It's always a little hard for me to come back to Charlottesville after a long break at home where I have my laundry done more often than every two weeks, the comfort of my own room and more than two feet of counter space.
For a police officer, having a partner retire is never easy, but for Jeff Keaton of the University Police department, circumstances are a bit different.
Before I left my house-home and returned to my apartment-home in Charlottesville, I decided to survey my past.
I can probably count the number of successful New Year's resolutions I have made on one hand. OK, probably more like one finger, which means this list of eight style resolutions I have come up with is likely too ambitious.
As any zoologist will affirm, winter is all about hibernation. It is a time to rest and recharge after the intensity of the fall semester, as well as to spend quality time with our families.
"A million dollars isn't cool. You know what's cool? A billion dollars," says Sean Parker in a pivotal scene from the critically acclaimed "The Social Network," a film adaptation of the drama surrounding the founding of Facebook. And cooler still is Facebook today.
Forget weeks of rehearsal and color-coordinated costumes. Away with the University's tradition of a cappella or string quartets.
I've never been one for New Year's resolutions. I'm not really sure why. Maybe I just forget about them by the time Dec.
No matter what they tell you, few people in your life will expect you to have it all together - as long as you are in college. Basically, what I've come to understand - though it took me a while to figure out - is this: As a college student, I am permitted an interesting amount of leeway to forget my common sense and soundest reason at home at times.
For some University students, the term 'a person for all seasons' applies not just to their personalities, but to their feet as well.
Out with the old, in with the new. Turn over another leaf. Enter a new chapter of your life. Embark on a new journey.
I always found it funny that as children, all we dream of is what we'll do when we grow up. As adults, however, all we want is to be kids again.
If you have ever passed by the grass near Ruffner Hall and were stunned when you saw a crowd of people in medieval dress sword fighting, you are not alone.
For most of us, Winter Break is a time of rejuvenation and relaxation. Back at school, the beginning of a semester is my favorite time because every single 'A' is still possible and that feeling of a fresh start is a great motivator to get things done.
For years, my family resisted renting movies from RedBox, iTunes or Netflix. Instead, we supported our local video store, Power Video.
Thomas Jefferson never had a cemetery in mind when planning the University, but three years after the first students arrived on Grounds, history intervened.
Winter Break is often a month or so at home, enjoying mother's home cooking, spending time with friends from high school, perhaps a quick internship for the ambitious - but only for those of you who are not members of the women's basketball team.
My dogs could teach me a lesson. They could sit me down on their blanket in front of the gas stove and tell me everything they know.
The allure of traveling to somewhere thousands of miles away is often enough for many University students to decide to study abroad for part of their undergraduate careers.
"Today, I landed in (insert foreign country). The flight was long; I was both nervous and excited. In (the best place to live ever), I met so many people and learned so much about myself.
