Students race to the finish line as the first semester comes to a close. Through these difficult couple of months, filled with immense amounts of school work and chilly weather, students come together and move forward into a new year and new chapters.

As the state of our country is rapidly changing, it is important for us students to remain aware of what is happening around the globe. However, staying informed can become overwhelming, which is why it is crucial for us to be there for one another. We should check in with each other through these stressful times and embody what it means to be a compassionate cougar.

As time goes on, emerging trends, from Labubus to new insults, arise and meet their downfalls. Students are also tapping into their years-long traditions for the winter, such as baking cookies and watching classic holiday movies we all know and love. While maintaining focus on strong grades and finishing college applications is crucial, we should still remember to enjoy the seasonal festivities taking place.

Additionally, we need to stay true to ourselves and express our own original style. Being authentic is salient in today’s world as the rise of artificial intelligence takes over our lives and creativity. Especially for artists, including writers, preserving one’s own unique voice is important to maintaining artistic craft in light of social media trends and AI developments.

In the upcoming months, our classrooms will evolve and so will our moods. It can be easy to romanticise the past (the “good old days”), but try to keep this in mind: no amount of guilt can change the past, and no amount of anxiety can change the future. We should live in the moment and spend the most time on what we can make happen here and now. We should share our traditions, learn about new cultures, recognize everyone around us and enjoy the experiences we are having together. Follow your traditions, decorate your homes, and most importantly, put that snow globe up and discover the beauty within it, and beyond it.