#23665 Dear graduating seniors,

I am an alumnus, class of 2011. I can't really say my days in Purdue were fun and bright; I was a hate crime victim in Purdue, I was so broke, and graduated with a lot of debt. When I was graduating, I thought I wouldn't miss it anymore. But I was wrong. Yes, school sucked. I failed some classes, went through depressions and financial crisis. Some people I confronted were extreme racists... But with all those hardships, I learned how to stand up for myself, how to ask a help to people when I needed a help. I learned how to help people who were going through tough days as I went through, and most importantly, I met great people who were supportive to my choices and stood by my side when I was on my knees. I though I always hated Purdue, but sooner after I left Purdue, I realized how much I gained from Purdue beside of my engineering degree.
Some graduating seniors may have the same bitter thought as I had when I was graduating. And you will think you don't want to come back in West Lala anymore. However, years later when you look back, you will realized that you grew up more, got stronger and wiser while you were in Purdue.
Great work, graduating seniors. You suffered, survived yet enjoyed those days in Purdue. Pat yourself. Congratulations class of 2016.
Boiler up!

From a sentimental alumnus.

#23664 So, I won a departmental scholarship for the next school year. I'm extremely thankful for the fact that I won it, I honestly am. However, I still can't help but feel completely inadequate. There was an award ceremony for everyone who was awarded a scholarship from the department, and they'd announce everyone's accomplishments as they would walk up to accept their award. Now I have a decent GPA, am involved in a club, and have participated in undergraduate research, but there are people in my year who are involved in 3+ clubs while doing research, maintaining a (near) 4.0 GPA in a tough major, and doing consistent community service work. One guy has accomplished these after serving ~5yrs in the US Armed Forces. Yet, I'm supposed to walk down and pretend that I feel accomplished in my lack of achievements? I have to stand there and fake a smile as I feel nothing but inadequacy.

#23663 So one time during high school, I was going through a tiny pyro phase. I had a burning candle and was trying to see how hot the wax actually was by letting it drip on my skin. I decide to leave the room to grab food.*Fast forward 10 minutes*. Walk back in and see that the candle tipped over and all my AP Calc homework was on fire. <-- Only legitimate reason I've ever had for not turning in homework.

#23662 So one time during middle school, I was going through a tiny pyro phase. I bought twenty boxes of matches so I could scrape the match heads and get the phosphorous. Lit it right about a foot from my face. Went blind for a solid ten seconds.

#23661 So one time during elementary school, I was going through a tiny pyro phase. I had a box of matches and decided to light them on top of a can of baked beans. The concept of thermal expansion wasn't apparent to me at the time. Needless to say, the can of baked beans exploded all over the room and I had to explain how I got baked beans on the ceiling.

#23660 J--missing you

#23659 The antiabortion people need to take feeling into account. I just was forced to have one induced by pills because my son was dying in my womb. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do and was against every belief I ever had, but it gave me precious minutes with him before he passed. Had I not taken those pills I would have lived the rest of my life having only met my dead baby. I broke down because you where yelling about abortions the other day because I'm still grieving the loss of what would have been the best thing in my life.

#23658 Yea!Finally done with my undergrad studies. Still remember the freshen myself entering the Calc 1 class and facing Professor Kenji Matzuki. Boy it was hilarious when he wrote his name in English and then in Japanese. I remember the time I used to moan in Engineering 131 and 132. I remember the crazy all nighters where I tried to learn the entire semester in one night. Watching football games, attending basketball games. Turning 21 and getting a 'birthday shot' at Harry's, eating a FatBoy from the Famous Franks. Purdue you have given me quite a bit. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Do accept me for grad school, I am most certainly not done with you.Congratulations to the class of 2016. #WeDidIt #HailPurdue