The last few weeks of the semester always play a two-part role as both and ending and a beginning - putting the spring semester behind us, soon to be locked away into a distant memory as we look ahead to summer vacation. However, as I transfer to University Park in the fall, the end of this semester holds more value as not only the spring semester being over with, but my time at Penn State Behrend is almost over, too. For both seniors who are graduating and students who are transferring next year, here are some Behrend-specific features I am going to miss (in the most cliché fashion).

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First, I will always remember lunches at Bruno’s. Whether I was actually eating, hanging out with friends between classes, or even listening to music while trying to study last minute, Bruno’s has always been my go-to spot on campus. Nothing can replace the French onion soup or the Pittsburgher sandwich in my mind, but beyond the food, Bruno’s brings almost everyone into a common spot on campus. I will miss seeing familiar faces every time I go into Bruno’s and the comfort of the booths as I leave Behrend.

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This may not be a common factor among Behrend students, but I am going to miss warm days at the picnic tables outside of Kochel. When I first started taking classes here this summer, those tables were the first place that I felt was mine. I am going to miss hearing the clock tower, looking over the landscape and the vastness of our small campus, and letting the sun hit my pale face between classes. When it is warm enough to sit outside, these picnic tables are the place to do it, and I will miss the uniqueness of this spot on Behrend’s campus.

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Beyond small class sizes and extremely personable professors, I will sincerely miss being able to walk across campus in fifteen minutes or less. Though it was a hike this winter, I still had no problem marching from my class that ended at 10:20 a.m. in the Nick building to my 10:35 a.m. class at the Junker Center. It was odd scheduling for classes at University Park with LionPath open on one tab and the campus map open on the other. There is a comfort in a small campus besides the small population, and it is not having to worry about if you are going to make it to your next class on time.

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Writing for the Behrend Beacon as a commuter travelling thirty minutes one way to Behrend, I knew how important it was to connect myself to the campus besides attending classes alone. After watching some of my friends who graduated from my high school before me suffer through the lonely life of commuting, I decided I did not want that to be me. While other clubs could have filled this void, writing for the Behrend Beacon has shaped me in a way I did not know was possible. Yes, it may sound cheesy, but writing for the paper has opened my eyes to different thoughts and opinions, forced me to leave my comfort zone through interviewing and meeting new people, and most importantly, given me something to look forward to each week. To those of you who pick up the paper every week, consider joining the paper staff. It will be hard to say goodbye to the Beacon at the end of your career at Behrend, but if your experience is anything like mine, you will finally have an outlet to express your thoughts and even meet some of the nicest and hardest-working students on this campus. Here’s to the end of not only a semester, but also a profound experience at Penn State Behrend.