Even with the sometimes overwhelming workload that we face, it is important to heed the proverb famously used in The Shining: “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” While there can be a tendency to lock ourselves in our rooms and lose touch with reality in these final days of the semester, it is important to set aside some time to relax, have fun, and interact with our fellow students.

There is still a lot to do around campus. As Troy’s fickle weather finally realizes that it is mid-April, you will find that spring sports are going full blast, and many organizations will be holding events around campus to give students a chance to take a break from studying. Also, in similar fashion to last year, the Houston Field House will be hosting a semester ending concert on April 26 featuring Fall Out Boy. Head over to the Union Events Calendar (http://uec.union.rpi.edu/) or the athletics website (http://rpiathletics.com/) to get a sense of what else is happening on campus. I highly encourage everybody to take advantage of these activities during the remainder of the semester.

I do not, of course, suggest that anybody turn a blind eye to their studies. Time management is as critical as ever right now, and everyone needs to find the balance of work, sleep, and recreational activity that lets them succeed at school while staying happy and healthy. Everybody finds themselves under stress with too much on their plate at some point or other. To keep that from happening during these last few weeks, it is important to minimize procrastination and strike a happy balance between school and fun. Too much of either can lead to trouble.

As I discussed during my campaigning these past few weeks, I encourage and facilitate communication. While additional mechanisms of doing this should come into existence in the near future, for now, I would like to continue to ask that you feel free to e-mail me with your thoughts, ideas, and opinions at pu@rpi.edu.