It is that time of year again, where the clear sunny days will soon vanish and the bright flickering sun will hide again behind the clouds. The shackled wind will soon break from its chains and yell through our pores, and the blooming beautiful flowers will fall once more, only to be replaced by shades of orange and red substitutes.

And along with the weather, many other things will vanish. The feel of sweat dripping down your brow as you spring off the sizzling blacktop for a lay-up, the greeting of an ice cold pool on a blazing summer day, the sound of seagulls circling and laughing children amongst the splashing waves, and the hypnotizing aroma that makes your stomach growl at a family barbeque.
Oh, how we will miss these simple things, these subtle treats of comfort that we look forward to after every school year. But, on the flip side there is more to look toward. The beautiful speckles of surprisingly chilling flakes, the wondrous patterns of colors that swing from branches, the sight of joyous relatives laughing amongst a table while feasting on buttered turkey, the image of children in disguises asking for future cavities, and the suspense of rushing down to a large lit up tree to find decorative boxes with mysteries inside.

But along with new seasons and holidays, we should not forget to celebrate a new school year, a year in which I am particularly excited about and will unfortunately be my last. Though I have enjoyed all of my years here at UNH I feel that this will be my greatest. Like my last year of high school, and my last year on the tennis team, I wish to go out with a bang. This year I am looking forward to new things and new experiences, ones in which I will hold in my memories forever. As for the freshman, please look at this new experience as a positive one. Sure the nerves are bouncing off the walls, but you will soon grow accustomed and within no time, you will discover that there is a lot more outside your town doors.
This is a time to meet new people, join new clubs, experience new adventures, and to grow and develop as an individual. Make sure to gain as much as you can now, and to take advantage and act upon your feelings at this very moment. Do not hesitate, because if so, you will look back in four years, and say, “Wow, I really wish I could’ve…”

I would have never thought in a billion years that I would have been so excited in starting a new school year, but this summer has been different. I hope that all of you are as excited as I, and I hope that you all embrace this new year as you did the toasty warmth of the summer’s rays.