Spring day on Wheaton’s campus.
April showers bring May flowers, but here at Wheaton we are seeing many sunny and warm days continuing to welcome spring to campus. Many students have noticed the increased landscaping crews around campus, whether it be waking up to a lawnmower outside Meadows or the smell of mulch as you walk past the dimple. Although the weather in Norton is great, a few states around the U.S, like Texas, Kansas, and New Mexico, have been issued warnings about critical fire weather conditions from the National Weather Service. This is just the start to more warnings that will come into effect across the U.S, as we approach peak wildfire season, this summer.
Jumping internationally to the war in Iran, President Trump has agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, after the proposal came from the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan. This two-week ceasefire will presumably allow for in-person negotiations to agree upon a long-term deal that may end the war. Domestically, NASA’s Artemis II mission is breaking records and seeing historical exploration. The four person crew has surpassed the distance record of the Apollo 13 mission and documented parts of the moon never seen before with the naked eye.
Back on campus, students are preparing for the next academic year and the fall semester. Course selection wrapped up in early April, although it did not go off without a hitch for many students. With the registration page indicating fewer courses being offered in Fall 2026 than in Fall 2025, many students found it difficult to find the classes they need or to find space in the limited selection offered for some departments. This raises concerns for students about their ability to take their required courses and pursue areas of interest, especially as Wheaton has been accepting larger first year classes every year, increasing the overall number of students needing to register. In the same vein, the housing selection process starts this week. Students in theme houses, suites, and with housing accommodations have the stressful part behind them. For the rest of the student body, the war on housing is just starting.
Midterm elections are in full swing, with the fight for the Congress majority starting. Republicans are trying to keep and even expand their majority control, whereas the Democratic Party is hoping to regain control of Congress and win over voters. In the Senate, there will be 35 of 100 seats up for election. Again, the Republican Party currently holds the majority, but with over one third of the seats up for election there is room for a power shift. Elsewhere, famous rapper Kanye “Ye” West, has been denied entry to the UK, ahead of the Wireless Festival, resulting in its cancellation. This comes after concerns were raised by the UK home office regarding his previous antisemetic comments. The US will also see Coachella, a massive music festival happening, with artist Justin Bieber being headlined.
Mourning your inability to go to Coachella? If you are looking for things to do around campus, there are a plethora of events to choose from every weekend until the end of the semester, including spring weekend with the Head of The Peacock and Wheaton Woodstock. For the full list of events and activities, make sure to check insideWheaton! You can also catch the Lyons in action at home sporting events, from volleyball and lacrosse, to softball and tennis.