Throw on your mittens, pull on your beanies, and don your puffers, because the Winter Olympics is about to begin! Who says it’s 85° outside? In Italy, icy wind nips at athlete’s faces as they prepare to embark on the last leg of their snowy mountain climb, the final step in an athlete’s journey to history: the Olympics. 

Athletes all over the world dream of competing in the Olympics. Possibly the largest national sports organization, it features a variation of events and brings the public together in a way only large gatherings of sports could. Like the World Cup or the World Series, the Olympics brings countries together in support, determination, and an absolute will to be the best. 

This, of course, is why it’s so fun to watch. Countries battling it out in nail-biting ski and skate races, dancing for glory in breathtaking figure skating routines, and even in the quiet tenseness of peculiar events like curling. All of these showcase amazing talent and drive, and are beyond inspiring for the younger generation. 

Avid snowboarder Maggie Teran (10) comments that she is most looking forward to watching the snowboarders “because it’s insane all the jumps and tricks they do without catching the edge.” She shares that to see a sport she plays broadcasted on such a national level and to such a degree of skill is incredible; “It’s crazy to think that the human body is capable of learning to do all the tricks and everything,” executing jumps and turns with meticulous precision.

Sophomore Shaylee McKemy agrees with Teran, noting that she is “most excited to watch snowboarding because of the riders’ skill and creativity which makes it exciting to watch.” McKemy, a soccer player herself, shows that the Winter Olympics is not confined only to those who play winter sports; it’s for everyone. 

Speaking of everyone, the Winter Olympics provides opportunities for young rising stars, seasoned returnees, and unknown events to break through internet noise and catch the public’s attention. Australia already has a 16-year-old freestyle skier, Indra Brown, while Great Britain has Mia Brookes, who specializes in skeleton racing.

Whether it’s skiing, bobsledding, curling, hockey, luge, skating, snowboarding, or more, the Winter Olympics is something special. It brings people together in a way a party or event never could. People find a newfound place of joy, of hope, of possibility. It gives people a horizon, an almost impossible goal of reaching for gold, of trying your best, of exceeding limits and cresting mountains you didn’t know were there. It’s a national wonder, and it’s right around the corner, so get ready. Because these athletes are equipped for quite the spectacle.