Spring has sprung! With every gloomy, rainy day, there have been handfuls of clear, sunny ones to make up for it!

With the beautiful weather taunting us relentlessly, we're reminded that final exams are upon us. Some of us are even thinking of moving out just for the summer while others are thinking of moving on in life, once graduation rolls around! Classes are being assigned for the fall, and cram sessions for exams are starting up for the next week or so. For those graduating, interviews and resumes look daunting.

For some students, along with all the "normal" stresses of college life, it's been a tough past couple of weeks. It's okay to want to take a breather once in a while. It's okay to not want to study for a bit, and instead take a breezy walk through Maymont, or even just through the quieter streets on campus, like Park Ave., before burying yourself in books again. Take care of yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually.

The Pace Center is right on VCU's campus, next door to Rhoads Hall, at 700 W. Franklin St. Services are every Sunday at 2 p.m., and keep checking for the schedule for Thursday night dinners! Feel free to stop by, the doors are open to all. Remember: "You don't have to walk alone."

The following prayers were received by the Pace Center during a vigil held for Sara Prescott, a VCU student who passed away this past Sunday.

"Dear Lord, please receive Sara Prescott into your loving arms -- please redeem her pains/struggle. In her redemption, may she in heaven pray with us and for us. -- Rev. Derrick Parson

Prescott Family, You're in my thoughts and prayers as you grieve. You raised a beautiful and smart daughter. I will cherish the times we spent together, she will always be remembered. Sincerely, Lindsey Matko

You had a very beautiful smile, Sara. I hope you are at peace now.

I am truly sorry. The pain you feel must be terrible. I am sorry I was not closer to Sara, but she will always be remembered.

I didn't know Sara, but I know many people who did and have been affected by her death. I teach freshman students and have encountered many over the course of the past several years struggling with adapting to college or life for a variety of reasons. I try to help those students as best I can, but sometimes signs are missed, I imagine. When I heard the news about Sara I felt like she was one of my own students, and I keep asking a series of 'what if' questions. I think all of us can recall times when we felt like we just didn't want to go on; times when, if it weren't for certain friends or whatever, we might have gone this route. Even though I didn't know Sara, I feel like a part of me is a part of her.

I hope the pain you felt in this life has left you. I am sorry that you felt alone and could not receive the help you desperately needed. I know that this was a choice you made and I can respect that. My prayers are with your family. Blessings to you in your new place. I know it's better where you are.

Sara's death is extremely hard for me to deal with because I personally knew her. We were best friends in the 4th grade and when I heard about what happened to her, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I couldn't stop thinking about the way that her parents must feel and the things that they must be thinking. My prayers go out to her family. She'll forever be in my heart."

As college students, we tend to procrastinate. That's just a given. It comes to us once we pay tuition. School-pride t-shirt, pile of textbooks, class schedule, ID card, procrastination.

But do we ever think that we might not get the chance to do something at all? It is surely one thing to put an assignment off for another day. But with the anniversary of the Virginia Tech shooting lingering around us, do we truly realize the importance of carpe diem, seizing the day and living as though it were your very last? Do we fully realize the importance of telling someone that you care about them?

It is an odd thing to consider that two particular upcoming events, the anniversary of the Virginia Tech shooting and Mother's Day, share a similar message at their very hearts.

When was the last time you spoke to your mom? Dad? Sister, brother? Best friend back home? Do they know how much you love them? Sure, sometimes it goes without saying, but really. The people who surround you with love-- do they know you love them, too? If you're not sure, tell them. If you are sure, tell them again anyway! You can never say that too many times.

As a student who works part-time in Virginia Commonwealth University's Career Center, I know the smell of fear that comes along with graduation dates drawing ever closer. Students come in every day looking for assistance in their job hunt, both looking forward to and dreading that day in May when they are handed their diploma. I also am facing the ugly impending job market once I graduate, and it's not a fun ride.

Clicking through job possibilities, I see many opportunities for volunteering. And now, I know what you're thinking, because I thought the same thing: How am I supposed to make a living volunteering? You don't get paid... do you? Surprisingly, AmeriCorps does!

AmeriCorps is a volunteer organization founded under former US President Bill Clinton in 1993, with the goal of effecting changes in areas such as education, public health and safety, and the environment. The focus is on community-based activism, and members of the AmeriCorps gain hands-on experience in various communities, as well as gaining skills in teamwork and leadership.

Not only do they provide immeasurable help for existing organizations such as the YMCA and the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America, AmeriCorps extends their helping hands back to their own volunteers. They provide a modest stipend which generally covers basic living expenses, and graduates who need assistance in paying off student loans can see if they are eligible for the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award. The award is in the amount of $5,350, equal to the US Department of Education's Pell Grant. Other opportunities and details are available at the AmeriCorps website, www.americorps.gov.