Several hundred members of the Northeastern University community began a new tradition on Thursday evening, gathering together on Centennial Common to share in the joy of a seminal moment: Commencement.

The celebration—“CommencementFest 2015”—comprised scores of graduating seniors and their families, who laughed, reminisced, and looked to the future with dozens of faculty, staff, and alumni.

Guests enjoyed a variety of food, danced to music, had their pictures taken in a photo booth, and had some fun with a slow-motion camera. OhHeckYeah @ Northeastern, a giant outdoor interactive arcade, was particularly popular among the attendees.

We asked some students at CommencementFest what they’ll remember most about Northeastern.

“I’m going to miss hanging out on this quad (Centennial Common). It’s sad to leave it all.” – Theresa Burnham, S’15.

“Coming in second in the Husky Hunt. People understand the gravity of that statement.” – Tommy Hu, CIS’15.

“I’m going to miss this campus a lot. It’s one of the main reasons I chose to come to Northeastern.” – Shailja Modi, S’15

“Finding my small group of friends the first week of freshman year. And it’s been the five of us ever since.” – Morgan Butler, S’15.

“I’m going to miss Chicken Lou’s. That place doesn’t get enough credit.” – Adam Pitel, SSH’15