Congratulations, we’ve made it.

Our first somewhat normal semester since the pandemic is in the books. And if you’re like many of us at The Whit staff, the start of winter break could not come any faster.

We’ve all experienced so much within these past few months. For some, it was their first time on campus since March 2020. For others, it was their first time on Rowan’s campus ever. Some students got to see old faces and meet new ones, while others had to go through the semester without someone they cared about.

Whatever the case may be, this semester proved to be one full of transitions and change.

Co-Editor-in-Chief Joel Vazquez transferred to Rowan last year when the campus was like a ghost town. But on the first day of school of this semester, he was overwhelmed with the number of people on campus. His two-minute wait for food in the Student Center turned into 35 minutes. However, he’d rather wait the extra minutes than go back to a bleak and quiet campus. 

At the beginning of the semester, the Whit Staff wrote an editorial that highlighted what we could expect this semester, some of the things we could bid farewell to, and some that we were excited about.

Well, let’s start with the obvious; we did not say goodbye to the mask this semester as the university had originally hoped, but we did say goodbye to zoom wait rooms and sweatpants–well maybe not sweatpants. The fact that cases stayed relatively tame and students were still able to attend class in person, is an accomplishment in itself. Will there be masks next year? Most likely, but it’s the lesser of two evils when compared to virtual learning again.

This semester Rowan welcomed its newest $46.7 million building, Discovery Hall. The long-awaited structure now facilitates a plethora of students studying science and will hopefully be the birthplace of brilliant ideas. 

Rowan held a gubernatorial debate between Gov. Phil Murphy and Jack Ciattarelli in the Wilson Music Hall. This historic debate not only brought life to campus, but the turnout at the rallies that were held beforehand showed that Rowan is a mixture of people with different attitudes, beliefs and values. 

The university also saw a resurgence of all student-run clubs and organizations. Students flooded campus during the club fair jumping at opportunities to get involved. Here at The Whit, we welcomed new staff writers, and they’ve all done an excellent job at covering campus news.

The Rowan community felt the loss of a student, friend and child. Their impact left our campus grieving, but in the darkest times, we were taught about the strength of being there for one another. 

Students rallied together and spoke up about issues like mental health. They made their voices heard by going to administrators and demanding change.

No matter how this semester went for you, it was transformative. We celebrated together, fought together and rallied together. The Whit Staff hopes your break is full of bliss, joy and rest. 

Happy Holidays.

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