Hi all,
While walking through the carpet of fallen leaves on campus this week, I could not help but think about the concept of seasons within a college student’s life. There is a time for everything. There is a time for procrastination and a time for planning ahead. There is a time for knowing and a time for guessing. There is a time for joy and a time for sadness. There is a time for warmth and a time for cold. Yet at the same time, there does not seem to actually be enough time for anything at all.
The campus is beginning to change: freshmen have settled in, studies have picked up, and winter weather is right around the corner. However, for the time being, we all seem to have a specific schedule figured out for week after wild week. This constant push and pull between routine and variation cultivates throughout college. If the monotony of routine fails to drive you crazy, the inconvenience of change ought to do the trick.
As artists, I believe that the transitions between seasons provide plenty of creative opportunities for reflection and observation. In other words, changing seasons of nature or seasons within your own life allow you to both reflect on the season that has passed and welcome the beauty of the season that is arriving. Take time out of your day to acknowledge your surroundings, and use this as inspiration.
This weekend is Homecoming, so every student on Hope’s campus is going to hear an alumni remark something to the effect of how quickly their time at Hope passed by. Although you may be struggling either to break routine or adjust to change, make sure to listen closely to the remarks of these alumni. Hope is a special place to be, and youth is an exciting gift to possess.
Enjoy the beauty of campus these next few weeks,
– Ryan, Poetry Editor
