Okasana Carlier/Winonan

I just love breaking the ice around campus. The cracking sounds just make my day. Plus, it’s a free stress reliever.

I often go out of my way to crack the ice. Often, I crack it when I am on my way to class. Sometimes I feel awkward since I am often the only one who is stepping off the beaten path to get to the ice.

But it is just too much fun to stop. I think it would be dumb to stop cracking the ice when barely anyone else does it.

Sometimes I wonder, though. Am I really the only one? There is so much un-cracked ice around campus, and I just can’t get to it all. Too much ice and so little me!

Once in a while I will go by some ice and notice that it is cracked. It makes me feel much better. I guess there are some other ice crackers around campus. I’m not alone. But the ratio of ice crackers to other people is just way off.

The ice cracker population is much too small.

I mean, seriously, it is a free stress reliever! Yet there is no one to promote it while there are tons of people to promote all of the expensive stress relievers out there.

Maybe I should explain further why I like cracking the ice.

This tradition (or fascination) started when I was young. My Mom and I would go outside for a walk or to get the mail and crack the ice on the way. When we walked my dog, we always raced to see who got to crack the ice first.

My Mom always used to say that cracking the ice early brought spring faster, since it made the ice and snow melt faster.

And, when we live in Minnesota, who does not want spring early? I know I always do.

I guess I never really gave up the whole idea of bringing spring around faster from my childhood. I still try to bring spring around early.

I also still use cracking the ice as a stress reliever all the time. The sound is really quite satisfying.

My Mom thinks it sounds a little like glass breaking, although it really is not quite the same. The sound of ice breaking is original and unmatched. It is different depending on what kind of ice you break, the thin, glassy stuff or the big chunks that make it seem like a little mountain broke apart.

The sound gives me a little chill, a reaction that helps me move foreword with my day.

So, next time you are walking outside, join me, and bring spring around early this year!

Contact Okasana at [email protected]