Like a book that began with blank pages and uncertain chapters, the year 2025 tested the endurance of the Department of Communication Studies, University of Cape Coast (UCC), Ghana. However, on Thursday, December 18, 2025, the Department turned the final page with gratitude, pride, and the comforting aroma of hot Ga kenkey and fried fish amidst variety of drinks.
The year began with promise, its pages white and unwritten, waiting patiently for stories of effort, struggle and triumph. However, as the months unfolded, the writing was not always easy. Some moments felt scorched by an unforgiven sun; others drenched by heavy rain. Academic demands rose like mountains, and many faces bore the visible sweat of long hours, tight deadlines, and relentless responsibility. Still, staff of the Department pressed on, guided by a shared belief that hard work, no matter how taxing, eventually pays off. That belief found its reward when members of the Department of Communication Studies, UCC gathered for their end-of-year meeting to officially close the chapter of 2025. A quiet, but unmistakable sense of relief (smiles carried the weight of battles fought and victories earned), filled the Department’s conference room. In an end-of-year address, the Head of Department, Professor William Kodom Gyasi commended staff for their resilience, commitment and teamwork. He offered a heartfelt “well done” to all who stayed the course.
Moments of reflection gave way to celebration as leadership highlighted key achievements and the unseen acts of support that sustained the department through difficult periods. It was a reminder that success is often built not only on major milestones, but also on the small, consistent efforts made day after day. United in purpose the staff had transformed challenges into collective victories.
The day’s most anticipated moment arrived shortly after the meeting, when the familiar, mouth-watering scent of Ga kenkey and spicy shito drifted through the department. This melted away every formality and the space transformed into a lively “family” gathering. Plates of steaming kenkey, crispy fried fish, and generous servings of shito brought staff together in laughter and easy conversation.
As they ate and shared stories, the stress of the demanding year dissolved. The heat of the sun and the heaviness of the rain that once defined their struggles seemed distant. In those simple moments, it became clear that while professional achievements mattered, the bonds of friendship and shared culture were the most enduring rewards of all.
The Teaching Assistants (TA’s) were never left out. Ms Abigail Adjavon and Mr. James Tano, on behalf of their colleague TA’s thanked staff of the department for mentoring them and promised improved levels of commitment to duty in the next chapter.
End-of-year gatherings like this one have a way of washing away the weight of past storms and cooling the memory of scorching days. They renew spirits and refill hearts with the needed energy for the chapters yet to be written. As the Department of Communication Studies, UCC closed the book on 2025, they carried forward hope, confidence, and the quiet assurance that the next chapter holds even greater promise.
By Rosalinda Baniedawe Abajuah
Level 300, Communication Studies Student, UCC