Thursday caught me positively off guard this week. Stepping out of the lecture hall—a place where time seems to stand still, devoid of windows and distractions—I was greeted by an entirely transformed campus. Zürich’s first snow had arrived, and with it, at least 5 cm blanketed the ground.
Like many who gathered at the bus stop, I chose to walk home over waiting in vain—an unexpectedly wise choice. The scene waiting outside was one of beautiful chaos. The city’s public transport ground to a halt, unable to navigate the snowy hills, and trams were held hostage by gridlock.
On paper, it sounds like a logistical nightmare. But witnessing this first-hand was a revelation. The city, stripped of its relentless pace, breathed a different kind of life. People filled the streets, navigating slippery pavements, gathering in clusters at transportation hubs, and phoning loved ones to inform them of their delay.
What struck me most was the city’s pulse—Zürich felt more human, more connected. It was a moment where the absence of the usual cacophony of cars left space for something profoundly social and deeply communal.
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