A thistle to Pittsburgh, for not having the usual amount of rainy days. My umbrella has been woefully unused this semester and we’re all the better for it, truly.
A thorn to overcommitting to things. We all (hopefully) love our clubs and activities, but we all know what it feels like to be stretched thin by obligations. Make sure you’re spending time in places that give you energy and fulfillment.
Thistle: To the weather, for staying warm late into the semester this year! I love being able to leave the house in a sweater and a t-shirt this late into December.
Thorn: To whoever decided we would be having finals on Sunday, Dec 17.
Thistle: To our campus cooks, baristas, and other restaurant workers for keeping us fed, caffeinated, and sane, especially during exam season. Lord knows how fortunate we are to have good food available in so many places on campus, and in these hectic last weeks of the semester we rely on them more than ever.
Thorn: To people who expect you to respect their time but don’t respect yours in return — including professors and groupmates. Nobody likes a hypocrite, and even though I know we’re all busy we should make sure we’re still looking out for one another.
Thistle: To all the janitors and facilities management staff for dealing with our shit. There are too many toilets in this school to count, and we take for granted that they will always work, be clean, and be well-stocked.
Thorn: To the chronic undervaluing and overworking of our graduate students. We can all think of a grad student who helped us through a class, and they deserve to be compensated fairly for their critical role on campus.
Thistle: To so many good movies this year! Movie enjoyers eating good fr. Can’t wait for the FNaF pentalogy, all starring Josh Hutcherson.
Thorn: To the Penguins starting out the season mildly ass. Come on Pens, you’re better than this.
Thistle: To the new Scaife Hall, already having hosted countless late-night homework endeavors and cementing itself in the campus community.
Thistle: To getting into college. Never forget how hard your past-self worked to get here, and make sure you take advantage of what college has to offer. Though it’s sometimes hard to remember gratitude during the all-nighters and final exams (and it’s not always helpful to remember gratitude when things are going poorly), college is a privilege not many have and getting into this school was never a guarantee for us.
Thorn: To the abuse, hatred, and bigotry that students have faced for attempting to organize on campus. No student should be fearful on this campus because of their religion, ethnicity, or activism.
Thistle: To the community-building and solidarity that has been formed between students in the wake of indescribable tragedy.
Thorn: To the incessant marching of time that forces us to part with many beloved editors and Tartan staff writers at the end of this semester.
Thistle: To all the wonderful, talented, and enthusiastic people who will be stepping into these roles next year, and to hoping for another successful year of The Tartan.E
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