Kent State, we’ve been through a lot together this semester.

Before school started, beloved football center Jason Bitsko passed away, leaving our football team to mourn the loss of a fellow player and friend one week before football season began. 

During week three of the semester, Kent and most of Northeast Ohio took cover as ominous skies led to tornado warnings being issued. Students filed into the basements of their residence halls and apartments as frantic parents called to make sure their sons and daughters were safe.

Urban Outfitters decided to sell a “one of a kind” Kent State sweatshirt with red splotches on it, which many linked to the May 4, 1970 shootings when four people protesting the Vietnam War were killed on campus. 

The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) tweeted at Kent State during the 10th annual Poynter KSU Media Ethics Workshop on Sept. 18 in Franklin Hall. The terrorist group used #ksuethics14 – the workshop’s official hashtag – to tweet at the conference a video John Cantile, a British journalist held captive by ISIS.

Finally, Ebola found its Kent State connection: Amber Joy Vinson, a Kent State nursing graduate, was diagnosed with the deadly virus last Wednesday. Details later revealed that three Kent State employees — including Vinson’s mother and stepfather — were in contact with Vinson when she came to the Akron area the weekend prior. Northeast Ohio and Kent State University immediately went into public health emergency mode.

With all these events, it seemed like Kent State couldn’t catch a break from the bad news that made national headlines. 

This weekend’s football win against Army proved to be a much needed boost for the university community. The Flashes, who’ve had a winless season, beat the Black Knights 39-17. The win served as a bright spot on the football team’s schedule and a more than justified celebration for all on campus for Homecoming weekend. 

“Well of course, finally. We finally got over the hump to get a win,” said Kent State coach Paul Haynes after Saturday’s win. “Really I am so proud of these guys for all that we’ve been through this year. All the ups and downs, and more downs than ups, but they kept on fighting.”

Despite there being more downs than ups this semester, the students and community of Kent State have, and will continue to, always look forward into the future. We’re a campus that doesn’t seem to let anything hold us back. So, fight on Flashes. Fight on.

The above editorial is the consensus opinion of the The Kent Stater editorial board.