Finals loom over our heads, but not everything about Uni is bad. Cheers & Jeers is here to explore the highs as well as the lows as the fall semester draws to a close.

Being a huge fan of both J.R.R Tolkein's books and Peter Jackson's films, OG editor Kathryn Powell was quite excited to review "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey." Here is her take on the movie that has joined the ranks of greatness alongside the "Lord of the Rings" series.

Basketball season is in full swing and it can be hard to keep track of everything. Thankfully the Gargoyle sports wrap-up is here to keep you updated.

The fall semester finals schedule is only slightly less frustrating than last year. Students are still required to attend classes they don't have a final exam in for an activity or instruction. Often that time is misused. While the fall semester final exam schedule is supposed to be part of a "compromise" between the two final exam schedules in the fall and spring, the fall schedule is greatly inferior to the spring semester. Please, give us back our finals schedule.

In the spring of 2013, Uni will be trying something new: the “Senior Project.” The Senior Project will allow Uni students in the second semester of their senior year to pursue an interest or passion in greater detail with the aid of a community mentor.

This week there has been a flurry of activity on the first floor with people putting up decorations and taking them down. Gargoyle reporter Jonathan Yockey explains how this came about and how it was resolved.

With Christmas just around the corner, Christmas music has promptly re-emerged everywhere by filling the atmosphere with the yearly anticipation that comes with the holidays. For some, hearing the same tunes too many times and in too many places can be a bit tiring. Here OG reporter Alice Chang has collected a few albums with slightly different twists on the idea of Christmas music.

One fact that everyone knows about the internet is that it is full of cats. In the spirit of procrastinating before finals week, OG editor Kathryn Powell has tracked down the best kitten videos for your enjoyment.

As the semester draws to a close, there are plenty of things to buy, events to attend, and finals to worry about. Here's a look at what's going on during the last two weeks of school.

Winter break is the perfect time to start (or continue) volunteering or donating to any or the various organizations around Champaign-Urbana. Gargoyle editors Sierra Maniates-Selvin and Kathryn Powell explored a few of these opportunities.

Gargoyle Features Editor Lara Orlandic explains one of her winter pet peeves: obnoxious, flashy holiday decorations.

Quidditch club, a relatively new sport to Uni, meets Mondays during Uni period at Uni gym. The club is based upon a sport played in the Harry Potter movies and was formed after having much success as an Agora days class.

In case you missed it last weekend, the Champaign Urbana Ballet’s seasonal production of "The Nutcracker" is showing up again this weekend at the Tryon Festival Theatre at Krannert Center. It's bound to get you up and ready for the holidays.

The new school administrators have been at work for almost a semester and are still settling into their positions. Gargoyle reporter Colin Althaus checks in to see what the administrators have been doing since the beginning of the school year, and what they plan to do in the months to come.

The Illineks are coming off a record-setting season in terms of wins and the IHSA playoffs. This year's team will have a hard time following that up, but they should be helped by some returning seniors and many new faces on the varsity squad.