It is the time of year when families gather together to give thanks. It’s the time of year when people count their blessings, reminisce about the good times and forget about their diets and cholesterol levels. Thousands of turkeys are brought out of their pens to enjoy the scenery and make the trek toward the slaughterhouse. It is Thanksgiving (only 28 shopping days left until Christmas!).

Here at GW, we can count the many blessings of the University that we call home:

 We are thankful that we have no idea where Commencement will be held in about 170 days. The dearth of information on the subject shows just how much our benevolent University cares about its students.

 We are thankful that we lack the necessary technology to make us a top-notch university. Similarly, we are thankful that students spent a good amount of time arguing about “rule of thumb,” rather than asking what their tuition hike actually paid for. That lack of focus is truly a blessing in disguise.

 We are thankful that we are brought so close together when we are working out in the Smith Center. Using a Stairmaster while your neighbor is lifting hundreds of pounds inches away from you builds a real sense of community.

 We are thankful for the long-awaited return of the benches and trees that grace the Academic Center breezeway. The “Vase of Knowledge” also brightens each of our days as we try to figure out exactly what it is.

 We are thankful for the return of water pressure to our faucets. And we should always say a little prayer when we get into a GW elevator. When we exit them, we should remember just how lucky we are.

These are but a few of the things we should consider ourselves fortunate enough to experience. There are many other things – tuition, classrooms, food, – which could also be mentioned, but Christmas is only a month away.