by Erin Thompson

Created on: December 08, 2008

When one door closes, another opens. And with it, a whole new world of opportunities.

This philosophy can apply to almost any situation, but more importantly, we use it as motivation to get through a difficult semester. Your academic performance this semester should have no bearing on how you will do next semester, next year, or in life. The beauty of closing one door is that you can begin fresh; ending a stale semester opens you up to a world of new opportunities.

Now that the door to this semester is nearly closed, it's time to start thinking about which door you will choose to open when you step in to the classroom on Jan.12.

Whether you did poorly this semester, or made it through with straight As, the way we see it, you can choose one of two doors to continue on to the next stage of life:

You could open door number one, and just slide through; or you could opt for door number two, which will start you with an open mind and a positive attitude for what is to come.

We feel that the way that you approach a new semester will ultimately shape the outcome. Choosing door number one will lead you down a path of mediocrity. Door number two, however, opens you up to new opportunities. The choice is yours.

Whether you are a senior in your last semester, or are starting as a first semester freshman, the closing of this door should bring hope for a brighter future and the excitement of knowing that you can do better when you open the next.

Starting something new can be scary because it is unfamiliar, especially for graduating seniors who are facing bigger challenges in the economy than ever before, as well as looking for jobs, starting families and ultimately deciding what to do with the rest of their lives.

However, starting over does not just apply to those who are graduating. Finals week is a frustrating time for all of us because it means that we have to catch up on everything that we did not have a chance to do throughout the semester. For some of us, this could mean reviewing a whole semester worth of material because we realize that we never actually paid attention from the start. Following this, however, we will finally get the chance to recharge our batteries, to de-stress and get ready for what the next semester has to offer.

Throughout life, there will be a number of doors to choose from. They will each lead you on a different path and ultimately shape who you are as a person, but your attitude will shape the way you perceive them and how well you will do.

As you begin the next stage of your life, there will be bumps in the road, but it's important to keep a positive attitude and to take time to appreciate what you have already accomplished.

On behalf of the editorial staff, we would like to with students at Edinboro University good luck on finals, and well wishes for what comes next.

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