In like a lamb, out like a lion

By Mark Piper

Today is the last day of March. As the farm adage goes, March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb. Well if you remember back to March 1, it was a 35 degree cloudy day with a few snowflakes. A quiet start to March, by most accounts. Today, we’re looking at a high in the low 70’s some wind, and sun. Looks like we lucked out this month, meteorologically speaking.

But scholastically speaking, we entered like lambs and it seems as though the lions are lining up and waiting for us. Today also begins another lamb analogy – our Easter Break. But Easter Break, while much-needed reprieve from class, is nothing more than the eye of the storm. I can say with certainty that this final leg of the semester is going to be a lion. And I’d like nothing more than to be on the lam from my final papers.

I will enjoy this break – I can say this honestly even before driving back to Wisconsin because it will be the first time in months I will get eight hours of sleep a night! But I know when we return on Sunday evening we will have four weeks of tests, studying, and preparations for final presentations and examinations.

A whirlwind of papers and lectures have taken place this past month. But there have been many opportunities for students to escape from the harsh winds of classroom realities. This past month the SXU community was invited to take part in the Busy Persons’ Retreat, listen to guest lectures and students were encouraged to attend the Awakenings Retreat. All seemed to be successful, and beneficial to all who attended. But it only gets busier and faster from here.

So I hope everyone takes advantage of the weather, the break and the good fortune we’ve had to not suffer the wrath of the lion just yet. Drive, fly or somehow arrive at your Easter Break destination safely, and I’ll see you all in April, hopefully with more nice weather and fewer bad puns.

Mark Piper is a senior political science major with a minor in pastoral ministry. He is from Stoughton, WI and is president of the Student Government Association. Consideration for the student bloggers is provided by Saint Xavier University.