Year after year as the holidays approach, we are reminded of how blessed we really are. Friends and family are usually the first to come to mind, but this year, being a student at TCNJ made me realize I am thankful for so much more. The moment we received that large yellow envelope with “Congratulations” splashed across the cover, we became thankful…but we had no idea what was in store for us. As the semester is rapidly coming to a close (even though syllabus week felt like it was a few days ago), it is inevitable to be thankful for the school that gave us more than we could ever ask for. We wanted to extend our gratitude past Thanksgiving, because who said we should only be thankful one day each year?
First and foremost, we are thankful for the education we receive here. According to U.S news, TCNJ is tied for third place with Bentley University and Loyola University Maryland for the best colleges in the Northeast and number one for best public college in the Northeast. What distinguishes TCNJ from Loyola and Bentley? TCNJ’s tuition is a one-third of the price. Princeton Review still names TCNJ as a contender for “Best Value” as of 2015. Why does TCNJ receive these excellent reviews? The Professors have real world experience. They want us to succeed. The students are competitive, driven and ambitious. Going to the Lib at 3:00 in the afternoon could take a solid twenty minutes just combing all four floors to look for a table. That’s how packed it can get. Each and every class we are faced with a new challenge and a new perspective.
Okay, we cannot forget about the food. We are thankful for the $7.50 given to us during the hours of Meal Equiv, because it becomes an essential component to our happiness that afternoon. Or the warm “good morning” we get from Eve as we swipe into Eick after that brutal 8:00 AM class. And ESPECIALLY the mozzarella stick and chicken fingers and fries we get at T-Dubs at unusual hours of the night. This may seem so trivial to some people, but those little joys add up throughout the semester.
Finally, we are thankful for each other. The people you randomly meet in the elevator. The people on your freshman floor who instantly became your second family. The people who dance shamelessly with you to Justin Bieber, after a long week of stress-induced schoolwork. Whether you are an athlete, a sorority sister, a Bonner, or an honor student, at the end of the day we are all Lions. Be thankful for all the special people who have touched your lives since becoming a student here at our home away from home: TCNJ.