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The sun was out. The Adirondack chairs were in place. Puppies were on hand. And Northeastern University students enjoyed a beautiful Monday on the Boston campus as they focused on final exams.
“First you get the buds and the cherry blossoms, and then you get these two weeks when you can sit outside in a T-shirt in the sun,” said Steven Tanguilig, who celebrated finishing his anatomy and physiology final by — well, what else? — sitting outside in a T-shirt in the sun on Krentzman Quad.
“It’s the best part of New England,” Tanguilig continued.
Monday was a busy day at Northeastern.
The campus buzzed with students on their way to and from exams. An ice cream truck dispensed treats on Centennial Common. Husky puppies visited to provide some cuddle time. And students posed for photos with Paws, the university’s globe-trotting mascot.
A captain from the U.S. Marines helped students set up a pullup bar outside Snell Library — where a record 32 pullups was set by early afternoon. A new public art installation was being constructed on Krentzman Quad. And students sat outside trying to increase their uptake of Vitamin D … and the study materials in front of them.
Right now, it’s just getting through with finals — that’s the biggest thing I’m looking forward to,” Luca Sharbani said as he sat with friends on Centennial Common.
Nyla Horne said she “lucked out” this semester, in terms of finals.
“I just have papers to do,” Horne said.
Third-year student Sam Boulos had the same workload as he worked at his laptop outside ISEC to close out his “favorite semester of school.”“I had cool classes I was interested in that were really collaborative, discussion-based classes,” said Boulos, who is studying philosophy with a film production minor.
And Sarah Popeck said she “sprinted over” from her dorm as soon as she heard that the puppies were out on Centennial Common on Monday morning.
“It was so adorable, they were lovely, and definitely a stress reliever,” Popeck said. “I have a dog at home, so it was a little bit reminiscent, which was nice.”
First-year student Harper Fremont-Smith agreed, also running over to take a break from studying for two exams and writing two essays.
“The dogs were super sweet, very well behaved, and just really wanted to be held and socialize,” Fremont-Smith said.
But the end of the semester also brings feelings of nostalgia as students prepare for summer adventures and — for graduates — continuing their education or joining the working world.
“I’ll miss my hammock and hanging out with good people,” said Oliver Breese, who chatted while relaxing in said hammock on Centennial.
Breese said he was particularly active in the university’s Huskiers and Outing Club and recounts a four-day, Memorial Day weekend trip to Acadia National Park as one of his favorite memories of Northeastern.
Matthew Blanco, a former president of the club who will also be graduating this May, also cited a club trip as providing a favorite Northeastern memory — this time bringing roughly 100 students to the club’s property in New Hampshire.
“It’s a lot of people’s first time up there, it’s near peak or at peak foliage, and hanging around a campfire with lots of guitars out. It’s just very cinematic, idyllic vibes,” Blanco said.
And Sharbani had another task to complete between finals and graduation.
“I want to make sure I build these connections with friends before I go,” Sharbani said. “I will miss the ease of seeing people organically and how college facilitates that.”
Horne agreed.
“The community is what I really like here,” said Horne, a third-year student.
And Fremont-Smith said that the community and events were her favorite part of this semester — her first on campus after spending the fall semester in Florence, Italy.
“I feel like Northeastern does a really good job of bringing students together, there’s just always something happening,” Fremont-Smith said. “It’s a nice way to get acclimated with campus and involved with a lot of stuff.”
Meanwhile, Popeck said she was happy that the winter was over and spring had finally arrived.
“Once spring comes around in full bloom, the weather gets nice and you can see everything and it gets a lot better,” Popeck said. “I love it.”