This school year started with students protesting the Student Technology Fee rate hike. As the year progressed, tensions cooled as Student Technology Services backed off and wireless internet gradually became accessible around campus. October brought racism and other forms of discrimination to the forefront of campus as a student’s car was vandalized with a slur.

Another one bites the dust. With the publication of this column, my Washington University bucket list is complete. But there are plenty of others to go. I’ve written for each section of Student Life, travelled the globe, created priceless memories and formed lifelong friendships.

Normally, a Washington University softball senior’s college career ends with the final out in May, but senior Ally Berenter’s career end came in April. Berenter was hit in the face by a ball while doing defensive drills during practice last Wednesday. The fluke injury required her to fly home for surgery over the weekend.

Students and other community members begin the Take the Steps for Kids 5K during the snow on Saturday. The event organized by the Washington University Running Club raised more than $4,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri.

BLOOMINGTON, ILL. – The Washington University women’s basketball team excelled at both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor to earn a trip to the national championship game of the 2011 Division III NCAA Women’s Basketball Championships on Friday night.

The No. 19 Washington University softball team came through in the clutch with an extra-inning victory in the final game of the Warrior Spring Fling last weekend in Conway, Ark. The offense came to life on Saturday, with Wash. U. picking up a 9-0 victory against MacMurray College before clobbering University of Dallas 21-6 in the nightcap.

Darkness ended the Washington University softball team’s attempt to salvage a win at its season opening weekend. The No 7. Bears fell 4-2 on Friday to host Rhodes College in the season opener before tying with No. 19 Transylvania University on Sunday at the Chick-fil-A Classic in Memphis, Tenn.

Competitive eating made its mark on the DUC on Feb. 19 as 196 students from 32 teams took on the Vermonster Challenge in an event co-sponsored by Relay For Life and Mr. Wash. U. Team Banana Split scarfed down 20 scoops of ice cream and other toppings with a winning time of a minute and eight seconds. Banana Split was composed of sophomores David Zhang, Alex Gu, Nick Justin and seniors Jerry Yu and Peter Lam. Relay For Life celebrated its success in raising $32, 523.44 in 48 hours, which is a national record. Relay for Life, a fundraiser for the American Cancer So is on March 5th while Mr. Wash. U., a fundraiser for City Faces, is on March 24.

Moving from one far corner to the center of the South 40, the new location for the Social Justice Center is expected to bring social justice to the forefront of students’ minds.

For the seniors of Washington University’s softball team, the curse was reversed…kind of. Saturday’s Senior Day was supposed to be a doubleheader against Missouri Baptist University, but the second game was washed out. However, before the rain turned into a torrent, the Lady Bears picked up a 2-1 eight-inning victory, winning by the ‘silliest of reasons’ according to Fieser.