A Farewell to BU

The end of my college career is here, and it certainly isn’t what I expected. I’m going out with a fizzle, not a bang. My last college experience will be logging off of a Zoom class, not walking at graduation. 

Boston University students were on spring break, dispersed across the country and world, the week that the call was made to move classes online. At the beginning of the week, there were no warnings about travel. By the end of the week, all schools had been closed across the United States. I, like many other BU students, didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to my friends, my professors, my apartment, the campus, or the city. Although this is a far from ideal way to end college, I’m so grateful that Boston University committed to an in-person graduation to properly honor all of our hard work and give us the opportunity to say goodbye. 

Boston has been my home for the last four years, ever since I arrived as a freshman with no friends or family in the whole Northeast, ready for a new adventure that would just be mine. I made new friends, explored an unfamiliar city, and moved into my own apartment. I learned how to be independent and take care of myself, and I feel prepared for my next step in life. 

The most important things I have learned though have been from the people around me. I came to BU for its diverse class offerings and student body, and that’s exactly what I got. I have been exposed to so many people with backgrounds different from my own and have been in so many classes that have challenged what I thought I knew. I have learned how to be a better friend and a better person.

I’ll miss the fall leaves and the beautiful magnolia trees on Bay State. I’ll miss the little art pieces throughout the city, especially the painting of the parrot on that building in Kenmore. I’ll miss the walks in Brookline and the Allston breakfast diners. I’ll miss the MFA’s Art in Bloom each spring and meditating in their Buddhist temple room. I’ll miss the Fenway Victory Gardens, and last but not least, I’ll miss the bizarre urban turkeys wandering through campus. 

This year didn’t end the way I wanted it to, but things in life rarely go as planned. I’m excited to return to Boston for graduation, and I am eternally grateful for the education and experiences that Boston University has given me.

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