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Semester’s hardships bond student body

December 5, 2012

With the last week of classes drawing to a close and finals week being the last remaining obstacle standing between students and a well-deserved break, Michigan State soon will be saying goodbye to a semester that presented its fair share of adversities and triumphs.

As we look back on the fall semester, it is impossible not to think about some of the stories that drew national attention to our university.

Whether they were stories that involved our teachers or ones that spotlighted our peers, these moments captivated our attention and served as milestones throughout the year. Although they weren’t always for the best reasons, these moments forced us to come together and look for the positives in these sometimes negative situations.

One of the stories that gained the greatest amount of national and campuswide attention was the public mental breakdown of Professor John McCarthy.

Despite gaining national notoriety as being the “naked professor,” and occupying five of the top spots on the 16 most-read stories for The State News this semester, McCarthy’s struggles eventually connected the community and revealed the significant place mental disease has in our society.

Other attention was generated because of the events that surrounded students. Earlier this semester, Zachary Tennen gained national attention after claiming to be assaulted as the result of a hate crime during a party, but later requested the case be dropped.

Other major student scandals included that of Brandon Carmack, who claimed to have been assaulted by members of the MSU hockey team after allegedly assaulting his girlfriend.

Although these events temporarily might have tainted the reputation of MSU students, they also forced us to look for ways to better ourselves.

When reflecting on this semester, it also is impossible not to remember the numerous struggles of the MSU football team.

Despite the high expectations many had for the Spartans’ season after their success in the recent past, the football team had a disappointing year, illustrated by an unfamiliar loss to Michigan and upcoming trip to the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl in Tempe, Ariz.

Although the football team’s struggles were unexpected, this semester also included many triumphs for Spartan athletics. Whether it was in competition, such as with the men’s soccer team’s unexpected Big Ten championship win over Michigan, or in character, such as the men’s basketball team’s trip to the Ramstein Air Base in Germany, MSU’s athletes still found ways to be leaders of their school.

Finally, the arts also brought national attention to MSU, following the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum’s long-awaited opening in November. In addition to bringing thousands of people to the area in its opening weekend, the museum showcased the cultural attention and academic possibilities devoted to this area and countless opportunities presented to MSU students.

Although not all the moments that gained MSU national attention this semester were things to be proud of, the reaction and perseverance shown by our community was.

As this semester comes to a close, it is important to remember the many adversities and triumphs we faced throughout this semester and the ways in which we overcame them together.

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