Out with the Old, In with the New.

Jasmine Wilborne
It’s alarming how quickly real tangible moments slip into memories. For example: Winter Break is now a nostalgic sigh. I remember delighting in the Christmas season. I always enjoyed Christmas because mass lulls me into remembering the importance of abounding love, peace and joy. Overwhelmed with the joy, I even sang a rendition of “Little Drummer Boy” to a Nativity set Jesus statue outside of a local church. The statue was the perfect reminder of the bundle of joy that had arrived. Perhaps if you aren’t religious or practice another religion, you might find this childish or unnecessary. But let’s say that one morning Jay-Z was ordering a large coffee from Dunkin’. I’m pretty sure that no one would question the people that would mob him with blank sheets of paper, beaming longingly into his face or praising him for his work. For Christians, the same reaction is necessary for Jesus Christ. But perhaps this example is insufficient, because you may find no significance in anything Jesus-related. And between you and me, that’s absolutely fine; everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
Aside from Christmas, I remember those sunny Saturday mornings where the bed and I engaged in the most intimate activity known to students everywhere: sleep. My mother would wake me from my slumber by coaxing grits and sausage from their packages into hot pans. The spicy aroma of sausage would pry me from my bed to the kitchen, which was easily accessible. The journey could be tackled with a stained night shirt, unwashed face and bare feet. The harsh reality is this: Those moments are marked by past tenses. They are gone and have been replaced by the here and now.
For example, the comfort of personal space has been obliterated. The majority of us share rooms in good situations, with friends, but more often strangers. Also, it is no longer acceptable to wander to breakfast with your hair tousled from sleep. In addition, a warm hot meal is now prepared by unfamiliar hands in a location relatively far from your room. And if this was not enough, living off campus provides a whole other set of complications. Just to name a few, there’s dragging oneself from home to school, the price of food and limited parking spaces. Simply, the past luxury of break (shout outs to those who took winter session classes) is over and school has begun.
Over the break, I forced myself to confront the person in the mirror. This was a very sobering moment for I realized that I had glossed over various issues with my character. Now I was face-to-face with the real me, and I was not pleased by what stared back at me. For example, I found that I am often judgmental, talk without thinking, do voluntary works for praise and have an undeserving superior outlook of myself. All of these things, in light of Christian doctrine, are displeasing to God. God intends all people to be good and many of these things are not. With this is in mind it is necessary that I humble myself, love others unconditionally, do things of service in secret and pass judgment on no one. It was depressing for me to realize that I wasn’t as awesome as I thought I was and that I needed work. But I am happy that I did it, I now know I can improve these flaws and grow into a better person.
Depending on how well you did last semester, you may be anticipating this semester or dreading it. But regardless of what happened in the fall, I recommend a time of self reflection. During this time, you might reflect not only on your academic performance, which is helpful, but also on yourself as a person. It is very important to evaluate the driving force behind your motives, desires and actions. I think it is important to know what you do and why you do it. You never know, you might be surprised.
Simply, there are character flaws in each of us, regardless of our religious values, if we have any at all. This is a new year, a new semester; I urge you to resolve and seek to alter the parts of you that are dark, nasty and perhaps unhealthy. I promise that by doing so you will nurture a kinder, better, more selfless spirit. While painful at first, who doesn’t want to be known as the loving, honest and accepting person everyone loves? It’s a new semester and I think this calls for a new you!