If last Monday’s “Senior Night” at the Pour House Bar & Grill confirmed one presumption, it was the notion that I won’t know the majority of students walking across the stage on graduation day in May.
Out of about 40 seniors who filled the booths and stools on the bottom floor of the bar, I knew three other people besides my close friends, and thought two more looked familiar. Maybe I had seen them at the gym or in the dining hall over the past four years. Or maybe I met them through a friend of a friend and decided never to speak to them again.
That’s the thing about Northeastern: It’s a small city – home to more than 12,500 undergraduate students – within a larger one. You can put forth the effort to make as many friends as you prefer, and avoid everyone else.
The “Senior Night” consisted of previously formed groups of friends sitting around tables drinking glasses of beer and munching on chicken wings, spinach dip and some kind of sweet potato fries. I appreciate the efforts of the Senior Class Advisory Board, but the mingling was limited. I guess the only people to blame are the attendees for not meeting our peers and bonding over how “time is flying by,” especially for the seniors who will take their last undergraduate final by the evening of Dec. 16.
After three semesters of writing the “Richinick’s Ramble” column, this week’s entry will most likely be its last appearance in the News. I think it’s time to sign off and allow another undergraduate journalism student to have room to grow in reporting and opinion writing on this page. As I have mentioned in previous weeks, I won’t graduate until May, but that doesn’t mean we should forget about the seniors who will become alumni long before the clock strikes midnight in 2012.
During our time on Huntington Avenue, we have witnessed the bage, remodeling of Ell Hall and Blackman Auditorium, the roof collapse of 337 Huntington Ave. and termination of the football team and activities period.
We have collected enough “Sex Week” and Springfest T-shirts to last us a lifetime, and have learned every lyric to Drew D’Agostino’s “Northeastern State of Mind.” Longstanding Jim Stellar, former dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Ed Klotzbier, Vice President for Student Affairs, resigned during our time at Northeastern. Boston College defeated the men’s ice hockey team in last year’s Beanpot tournament championship game, and the women’s field hockey team made it to the NCAA tournament this fall.
I’m sure every student has a personal list of favorite memories and instances to forget. But, despite small annoyances – the Northeastern Shuffle, signing in guests to residence halls and myNEU crashes during ticket sales, just to name a few – Northeastern offers an experience that not many other universities provide.
Whether students will apply for a job in the new year or were lucky enough to accept a position already, hopefully it’s reassuring to the Huskies graduating this month to know they are a step above the competition because of their co-op experiences and maturity from maintaining professional job positions.
At a record high of 43,000 students, Northeastern received more applications this year than any other major private college in the area, and perhaps in the nation yet again. Each student competed for one of the 2,800 spots in the current freshman class. That’s something to be proud of, not just for the university, but for students soon-to-be alumni.
Each attendee at the Pour House last week received a Class of 2012 cup, which stated, “It’s so hard to say goodbye.” I wouldn’t mind staying at Northeastern for a sixth year, but I know that wouldn’t be a simple discussion to have with my family. When I complete my five years, I might have overstayed my welcome. But trust me: I don’t regret one second of it.
Here’s to the Class of 2012. Best of luck, fellow Huskies.
–Michele Richinick can be reached at [email protected]
