If seasons were lovers, February might be the Faye Dunaway of the group. Not “Chinatown” Faye Dunaway, either – more like the cold, mood-swinging, psychopathic “Mommy Dearest” Faye Dunaway. If you let her, February will let you slide the wrong way down the slippery slope of progress and wave to you with a smile as you cry for help.

So help yourself. Keep on top of things. If February tries to push you down that icy slope, drive your spiked snowshoes into the ice and triumphantly wave as you climb up and walk on by.

To help you out, I’ve listed two important things of which to keep on top. Keep a firm grasp on these situations, and February won’t dare to mess with you.

I promise.

1) State appropriation of funds for higher education.

Remember this? It’s still an issue. And it’s probably going to stay an issue for a long, long time – unless we stay on it, in which case the time it’ll stay an issue will only be long-ish.
The Statehouse rally on Feb. 7 was successful in bringing attention to the issue, in that hundreds of students protested and news crews took notice, but it’s not enough, and it won’t be enough until the state stops dumping heaping funds into the University of Vermont and scattering currency sprinkles over the Vermont State Colleges.
The VSC Board of Trustees just voted to raise tuition for VSC students, and regardless of the necessity of the increase, it’s just going to be another strain on VSC student bills.
Contact your representative. UVM’s flabby bottom has enough lipstick stains. It’s time our representatives were interested in us, so that the interest on a $3 recycled-paper “Star Trek” wallet doesn’t split the wallets of hard-paying VSC students like me.

2) Wash your hands and cough into your sleeves and don’t get everybody – or yourself – sick.

It’s goin’ around. I’ve had it. They’ve had it. She’s had it. He had it. Word on the wind is there hasn’t been such widespread illness in over 30 years.
Spreading disease is bad no matter what, but I got news for ya: if everyone gets sick, and I’ve yet to meet someone on campus who hasn’t had this, functionality goes right out the window and down the slippery slopes of February. Classes are missed. Extracurriculars go right down the drain. Good luck surviving a wintry February with a cold squeezing you like Lou Ferrigno.
If you aren’t sick, you can keep fighting the good fight for state funding. And if you keep fighting the good fight, you can stop praying for death to take you while ill so you don’t waste those thousands of dollars you’re putting into your VSC education.
– Tom Benton
Editor-in-Chief