Stony Brook seems to have gotten off to a bit of a rocky start this Fall semester. There were the amazingly catastrophic changes in campus dining (which, by the way, resulted in student protests), the disappointing, but maybe not surprising, delayed opening of the Toll drive dorms, and recently, the unfortunate collapse of a deck at a party off-campus. Given that classes have barely gotten going, it seems like Stony Brook is a little far beyond itself.

But is it really? It’s easy to see the negative changes that this year has brought, and even easier to complain about them. (I should know, I wrote a whole piece consisting mostly of student complaints, and they weren’t hard to come by.) But what about the positive things Stony Brook is doing this semester? Even in our suffering time of tiny, tasteless burgers and tightly, tripled dorms, there are a lot of positive changes happening on campus; changes that we as a student body should focus on.

First off, the Back to Brook artist is dope. Even if you’re not a Fetty Wap fan, you have to give USG props for getting a relevant artist of our time. Not that Panic! at the Disco wasn’t amazing or anything, but Fetty is more modern and not from my angsty days of ninth grade. Plus, any RL Grime fan knows he will bring the party. Combine his energy with Fetty’s trap glory, and you know the stadium is going to be pumping and the vibes will be wild.

Second, USG blessed us with an amusement park. As a personal lover of carnival rides and terribly made stuffed animal prizes, my reaction to hearing about this was, first, wowed astonishment, and second, lots of excited screaming. The fact that USG is adding another community building event to Stony Brook’s annual agenda, that students don’t have to pay entry for, is never a bad thing. And come on people, there was a ferris wheel!

Third, we got Jamba Juice on campus. Yes, the lines are constantly long, but so is almost every Starbucks line on campus, and I still wait the 30 minutes to get my chai tea latte. Not only is Jamba delicious, the sandwich and smoothie options provided are healthy for you. If you’ve been saying we need healthier options on campus, set aside a few extra minutes of your day and head to the GLS center.

Fourth, the new North and Central reading rooms are stunning. They almost make me want to have something to study just so I can go there. Almost, but not really. But when I do have homework to do I am beyond grateful for the renovations. There are charging stations everywhere, which is a nice change from last years “you’ll have to fight me before I give you this outlet” mentality, and a lot more spaces for groups to study and collaborate. Plus, there is comfortable seating at almost every desk and table and more spots for students to do work.

And finally, the price of doing laundry dropped by 20 percent. Last year, a load of laundry cost $1.75, but now only costs $1.40. Laundry prices destroyed my Wolfie Wallet last year, but now the price is reasonable enough that I don’t feel bad taking up three washers. Sorry Yang residents.

Maybe Stony Brook didn’t have the hottest start to the school year, but it is up to you to decide how you will perceive the school’s actions. No it’s not easy, but trying to look on the bright side is actually healthier for you, and can lead to increasing your lifespan and help reduce levels of stress. Something we all could use when midterms get into swing.

Jonathan Huie once said, “don’t forgive others because they deserve forgiveness, forgive them because you deserve peace.” Don’t hold a grudge against Stony Brook for it’s tough start, forgive what you can and start to focus on the positives changes happening on campus. Because everyone deserves an awesome year, and it can be one if you take the time to notice the awesomeness that is already around you.