It’s that time of year again, Riverhawks. As we put away the lights and decorations of the holiday season, we’re buckling in for another semester.

This season of after Christmas but not quite spring can seem to drag on, cold and dreary. But it’s also the beginning of a new year, a new schedule and a new start for all of us.

This semester, as you find seats in your new classes, remember to say hello to the people around you.

Everyone appreciates a friendly smile and a kind word, especially at the start of something new and uncertain.

Not only that, but it’s always helpful to have a friend in class you can get homework from or study with.

Some of you are probably here at AACC for your first semester. Others have been here longer.

If you already have friends here, reach out and invite people into your circle. Remember what it was like to be in a new place with new people and no way into the groups you saw around you.

If you’re new, check out the bulletin boards around campus and find a club or event to join. AACC has live performances and open-mic nights, student clubs that meet weekly and go on field trips, competitive sports teams to join or root for, a magazine and a newspaper to contribute to, and internship opportunities in every department.

Socializing on campus may seem unimportant now, especially if you’re focusing on your classes or if you already have friends outside AACC—but I promise you, it’s worth your time to make friends here.

AACC is full of interesting people and caring professors. Not everyone you meet will be a match for your personality, of course, but if you open yourself up to new friends, you are almost guaranteed to find some here.

So Riverhawks, let’s remember to bring some holiday spirit with us into the new year. Offer a smile to the person next to you. Swap emails in class so you can get notes from each other later. If you’re in a club, invite your classmates to join you.

And if you’re new here, welcome. Be open to the new experiences, ideas and people at AACC. You won’t be disappointed.