Fall break falls late this year, causing students, faculty and staff alike to exhaustingly shuffle through this week with a week free of classes on the horizon. 

It’s been a long semester so far, and a break is well-deserved. No matter if you are staying in Ames for the break or driving/flying home to see family or going on a separate trip, remember to take time for yourself. Catch up on sleep, watch that show you haven’t had time to watch or splurge on eating out at your favorite restaurant. It’s hard to find time to do things for yourself throughout the semester, so take extra time to take care of your mental and physical health before Dead Week and Finals Week are upon us. 

It’s also a time to reflect and be thankful. As a society we don’t take the time on a daily basis to remember all the things we have — we take a lot for granted. It’s easy to take for granted health, shelter, food and basic necessities. 

Take time over the next week to send a thank you note to a friend, pick up flowers for a family member or do a random act of kindness. Even a small gesture can show a lot of thanks.

I am thankful for all of you who pick up a paper, follow us on social media and engage with our content. Our ultimate goal is to serve you, and if we aren’t doing that in the best way possible, we want to know. You are always free to reach out to me via email, [email protected], and we can set up a time to meet about our coverage. Thank you for letting us be a part of your Iowa State journey and beyond; it’s an honor to serve you each and every day.