We look forward to summer with the excitement of a slower pace, sunshine, and longer days. We blink, and before we know it, the lazy days of summer come to an end. We reflect, look back on those carefree days, and begin looking ahead to fall.
Younger students look ahead to new book bags, pencils, and reconnecting with friends. College students move into their dorm rooms and begin adjusting to campus life, while graduate students look forward to taking the next steps in their careers.
At the same time, the Jewish people look to the New Year and see Rosh HaShanah approaching. As the holiday nears, we look toward the upcoming year with hope for the future and reflection on the past.
Students often begin a semester with a degree of trepidation. They hope the successes of the previous year will continue, and the challenges they encountered will remain in the rearview mirror. Some hope the new semester will prove easier than the one before. Others begin planning how to balance careers, family commitments, financial pressures, and personal struggles alongside their coursework.
As we enter Chodesh Elul and prepare for Rosh HaShanah, we too look ahead to a brighter year. We engage in teshuvah, reflecting on our actions, acknowledging our shortcomings, and striving to become better versions of ourselves.
In many ways, the process is not unlike the start of the new academic year. A student who struggled in a course is not defined by a disappointing grade. A student returning after a difficult semester, personal setback, illness, or family challenges is not destined to repeat the past. Students returning after years out of the classroom are hoping to begin with a clean slate. The beginning of a new semester offers an opportunity to learn from what worked and what did not, adjust, and move forward with renewed purpose.
Working in higher education, I regularly meet with students who struggle to stay on course and others who worry that one poor semester will define their academic future. Often, the students who inspire me most are the ones who seek help when they need it, adapt when circumstances change, and continue moving forward despite obstacles along the way.
Perhaps this is why the beginning of the academic year and the approach of Rosh HaShanah feel so naturally connected. Both remind us that growth remains possible, regardless of what happened yesterday. The sound of the shofar serves as a spiritual wake-up call, urging us to take stock of our lives and recognize that growth and repentance are within our reach. We cannot change the past, but we can learn from it. Addressing our shortcomings while acknowledging our successes will allow us to take meaningful steps toward becoming the people we aspire to be.
As summer fades and autumn approaches, the convergence of a new academic year and a new Jewish year offers a powerful reminder that growth is an ongoing process. Whether we are students, professionals, parents, or retirees, we are still learning, still developing, and still striving to become better than we were yesterday. Neither education nor Judaism asks us to be perfect. Both ask us to keep growing as individuals and as part of our community.
As students go back to school and as we prepare to gather with family and community to hear the shofar and welcome 5787, may we approach the year ahead with optimism and renewed growth. Growth remains possible, no matter what age or stage of life. We can still shape the story that comes next.
Shanah Tovah to all.
Beth Chesir is Director of Student Success and Enrollment at YU Global, a division of Yeshiva University. She supports online students at Cardozo School of Law, Sy Syms School of Business, and Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology.