As campus fills with the scent of burning midnight oil and the sighs of sleep-deprived students, let’s take a moment for reflection on the year behind us.

As a nation, we re-elected a president, experienced tragedy, made leaps and faced setbacks in the debate over marriage equality, all while stressing over a struggling economy. Amidst this myriad of issues, it’s not easy to create or maintain an interconnected national community — or  a campus community, for that matter

But, this year at Guilford, we’ve done just that.

This year held campus issues that cut to the core of our values as Guilford students, faculty and staff. Campus renovations, which threatened to displace Mary Hobbs residents and turned Founders into a regrettably sterile space, forced students to speak out.

Plans for the new fountain and plaza continue to raise questions and concern over the allocation of funds and donations. The possibility of divestment from Sabra brings to light the need to walk the walk and establish our identity in the context of world issues.

And then there’s the big one — Kent Chabotar’s retirement and the impending presidential search and selection. As a campus, we’ll be watching this process closely and striving for a voice in the next turn that the administration will take.

So, clearly we have campus issues. We don’t live in a vacuum or a state of communal bliss. But this isn’t because we’re a weak community — just the opposite, in fact.

This year, we’ve proven the power of collective awareness and open discussion, student-administration communication and a commitment to transparency and accountability.

It’s not easy to create an interconnected community, but as active members of this one, we’ve made campus our own. So take some time to celebrate the successes of this year and continue to stand up for the community we love.