It’s strange to think that it’s the first day of spring already. Not too long ago I was agonizing over when the cold weather would give way, and now that time is here.

That crisp spring air that I’ve longed for for so long was making its way through Kent, Ohio when I visited for the third time last week. The trip was somehow even greater than my previous visits for a variety of reasons I’m still processing. I got to see the university’s campus during school hours for the first time as students strolled, studied, and gathered. It was a lot less hectic than I pictured in my mind, especially due to my visit’s proximity to good old Saint Patrick’s Day, which conjured up images of the small town (one with a big voice, mind you) taken over by rampaging drunken frat boys. But even in the sleepy night, despite the signs of commotion at bars and a few “WHOOP”s, things remained relaxed. The town didn’t become chilly as the sun went down, either, a far cry from what I’ve gotten used to as the weather gets warmer back home. What’s more welcoming than that?

While the campus was more laid back in character than I expected, I was still able to see its current hotbeds of progress, sitting in on a meeting of the school’s revived Students for a Democratic Society and visiting the May 4 Visitors Center for the first time. Both were eye-opening, cathartic experiences. It was refreshing to see that critical thinking skills still have a home at Kent, and it was comforting to see that I’m not the only one concerned about keeping the truth of Kent State’s history intact. There was something oddly empowering about standing among the artifacts of May 4 and getting to see and meet people who are actively working to keep that history alive for younger, targeted generations. I felt trusted to treat the past with respect, and through that I encountered opportunity after opportunity to help build a future centered around those all-too-forgotten values of applicable awareness and the questioning of illegitimate authority. It felt amazing, yet humbling.

If only I didn’t have to wait so long to take up the responsibilities I saw offered. But I guess the path I’ve already laid down for myself will eventually make up for that.

And when the time comes, I’ll be taking those opportunities with pride.