Well, it turns out that graduating college can be even scarier than starting it. Soon, my 2,000 classmates and I will come together at Ryan Field to officially say goodbye to college. We’ll face the flood of questions from our family members; from our grandparents and uncles, “Did you learn anything?” From our nieces and cousins, “did you have any fun?” And from our moms or dads, “are you okay?” The answer to all of those questions, I can tell you, is absolutely yes. We have taken more midterms than we can count, have stayed awake longer than we thought possible, and have discovered and awakened ourselves to more truths than we could have ever imagined. We made it to this point not because it was easy, but because, at Northwestern, it was worth it. Why was it worth it, and what have I taken away from it? For years we’ve experienced vulnerability, fought fearlessly for what we think is right, and tried mercilessly to understand the world around us. Why?

For some of my friends, it was to become a lifelong learner. They explored and specialized in their field, worked until they couldn’t work any longer, and then returned the next day to continue again — to solve problems, share, imagine, and to finally find significant results (maybe). They found meaning in their work — whether it was the late night rehearsals or finding the right story or quickly forming a study group with strangers only to have them become your best friends after weeks of problem sets and free pizza. They’ve felt the disappointment after a low grade or a missed opportunity, only to be swept up again by the curiosity of the unknown or the inspiring words of a professor.

For others, it was because they fell in love: with a friend, with their work, with life outside of the classroom. Love comes in many forms, and maybe, for some, it was when they met their best friend, or were swept away as their feet touched the field on game day, or even the first time they questioned the status quo and found their voice. Regardless of how it happened, it’s changed all 2,000 of us — what we believe, how we act, what we think about when we close our eyes, and who we want to become.

For me, Northwestern is meaningful because of all of the reasons listed above and also because I saw the incredible passion that lies within each of my peers– passion about their performances, their studies, issues on campus and across the world. When they see something wrong, they work tirelessly to make it right. That effort is impossible to ignore, and the dedication and courage I’ve seen in the past year alone gives me hope. Northwestern has been a challenging and inspiring place to grow in the past four years, and I hope that you too find amazing friends and make incredible memories during your time in college.

–Taylor Billings