You laughed with family during a home cooked meal, you cheered with friends at non-Demon Deacon Football games, and before you knew it, your short three-day Fall Break was over. As bittersweet as this ending may have been, you cannot deny the bit of excitement you felt when coming back to your second home in Winston-Salem.
Because we are constantly immersed in the Forest, with all the work and social aspects the school offers, we sometimes forget the big picture: our school is pretty spectacular. It is only when we step outside of Wake for a break or vacation that we remember why we chose to become a Deacon in the first place.
*Image from survivingcollege.com
Over Fall Break, friends from other schools may have told you horror stories regarding their universities. Maybe how they are only being able to swipe at certain hours of the day for food, or perhaps they complained about having an unfriendly dining hall staff or a professor they can never seem to catch outside of class. This is when you smile to yourself as memories of a top-notch Pit staff, professors with flexible office hours, and food available whenever and wherever you want seep into your mind and replenish your love for the Forest.
Regardless of where you escaped to this past weekend, it’s no secret the spell Wake Forest has us all under. If you stayed on campus this weekend, your Demon Deacon pride was bouncing off of you as you walked around Hanes Mall sporting your Wake sweatshirt. Or, say you drove to a nearby university and were ecstatic every time you saw a fellow “WF” sticker on the back of a car. It delighted you to talk about your experiences at Wake and how much you are loving it when you went home this weekend and chatted with your parents.
*Image from wfu.edu
This school has a certain atmosphere that is hard to achieve at just any college. Its beauty and joyful environment, among many other amazing qualities, seem to always stick with students wherever they go in life. Therefore, my advice to you this week, readers, is to soak all these opportunities in now. Although the pride of being a Deacon will never leave you, it’s nice to understand the benefits we’re receiving today, and will continue to throughout our lives.