Welcome back to school, folks! At the risk of being extremely unrelatable, I have to say it: I’m glad break is over.

I know, I know — college is hard, homework is tough, etc. But I, for one, could not wait to return. All of my best friends are at Furman. All of my commitments are at Furman. All of my stuff is at Furman. My whole life — you guessed it — is at Furman. After a few days of lounging around in Atlanta, I was dying to get back to Greenville.

I get along pretty well with my family — they aren’t the issue — but somehow, winter break always becomes troublesome. After about a week, my sisters leave, and I end up with too much free time on my hands. Most of my high school friends don’t stay in town for long, and after Christmas I start getting existential (especially on New Year’s Eve, which seems designed to throw the relentless forward march of time directly into my face). I am always relieved to return to campus and continue living my actual life, one that isn’t bogged down with old memories and weird dynamics. There’s something inspiring about a new semester, and despite my cynicism, I find the New Year inspiring, too. I have goals for this semester, and goals for this year. (I may or may not have bought a Bullet Journal. Trust me, they’re not as extra as they seem). Point being, 2018 treated me well, and I want to start 2019 on the right foot this month.

There is, however, an element of urgency to this semester—this time next year, I will be preparing to graduate. I suddenly feel as if I don’t have much time left at school. This is a scary thought, especially when I consider that many of my friends are (gulp) graduating this May. I can’t imagine what next year will look like without them. One of my sisters has graduated from college already, and according to her, adult friendships require actual upkeep. Once I graduate, things won’t be as simple as walking across North Village to another campus apartment.

Having realized this, I have made a solemn commitment to do as many fun things as possible with all of the people that I love. But most of them still seem to be in a post-break lull, unable to engage with the new semester. After a particularly harrowing fall finals season, it seems that everyone on campus is still, ahem, sorta dead. Where is the livelihood? Where is the cheer? Where is the boundless energy of youth? I know the weather has been grim lately, but wake up people. I’m trying to have a good time over here.

Hopefully the next few weeks will carry better energy. Maybe we’ll get another snow day — those always seem to shake up some zest for life. And if no one else perks up, I have my friend Reid, who never fails to come up with a fun evening.