Well, my friends, it’s the third week of September and the year is in full swing.

Fall recruitment is winding down for the Greeks, the football team has begun its conference schedule, the student senate is working on this year’s budget and the campus is on the brink of its autumn splendor.

Of course, the happenings on campus are not limited to these few things.

With an increased enrollment this year, it is certain that the level of activity on campus has also increased. From my point of view, the year seems off to a great start.

At this point last year, students were in a gloomier state of mind due to many factors: budget cuts, the events of 9-11 and decreased enrollment just to name a few.

However, this fall has been a complete 180-degree turn in student morale. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Simpson community on this achievement. Last spring, students reported to members of the Board of Trustees that student morale was low and students lacked overall pride in Simpson College.

The picture this fall is a much brighter one. Students seem happier with the social scene. So far, I haven’t heard the typical roar of complaints about every weekend social gathering being broken up by security.

This is definitely a good thing. The Simpson student body is a unique breed. We work hard during the week, and play hard on the weekend. If you ask me, it’s a nice balance.

Also, I’d like to give props to Dave Morain for calling out the fans in last weeks issue (“Gameday comes to Simpson,” Sept. 19). The type of pride displayed by University of Iowa and Iowa State University students for their alma maters can be created here too.

So it’s 11 a.m. on a Saturday morning, you’ve just woken up and you have a choice: either sit on the couch all day or grab a grill, some beverages, a truck and go tailgate too cheer on the Storm. My advice is to follow Dave’s recommendation and go tailgate.

Finally, who could forget the academic perspective of life at Simpson?

For those of you who attended fall convocation, I’d just like to put out a reminder to focus on fun, excellence and community. I’m not going to give the speech again; just think about it.

Well, those are my thoughts for this week on life at Simpson. Take them for what they’re worth.

See you on campus.