When the Class of 2002 marches down the field of Michigan Stadium for commencement ceremonies on April 27, they will carry with them memories of football games, parties, scandals, deaths and Sept. 11.
- Paul Wong
- Seniors look forward to graduation on April 27 and bright futures filled with careers, families and for some, many more hours studying in the Law Library. (DAVID KATZ/Daily)
LSA senior Robert Clubb said his favorite memory of college is his first experience in the “Big House” in the fall of 98. Although the team lost to Syracuse that day, he said he still remembers the day with fond memories.
“All the people, it was just humongous. I had never experienced anything like that in my life,” Clubb said.
Other memories that came to students’ minds involved campus hang outs, classes and the other parts of college life they will soon leave behind.
LSA senior Barry Sims said Blimpy Burger holds a special place in his heart with its “quad with pepper jack cheese on an onion roll, grilled onions, mushroom and egg with Tabasco sauce, mayo and ketchup.”
But seniors said not all their memories were fond ones.
Another of Clubb’s most vivid memories happened three years later when he saw the second tower of the World Trade Center crumble to the ground on Sept. 11 from a small television set in the E.H. Krauss Natural Science Building.
“I couldn’t believe my eyes. I remember Dan Rather saying we were in the grips of an ‘orgy of terrorism.’ Words can’t describe what happened that time,” Clubb said.
LSA senior Genevieve Geisler said she will remember the drama of the University being in the middle of the lawsuits regarding the use of race in admissions, which were filed in 1997. “I was interested in (the) affirmative action debate and how it was centered here on campus,” she said.
Geisler also said she has fond recollections of certain classes, particularly a medical anthropology class with Prof. Holly Golden.
“I just thought it was really interesting and it had to do with what I wanted to do with my career,” Geisler said.
Many seniors said if they could change one thing about their college experience it would be either pursuing a different major or taking the opportunity to study abroad.
Several seniors said some advice they would give to incoming University freshman is to take advantage of everything offered, not get overwhelmed and slowly ease into college.
“Take it easy your first year. Don’t take on too much, college is a lot different than high school,” Clubb said. “Just try to acclimate to college life.”
Though some seniors are staying in Ann Arbor, most will move away to attend graduate school, work or pursue their own lives.
“I’m moving somewhere far away and working a while,” Sims said.