Dear West Chester,
December is often split between two different moods: the first is that of “holiday cheer”, a time of embracing warmth as the world around us darkens. The other is “absolute panic”, as finals creep in for the student body and we begin to realize as a collective just what little time we have before final grades are stamped onto our GPA.
This December Dichotomy really brings forth a great set of contrasting images: holiday sweaters worn while caffeine pills are ingested, Christmas trees decorated with final theses. For those graduating this semester, the contrast is all the greater.
Of course, hope is always a huge theme for the holidays, and before diving into the exciting bout of content we have for this week, I have a short anecdote to share.
Just a few days ago, in the office of The Quad, a friend was lamenting about her plans post-graduation. Almost simultaneously to her saying, “I don’t know what’s coming next,” she received a call from a job she was waiting to hear back from, to receive an interview. It shows that, in the times of greatest stress, there’s hope just around the corner.
Speaking of the wintry mood, and segueing into this week’s articles, Brandon Langston wrote an excellent piece on the viability of celebrating an “Athiest Christmas”. Likewise, we have a piece on the QVC Christmas Parade. You can find both of these pieces in the Features section. Likewise, we have some very thematic photos from Under A Rest’s Winter Benefit Concert in the Centerspread.
Our cover story on the double standard of student housing, written by Brendan Lordan, seeks to uncover and illuminate many of the more complicated issues surrounding USH, the university and where the students (and their wallets) fit in. Brendan has spent a few months developing evidence for this piece, and it’s well worth your attention, as it serves to only start a long conversation about housing transparency.
Sam Walsh also wrote a piece on the continued efforts of Professor Tom Short’s family, as they continue to seek more information on his missing status and are asking the community to help fund a private investigator.
Throughout the paper, we have excellent selections focusing on movie reviews, the line between technology and immortality and the WCU Men’s Soccer Team. I hope you take the time to read them all.
Thank you again to all of you who continuously support The Quad. While we may be gone in print until 2019, we have the fullest intention to continue publishing online. I am truly so happy to see where The Quad currently is, and I hope you are, too.
Sincerely,
Max James
Editor-in-Chief