Downingtown woman and her boyfriend ‘leap’ into birthdays

DOWNINGTOWN » Emma Smith of Downingtown, a student at Arcadia University, officially celebrates her fifth birthday today.

Smith, 20, is a “leapling,” a person whose birthday falls on Feb. 29.

“When I was applying to colleges, I couldn’t select my birth date,” said Smith, a health major, about about her college application process. “It’s the most annoying thing. A lot of websites usually will automatically fill the list of days, and February only goes to 28.”

A leap day is observed because the Earth’s period of orbital revolution around the Sun takes approximately six hours longer than 365 whole days. A leap day com

pensates for this lag, realigning the calendar with the Earth’s position in the solar system; otherwise, seasons would occur later than intended in the calendar year.

Smith said that her boyfriend, whom she met during elementary school in Downingtown, also has a Feb. 29 birthday, and that’s how they became friends. Additionally, the state legally recognizes her birthday on Feb. 28 in years that don’t have Leap Year, allowing her to apply for her driver’s license the day before her birthday.

“I’m going to be 21 when I’m 20,” said Smith. “It’s fun having a weird birthday.”

Being a “leapling,” Smith must navigate the logistical pitfalls such as with driving licenses or passports expiring on days that don’t exist.

Smith said she plans to go home this weekend and celebrate her birthday with her family.

As for her future with her boyfriend, there’s an Irish tradition dating back 1,000 years that encourages women to propose marriage on Leap Day.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Emma Smith of Downingtown is turning 20, but is celebrating only her fifth official birthday.