Team Michael

When I joined the meeting to conduct this draft, I had the third pick, but due to Mikey confusing his name with mine, it was determined I had the second pick.

After some adjusting, I selected the winter staple of snow with my first pick for the overall look and feel of it. Next, I went with men’s basketball. Penn State hoops really means winter is upon us, and I was happy to grab it in the second round.

The other drafters seemed a bit surprised by my round-three selection, but the Christmas lights at the Arboretum were what really got me in the winter spirit this year. Having already picked snow, I wanted something to go along with it, so my fourth pick was weird snowmen. These only come in the winter, and there are some seriously strange snowmen around campus.

My fifth-rounder was parkas, which are needed during the winter in Happy Valley, no questions asked. Finally, I selected Old Main under snowfall in the last round. What a beautiful, iconic scene to complete my roster.

Team Mikey

Winter in Happy Valley is cold, so many of the season’s highlights include indoor events. There’s no better indoor event than a packed Pegula Ice Arena to take in some Penn State hockey. That’s what I went with for my first pick.

In the second round, I picked State Patty’s, a distinctly “Penn State” holiday that fell within our “December-February” time range for this draft. I followed that up with two classic winter activities: sledding down the HUB Lawn with random objects and skiing or snowboarding at Tussey Mountain.

In the fifth round, I picked “bowl game merch,” which, as a graphic designer, is one of my favorite times of the year. Lastly, I picked the long weekend caused by Martin Luther King Jr. Day, one of my favorite weekends of the semester.

Team Aidan

My first pick was a no-brainer for me, and that’s wrestling. There’s not a better sport to watch on this campus and not a better wrestling program in the nation. In round two, I chose the iconic HUB snowball which took the internet by storm last winter. In the third round, I took a State College staple and chose the Christmas tree downtown.

I went back to the snow theme in round four selecting snowball fights, because who doesn’t love slinging some snowballs? The last two rounds are oddly specific, but hear me out. In round five, I chose the Ugg-tied boots. These are the most comfortable pair of footwear I own, but it’s only appropriate to wear when it’s cold out. In the final round, I selected the biggest sleeper of the draft, cold air in the lungs. Nobody ever thinks of this, but when it’s mentioned to you, you start to realize how refreshing it is.