On Monday, Feb. 2, Americans waited with bated breath to see famous groundhog Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction for when winter would end. Phil, along with other notable groundhogs like Potomac Phil and Staten Island Chuck saw their shadows, meaning winter would continue for another six weeks. 

But what does that mean for Carleton students, who live in a state where winter continues well into so-called “spring” term? In lieu of groundhogs and season’s end, Carls have their own prediction-based event to observe. 

History Professor Bill North, who is arguably more famous than any famous rodent (if the survey proving such fame has a sample directly taken from students roaming around 4th Libe) has a tradition of rising from his chair in the library as the clock strikes midnight on Feb. 2. If he picks up his bag and leaves without hesitation, the midterm season will end cleanly on Midterm Monday. If he stops to admire his shadow, quipping that it looks similar to that of the angels in “The Bamberg Apocalypse”, midterms will continue for another three weeks at least.

This year, students gathered around North’s table in the library just as midnight approached. Unmoved by the library’s warning announcement at 11:45p.m., Carls still waited patiently at surrounding tables and on nearby staircases. While about 20 students assembled around North, The Carletonian was unable to confirm if they were waiting on his midterm announcement or if they were just in line for office hours.

Nevertheless, as North rose at midnight, put on his shoes and coat and changed from his reading glasses to his regular glasses and then again to his stylish nighttime glasses, he stopped for a moment and clearly saw his shadow. 

Though students were dismayed at North’s prediction, they had consolation in his findings being of a far better caliber than any American groundhog. While Punxsutawney Phil’s accuracy in his winter predictions is about 35%, less than if you had flipped a coin or just guessed, Bill North has correctly guessed the end of midterm season every consecutive year since he started at Carleton in 1999.

“It’s actually not so crazy when you think about it,” said Ima Goodstudent ‘26. “Bill guesses the end of midterms correctly every year because his answer is always the same. Midterms don’t end “mid-term” anymore, they never have. And Bill always hesitates when he leaves the Libe not because he’s looking at his shadow, but because he’s realizing that he needs to be back on campus in less than eight hours to teach his 1a.”