A New Semester

Ahhhh...

After a long break- too long- I am back in Cullowhee. Perhaps I am in the minority of students when I say that I really did not need time off in between semesters. I was ready to go into my new classes the day after I turned in my last assignment for the fall.

For me, the break ran from December 10 to January 11. While it was great to see family and friends, I had trouble finding something interesting to say on a blog. When I come back to Western, though, it feels like life kicks into another gear. It will be even better on Monday when classes begin and the campus is firing on all cylinders.

When I came back to WCU in August last year for the first time since 2000, the mountains looked magical with their deep green leaves. I loved the heat of the summer, too. This time it is colder. The leaves are gone and one can see the rugged outlines of the mountains. In some ways things feel asleep. Still, I'd rather be in Cullowhee than most other places in the world. I look forward to the spring when the weather will stay warm and I can watch spring green and pastels paint the mountains and gradually become the deep shades of summer.

This semester should be more difficult than the last, academically speaking. I have two 600 level classes instead of just one, and I also have to take a Spanish reading class to fulfill the foreign language requirement for a M.A. But Spanish is a language I want and need to learn.

Things will be happening soon. A sort of unofficial graduate student gathering takes place on Friday, January 19, 2008 (the first time I've typed the new year). Get in touch with GSA President Melissa Littlewood on facebook or by e-mail for details.

Until next time,

Nathan Marshburn