0 ne single word. My task last spring was to find one word to describe a year full of countless memories, events, friends, lessons and adventures. After months of searching for inspiration in every place possible, reading endless biogs, brainstorming themes and looking through Harding's last 89 yearbooks, I found it. On a Saturday afternoon commercial in March, I saw the word "venture" appear on screen as a car made its way over rough terrain to find a beautiful landscape. Instantly, all of the ideas of what I wanted this yearbook to describe became the theme for the 2013-2014 Petit Jean, a year marked by change. As I came onto campus in August for my final year of college, I proceeded to recognize the concept of "venture" almost every single day. First, Ifound it in the uncertainty paired with excitement as freshmen participated in Impact weekend. Next, I felt it in the expectant air as a new president stood on the Benson stage at inauguration and promised to uphold Harding's strongly rooted values. Day after day, I saw students taking risks to succeed on sports teams, join social clubs and travel to new places. The truth is, those moments are not easy. Change is difficult, and facing an unknown future is scary. It is convenient to be comfortable with how things are, but I believe that scaling the mountains in life gives us a beautiful perspective. If we take advantage of each opportunity we are given, we can find blessings everywhere - in a cup of coffee at Midnight Oil after a late night spent studying or in a pivotal moment when we are faced with an interview for our first job out of college. My hope is that that this yearbook provides you with a history of what life was like for thousands of college students in Searcy, Ark., for a year in time. And whether you read this in 2014 or 2064, I pray that you can take inspiration from these pages to see that with new challenges come chances for abundant joy. Where will you venture to go? /Ylcw{enzte -£ee EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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