It is that time of year in college again, where we are all studying for finals and praying that we pass our classes (or else get hit by a car...there is no in-between). We all sit and think about how far we have come this semester, and how far we have yet to go. It has been a crazy semester; full of last minute essays (because who really does these on time?), sleeping in, missing classes, impending deadlines, never ending homework, friends and plenty of unhealthy food choices. There are times when we thought there was no way we could make it through the semester, but here we are, almost done. There have been many sleepless nights throughout the semester, and many papers written and turned in, but they are in the past. We have become better because of these trials. We all came into this semester with different goals: some we accomplished, some we did not, and that is okay. That is what college is about.

I sat in the dining hall tonight observing the different people eating dinner. Some sat by themselves, hurrying to get done because there was somewhere they needed to go. Some sat in groups quietly talking amongst themselves and sharing an occasional laugh. Some were sitting together completely engrossed in the sport being shown on television, eating and watching the game. Then, there were some in large groups, loud and boisterous, sharing many jokes with almost contagious laughter. I watched as people interacted with each other, the friendly greetings, lively conversations, and warm goodbyes. Watching just how many people interacted with each other in this manner made me think about the beginning of the semester compared to now. At the beginning of the semester in the dining hall there were feelings of awkwardness, judgment, and loneliness. Everyone just sat there in awkward silence, hurriedly eating before darting out the door to escape the strange aura. Not many people were laughing together while eating, nor were there joyful hellos and warm goodbyes. Friendships have grown over the semester, and it has been such a joy watching people grow closer together, and the joy that comes from those friendships. The dining hall has quite a different aura now, no longer are the feelings of awkwardness, judgment and loneliness but rather those of family, belonging and kindheartedness.

We are now faced with finals, studying and moving out for the end of the semester, but we are almost there! The first big mile stone is almost reached. We have all come a long way this semester. We still have a long way to go and many more long semesters before we reach our ultimate goals. With the friends that surround us now, and the friends that we will make in the future, it will seem much easier to attain those goals because of the love and support we receive from each other. Our college is a big family, one that I am proud of, and we all make each other feel at home. So while we prepare for the end of this chapter and the beginning of a new one, let us continue to share the friendliness and love with one another.

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. - 1 Corinthians 13:13