Quiet end to December

Well, we all fortunately made it through exam week, and so Fall Semester 2009 has come to a close. It had its ups and downs, with a lot of stress near the end, but I think we’re all ready for something a little new. Which is convenient, because a new decade is only a little more than a week away. 2010 will mark Grand Valley’s 50th anniversary; the college was founded in fall of 1960, and wow, have we come a long way. Some of the newest housing in the state, the number one division II athletics programs, one of the nation’s top “best buys” among colleges and one of the most ecologically friendly colleges, this institution has most definitely built a strong name for itself over the years. Maybe at some point I’ll write a short historically retrospective post, but I’m not quite feeling that today.

For all of the activity on campus when class is in session, the university is certainly quiet on breaks. People ask a lot on tours if the campus empties out on weekends. The answer to that is no, but breaks are way different from weekends. I hate to be discouraging here, but I would really suggest not coming by when the campus is on break, particularly winter or spring holidays. Summer session is still a fine time to visit; we have classes in session over the summer, so the campus is still active. Winter break, on the other hand, is unusually quiet. It’s honestly unnerving; less than a week ago I had to fight crowds to find study spaces in my favorite buildings (in all honesty, though, I’m kind of picky about where I study), and now it’s quiet in most of the structures. I won’t complain too much about it, the office will close down after tomorrow and won’t open again until January 4, which means a solid week and a half of no major responsibilities for me. I’ve decided that this is a much needed chance to recharge after all of the physical, academic, and social stress of Finals Week 2009.

If a visit these coming weeks is what works for you, though, don’t let me change your mind. I’ve got my own personal opinion, but I also figure that high school is a pretty busy time, so if this is your best chance to drop by, go for it. I’m just surprised every year by how stark the contrast is between finals week and winter break.

Aside from that, I hope everybody has safe and pleasant holidays. I’ll still check back for questions throughout the break, but this will probably be my last Laker Talk post of this decade, so ask away and otherwise I’ll see you in 2010.

-Kyle