Watching seniors do something wild and whispering “that’ll be us.”
WATCHING SENIORS DO SOMETHING WILD AND WHISPERING “THAT’LL BE US.”
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It feels like yesterday, peering wide-eyed through the crowd, watching the graduating class unleash their end-of-year rituals. Whether it was the raw, guttural release of the primal scream echoing across campus during finals week, or the hushed rumors of elusive secret societies, we watched, captivated, whispering those iconic words. There was a thrill, a promise of freedom and belonging, in imagining ourselves stepping into their shoes, embracing those traditions, loved or perhaps, secretly, a little dreaded.
Then, suddenly, it was us. We were the seniors, finding ourselves partaking in the very acts we once observed. The absurd traditions, the intense late-night gatherings, the peculiar rites of passage – they transformed from distant observations into our lived reality. And here's the twist: years later, you find yourself unexpectedly missing the very things you might have questioned or even found utterly baffling back then. The structured chaos, the shared moments of stress and triumph, the unspoken understanding among peers who navigated the same demanding path. These traditions, no matter how wild or conventional, were the threads that wove our collective tapestry, creating a bond unlike any other. They sculpted our identity, forging a unique connection to these hallowed halls and to each other.