Can you remember your very first day at the University of Massachusetts Amherst? Picking up your dorm key at McGuirk Stadium amidst utter chaos, using two full carts to move into a room that probably wouldn’t even fit all of your stuff and navigating your way to the nearest dining hall to grab a plate of fried food with your new roommate. It was crazy, scary, thrilling and beautiful — a small glimpse at what the next four years would hold.

Everyone said it would go by quickly and it definitely did. Looking back, there are moments we wish we could relive, undo, and remember. These moments are the stories we will tell and the ones that have shaped us into the people we are today.

So, my fellow graduates-to-be, sit back and let the emotions wash over you for the next few paragraphs. Here’s a little reminder of the top most crazy, scary, thrilling, and beautiful moments the class of 2015 had the luck of experiencing.

The Halloween Blackout of 2011

Literally, the power went out. During the fall semester of 2011, a spontaneous snowstorm took over “Hallo-weekend.” After weeks of planning the most clever/sexy/hilarious costume, we were snowed in with no electricity. Did this stop us freshmen from celebrating? Nope. Some braved the storm (heels and all) while others had dorm room parties in the dark.

The Super Bowl Riot of 2012

This may have been the first “riot” I ever experienced. After a night of football, friends, and Wings Over Amherst…the New England Patriots lost to the New York Giants and all hell broke loose in the Southwest residential area. UMass was all over the news, our moms were texting us to “stay inside,” and the riot squad introduced themselves to the class of 2015 for the first time. Someone  climbed on top of Berk and about 14 students got arrested. All in all, it was pretty cool to be part of the infamous UMass “riot.”

That Time You Moved Off Campus

You sign a lease with 5+ friends and off campus you go! All of a sudden you have to take into account that you need to pack a bed and a dresser when you move back to school. Not to mention, you also have to  pay electric, heat, and cable bills. The fire alarm goes off at 3 a.m. and you have no idea why, you have to learn how to cook chicken for yourself, and the PVTA buses are finally relevant to your life. This whirlwind of experiences helped you grow up a little bit, even if you did throw parties every weekend.

Blarney Blowout 2014

Do I even need an explanation here? Long story short, everybody at UMass is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day and we cannot be held accountable for our actions while wearing the color green.

The Snow Day Phenomenon of 2015

Not only was this past winter the coldest one in our four years at UMass, we also had the most snow days. The more snow days we got, the less exciting they seemed. Stage 1: build snowmen, drink, go on snow adventures, drink. Stage 2: drink, brave the storm and hit the bars, sleep. Stage 3: play Monopoly, almost die of boredom, and drink some more.

I know I’m probably missing some major events, but I hope you were able to think of your own memorable moments while reading this. Try not to be sad about leaving Amherst this week before graduation, but instead, embrace every little thing it has to offer. Walk through campus, go to the bars downtown, eat at every local restaurant you have grown to love. This trip down memory lane shouldn’t upset you, but remind you just how lucky we have been to spend the last four years at UMass Amherst.

Email Kerry O’Connor at [email protected].