Last Friday, On May 12th, 2017, over 6,400 students sat on Folsom Field under bluebird skies and cheered as they transitioned from CU students to CU alumni. It’s a bittersweet feeling watching the last four years culminate in this one final moment, donning caps and gowns as you hold the hands of your best friends you met in the dorms just four short years ago. You acknowledge how much you’ll miss this place, and there will be days you’ll wish you could come back. But, you also understand that all good things must come to an end, and that as this door closes, a new, scary, amazing one is opening. As this new adventure emerges, you are reminded that you will be okay once you leave CU, and you will be able to find happiness in the most unexpected places. You’ve worked like crazy to make it to this point, and now, with the future staring you right in the face, you finally feel prepared. You know who you are, and you know where you want to go. So, congratulations to the class of 2017. After all the hours spent in Norlin trying to stay awake, all the tests you’ve aced (and the ones you barely passed), and all the amazing memories made with friends and family, you did it, and you’ve become a part of the Forever Buffs Family.

Image Source: Boulder Daily Camera

Hanae is a senior at the University of Colorado Boulder studying strategic communications and business administration. She is passionate about creativity in conjunction with business, which is what led her to her field of study. She grew up in Seattle, Washington, where she gained a love for the West Coast and the water. In 2014, she traded in the ocean for the mountains when she moved out to Boulder to pursue her degree. Hanae’s biggest passion is travel, and she recently studied abroad in Florence, Italy, where she spent fifteen weeks traveling to dozens of cities across Western Europe, immersing herself in exciting new cultures and atmospheres. You can find Hanae riding around town on her yellow vespa, sitting at rooftop bars with friends, or cheering on the Buffs at Folsom.