This year started in a haze. We were beginning a football season with zero spirit, having just come out of a season with only one win, and we had little hope for a better season. June Jones seemed like a movie that just didn’t live up to the hype and our student body showed little spirit at the first few games.

Then we noticed a pattern. Our record had taken a sharp turn for the better and we soared into our first bowl game in over two decades. Talk about a blockbuster of a season. Our football spirit is now on a high, and hopefully that spirit won’t be set for a decline any time soon.

Last semester also marked something more sinister: swine flu. At first we laughed (we mean, it was called swine flu), and many of us neglected to be vaccinated because we thought it was all hype. And to an extent, it was. That ‘hype’ didn’t save SMU from almost being brought down with the disease. Maybe when next years new strain of the flu rolls around we’ll be better prepared.

Senate has also seen its most heated debates in recent memory. The proposed LGBT seat stirred controversy that enveloped the entire student body. It may be difficult to recall an event that stirred this much discussion. While this bill ultimately failed, Senate has achieved great things this year.

They won the battle to have our diplomas ready by the time we walk across the stage, passed legislation that would make it mandatory for teachers to utilize Blackboard, and maybe most notably, they passed legislation recognizing Peruna as our official mascot.

While SMU will always be grateful for the gift of the two mustangs from Mrs. Pickens, we also feel a great deal of pride for Senators Torres, Benage, and Ehmke who authored the courageous piece of legislation that made it known that our tiny mascot will always be the biggest name on campus.

This time of year marks the turnover from this year’s student body officers to next year’s student body officers. Although Patrick Kobler may have ruffled a few feathers along the way, he has certainly proven his dedication to the school. His passion to make SMU a better place was contagious, and we hope that the next round of student body officers will be able to continue that fervor.

This year brought with it many disappointments, such as the serial flasher that plagued campus during last semester before he was finally apprehended by SMUPD (no, we are not kidding), the police shut down of the Code Red Concert, and the surprising clean out of the Lambda Chi fraternity by their national office. Not to mention several Daily Campus investigations into the athletic department budget, Student Senate voting and the Board of Trustees.

We still feel like those disappointments do not overshadow the long list of successes that SMU has attained during the 2009-2010 year.

We have opened a host of new buildings, begun a successful relationship with the Bush Institute that has taken the form of conferences, awards, and meet and greets, our swim team has taken home their fifth straight conference title, a new General Education Curriculum has been created, and the list goes on.

We have much to be thankful for at SMU, and we are looking forward to another successful year. Have a good summer and pony up, SMU!