Samantha Gervais
Anchor Staff Writer
For most of us, it’s another semester in the books. For a lot of us, though, it’s our first semester just wrapping up. There is no doubt in my mind that this Fall semester has been trying for all of us; from all the projects, tests, and papers, to our social lives and personal happenings. Not to mention, going to college in the middle of the flu season with Covid still being prevalent, and RSV making itself more known within the state. These things make focusing on schoolwork more difficult.
World news doesn’t help, as it can make us feel a little more tense than we already do. Tensions are high all around the world, no matter where we turn. That is why I want to congratulate all of us at RIC for getting through another semester, even if it is your first semester at the college.
For me personally, I have had a mountain of personal matters going on; from health issues to family issues, to watching what is happening all around the world with the tensions between the Ukraine and Russia. I’ve also been feeling so tense with the uprising of the flu, RSV and staying on guard with COVID, as always. Keeping focus on school this semester was an incredible struggle. Finals week is an incredible struggle. Even as I write this article, I am thinking of all my peers and am hoping that as we all are studying for our finals, we can all study and take these finals in peace. Though I know that isn’t always realistic, I can still hope, right?
Sometimes, I get criticized for being overly optimistic. Isn’t the world full of enough pessimism? It is okay to be optimistic, as long as we don’t lose sight of reality. That’s part of how I personally got through this semester. I have a goal—it’s a long-term goal, but a goal nonetheless.
Now, my friends, we have the dreaded and deadly finals week to face. Final exams, final projects, and final papers. We can get through all of them. Another semester is in the books, and we can sit back and, hopefully, enjoy the end of 2022 and the holidays with loved ones, knowing we all did our best. After a brief rest, we can come back for the Winter semester refreshed and ready to go, once again.
Until next semester, my friends of Rhode Island College. Enjoy and have a relaxing break. This break is well earned.