We made it.  

We are halfway through the semester at Ashland University for spring, and the academic year is coming to a close in just eight short weeks. Hard to believe, right? 

Some will graduate in May. Some will be staying for another year. Some will be wrapping up their first year. 

It is a stressful time. Many things are about to change, and we worry about what will come next. 

But there is one line I like to remember always: the former advisor of The Collegian, Ted Daniels, always told me when times were rough when moments seemed hopeless and there was no answer in sight. 

“Just hang in there.” That’s all he said.  

I have always liked this little line because it serves as a reminder for when moments seem bleak, and you want to stop and throw in the towel.   

Sometimes, I want to quit when everything goes wrong and the odds are not in my favor.  

But I remind myself just to hang there because if I do so, I know the good things will eventually come with time. 

It seems so simple to do, but it is sometimes complicated. 

This line has resonated with me more than ever with this academic year in particular.  

At the start of the year, I was hopeful for The Collegian as things I knew were about to improve, but unforeseen circumstances derailed all of those original plans. 

It was bleak. I was saddened to watch hope drain from the editor’s eyes; morale was at an all-time low. There was a point where I did not think The Collegian was going to survive. 

But I fortunately remembered that little four-word phrase and hung in there. 

For the first time this year, I finally see a glimmer of hope as things turn around and a little more life is brought into the paper.  

It is a positive feeling because I thought it might not ever happen after everything. It is a horrible feeling to feel.  

The Collegian might still need to be at the top of its game, but it is way better than it was at the beginning of the year. 

We have eight weeks left in the semester at AU, and this could be the turn-pointing for you, along with The Collegian, but all you have to do is just hang in there. 

There will be obstacles and challenges that life will throw in your direction, whether that is an assignment, stressing about finding your next job or internship, juggling multiple responsibilities or dealing with issues with friends and family. 

 As each challenge comes and goes, just hang in there, and I promise great things will come with time. 

 So when you face those moments of uncertainty and everything seems bleak, remember those four little words Ted liked to tell me: just hang in there.