This was quite the semester to be a student editor (i.e. an overworked nerd with sagging grades). We fretted about the human cost of the economic meltdown; unearthed ASSU’s election-tampering; sighed about a largely uneventful, but nevertheless disappointing Canadian election; lamented David Naylor’s corporate-friendly, “Harvard of the North”-obsessed agenda, Toward 2030, as it gained Governing Council’s inevitable approval; and, of course, witnessed Barack Obama win the presidency, covering the historic moment with pride. As the term skids to a rocky finish, the intrigue continues to build. Obama unveiled his administration to a world waiting with bated breath for him to succeed or fail, and our own government redeemed itself for a dull election season by nearly self-destructing. Regrettably, The Varsity won’t be publishing when the results of next week’s vote take effect—when Dion becomes the most unlikely Prime Minister in Canadian history, or Harper assumes the former’s milquetoast reputation by proroguing Parliament—but there’ll be plenty to talk about when we return from our vacations. Of course, most of the headlines lately have been nothing to joke about. Over 170 lives were lost during the recent Mumbai terrorist attacks, the aftermath of which will surely see India-Pakistan relations disintegrate further, while worries mount over the state of South Asia. The Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip continues, while Gazans continue to suffer. In the United States, recession is official; in Canada, it’s forecasted.
There’s no shortage of reminders that our exam woes are inconsequential, though the stress remains. Be sure to take a few drops of oil of oregano between Red Bulls, and get to the gym once in awhile—the AC if you’re serious, Hart House if you’re not. Don’t forget, we’re nearing the home stretch. Soon these ephemeral worries will dissolve like snowflakes on shivering skin, and the utter futility of all human endeavours will once again be laid bare before us.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
