As another academic cycle nears its conclusion, so does this iteration of the Weather Vane. We have been blessed this year with so many new staff members who stepped up and made all of this possible. We are exceptionally proud of what this team was able to accomplish this semester, and thankful for all of you who came along with us on this journey. This final editorial of the year offers a unique opportunity for us as Co-Editors-in-Chief to pause and reflect on our experiences, albeit in a very public and limited capacity.
In some ways, it’s obvious that the end of another semester is upon us. Questions about summer plans have quickly become the filler for any gaps in conversations. The book I (Alex) was definitely going to read this semester is now the book I plan to read this summer. I now check the weather for “shirt or tank top” rather than “hoodie or winter coat.”
Still, in many ways, I feel like there is so much left to do before my 50L backpack transitions from a symbol of unfulfilled plans to a vessel for the move back home. How am I meant to reflect on a semester that I’m not ready to stop living? I want to have a hundred more hour-long Caf visits, before I say goodbye to the meal plan I hate paying for. I want to keep alternating between the light in the living room that flickers and the light in the kitchen that buzzes – based on whichever annoys me least in the moment. I have grown so accustomed to the peeves of this semester, and I’m not ready for those of another.
This past year has been one of the most challenging of my life. For people familiar with my childhood, that might be surprising. Regardless, this chapter of my life might also be the one I am least excited to leave. There are so many reasons why this is the case, each of which could be its own editorial. In summation, I love the people who have made this chapter possible, and I am terrified to say goodbye to some of them.
If I could use all 16 pages of this paper to describe how thankful I am for all the people who make my life what it is, it would still not be enough.
This editorial marks the last time that Caleb Metzler (me) will appear in the Weather Vane over the title Co-Editor-in-Chief. After three semesters helping to lead this organization, I myself am ready to move on, and I believe the paper is ready for a change as well. This conclusion represents a lot of joy for what our team has accomplished over my tenure, but also a great deal of grief in bidding farewell to a number of very close friends. If you are reading this, you know who you are. Thank you for leaving a positive impact on my life. If everything could feel this real forever, there wouldn’t be any sadness to remind us we’re alive. Don’t fight the tears that are coming, but that said, keep the faith, dear reader — the past is for learning, not living.
As I complete my junior year and get one step closer to graduating, the mountains that represent the continuation of my life journey are looming taller than ever. There is no clear trail blazed as of right now, though I know that one will materialize as I keep making my way through the foothills. The path has never been obvious, and the fact that I’ve made it this far is a good reminder that everything will work out in its own time. This year has been incredibly challenging yet tremendously meaningful for me, and a number of our paths diverging doesn’t mean that they are destined to never cross again. This isn’t goodbye, it’s see you later. Until we meet again, my friends.
Thank you for reading the Weather Vane. We’ll catch you on the flip side.