We are quickly approaching one of my absolute favorite times of year.
It is starting to get a little colder outside, the leaves are starting to fall from the trees and we woke up to snow on Saturday here in Erie.
All of that means we are almost fully immersed into holiday season mode.
November through the end of the year has always been an exciting time for me.
I feel more cheerful and happy once holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas start creeping up.
The end of the year being right around the corner always gives me a sense of a new beginning on its way.
For us college students, this time of year also means some much needed breaks coming up.
Thanksgiving break is one of my favorites, as it is the perfect time to just sit back and relax in order to recharge for the last push of the semester.
It also gives you some time to catch up if you have started to fall behind, which is a huge help sometimes.
For many of us, Thanksgiving break means that we get to go home and see our families for a few days.
I think this is extremely important to do if you have the opportunity.
We also need to be thinking about the students who do not have the chance to travel home for the holiday break.
Gannon has students who come from all over the world, so some of these individuals will not have the opportunity to go home for the short break.
I think we all need to support them, as I can only imagine how I would feel if I did not get to travel home during breaks like this one.
That brings me to another reason that this time of the year is one of my favorites.
I love how, during this time, people come together and think about how they are thankful and grateful more than most other times of year.
I really enjoy how people spend some of this time to make sure others know how important they are to them and how much they appreciate them.
Although I think we should all be appreciative all year round, the holiday season really makes me think about all of the people and opportunities that I am grateful for.
I think about how grateful I am for my family and friends who support me, the incredible opportunities that I have received through the year and what kinds of things I hope to achieve in the coming year.
If you know me, or read my columns often, you know that I am really big on self-reflection.
I think that is why this time of year is a favorite of mine. I believe it is the perfect time to reflect on the things you appreciate and the goals you have accomplished.
Soon enough, we will reach Christmas and New Years.
I am looking forward to the change of pace that comes along with finishing out the semester.
I am also excited for all of the holiday decorations and the cheerfulness of the people around me.
After all, we are so close to the most wonderful time of the year
HARLEE BOEHM
